LUBUMBASHI — Egyptian giants Al-Ahly finished preparations in readiness for their match against TP Mazembe of DR Congo in the first-leg of CAF Champions League semi-finals on Saturday at Stade TP Mazembe in Lubumbashi at 3:00pm Cairo Local Time.
The defending champion booked their place in the semi-finals for the fifth straight season after defeating Simba 3-0 on aggregate.
TP Mazembe defeated Petro de Luanda of Angola 2-1 on aggregate to reach the semi-finals.
Al-Ahly (Egypt), TP Mazembe (DR Congo), Esperance Sportive Tunis (Tunisia) and Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa) are the four remaining clubs contending for Africa’s most prized club football crown.
Africa has four places reserved at expanded Club World Cup in the United States from 15 June to 13 July next year, as the tournament has been increased to 32 teams as part of FIFA’s vision to create a universal club competition to rival that of the UEFA Champions League.
The four African clubs will be the winners of the four Champions League competitions between 2021 and 2024 but because Al-Ahly won two of the last three that has opened the door to one team who has not had Champions League success but been perennial contenders.
Al-Ahly won the Champions League in 2021 and again last season, while Wydad Casablanca won in 2022 and so both have already secured their berth in the US.
The victor in this year’s Champions League also goes to next year’s Club World Cup, which also opens the door for TP Mazembe.
It has been 10 years since TP Mazembe – former FIFA Club World Cup finalists – reached the finals of the CAF Champions League.
They will have to overcome a major hurdle this weekend when they meet current champions Al-Ahly in Lubumbashi.
Amongst the four clubs, a total of 21 CAF Champions League titles have been won, with defending champions Ahly dominating with eleven titles, Mazembe with five, ES Tunis with four, and Sundowns with a single title.
In Tunis, ES Tunis continues their search for a fifth title after last tasting continental glory in 2019.
They welcome Sundowns, whose 2016 title is coupled with a recent confidence-boosting African Football League (AFL) triumph that has elevated their pedigree on the continent.
Since lifting Africa’s most prized club football title back in 2015, Mazembe is looking at ending what could potentially be a 10-year drought since lifting the CAF Champions League title.
Mazembe’s last continental title came in 2017 when they won the CAF Confederation Cup in succession after doing so the previous season.
“We need to be at our best. We have great respect for Al-Ahly who is the most successful team on the continent,” Mazembe’s head coach, Lamine N’Diaye said ‘according to Cafonline.
“When they arrive at this level of competition, they are formidable, even more formidable than at the start of the competition. We expect a very difficult match. However, we have every chance. We will have to be good in both matches in order to make it to the final.
“I have a lot of boys who have not yet evolved to this level. This match should not be played before the kick-off.
“The role of the staff is to channel their energy, to try to put things into perspective and to prepare as best as possible. We are going into retreat, far from the city, far from the comments,” N’Diaye added.
“We are going to have a good clean break to recharge our batteries and prepare for this match.
“It’s a club that holds a unique place in my heart. I have already won the Champions League with TP Mazembe, that’s no small thing. Then I reached a FIFA Club World Cup final in 2010, you won’t forget that. Whether it’s the public, the leaders, everyone welcomes me here with open arms. For my part, I try to do my best to satisfy them all the time,” N’Diaye noted.
“It’s the best competition there is. The CAF Champions League is the Holy Grail. Nobody thought we could reach this stage of the game this year, but that was my goal. It was to find the glory of yesteryear. I think the credit goes to the players who fought tooth and nail to get to this point.
In other semi-final, Esperance of Tunisia will host Mamelodi Sundowns of (South Africa at the Stade Olympique de Rades in Tunis.
