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The stage is set for the final of the CAF Champions League 2021-22 campaign, as reigning champions Al Ahly and Wydad Casablanca lock horns at the Stade Mohammed V on Monday.
The venue for the title decider is essentially the home ground for Wydad, so they will have home advantage in this match.
Al Ahly have made it to the final for the fifth time in the last six seasons, while this is the first appearance in the final for Wydad since finishing as the runners-up in 2019.
The Egyptian side overcame ES Setif 6-2 on aggregate in the semi-finals and Wydad defeated Petro de Luanda 4-2 in the previous round of fixtures.
Al Ahly vs Wydad Casablanca Head-to-Head
This will be the 11th meeting between the two sides in the continental competition. They have already met in the final of the competition, with that meeting coming in 2017 when Wydad secured a 2-1 win in a two-legged tie.
Nadi El Watanniyah have the upper hand in this fixture, recording four wins while the Moroccan side have two wins to their name. Four games between the two sides have ended in draws.
They last met in the semi-finals of the 2020 edition, when the 10-time champions secured a 5-1 win on aggregate.
Al Ahly form guide (all competitions): W-D-D-W-D
Wydad Casablanca form guide (all competitions): W-D-D-W-W
Al Ahly vs Wydad Casablanca Team News
Al Ahly
Al Ahly were handed a huge boost ahead of their preparations for the final as Amr El-Sulya, Aliou Dieng and Hamdy Fathi returned to full fitness and have been named in the final 28-man squad.
Badr Benoun has also been named in the squad but has not played a game in the last six months and it is unlikely that he will start in this game. Akram Tawfik remains a long-term absentee.
Injuries: Akram Tawfik, Badr Benoun.
Doubtful: None.
Suspension: None.
Unavailable: None
Wydad Casablanca
Muaid Ellafi is a long-term absentee for the Moroccans while Jalal Daoudi picked up an injury in the latest league game and faces a race against time to prove his match fitness.
Zouhair El Moutaraji and Achraf Dari have also trained separately from the group, so their involvement in this match remains doubtful.
Injury: Muaid Ellafi, Jalal Daoudi
Doubtful: Zouhair El Moutaraji, Achraf Dari
Suspension: None
Unavailable: None
Al Ahly vs Wydad Casablanca Predicted XIs
Al Ahly (4-3-3): Mohamed El Shenawy (GK); Ali Maaloul, Ayman Ashraf, Yasser Ibrahim, Mohamed Hany; Walid Soliman, Hamdi Fathi, Aliou Dieng; Ahmed Abdelkader, Mohamed Sherif, Percy Tau.
Wydad Casablanca (4-1-4-1): Ahmed Tagnaouti (GK); Ayoub El Amloud, Yahia Attiyat Allah, Amine Farhane, Anas Serrhat; Yahya Jabrane; Ayman Hassouni, Reda Jaadi, Abdallah Haimoud, Salaheddine Benyachou; Guy Mbenza
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Al Ahly vs Wydad Casablanca Prediction
Al Ahly had a slow start to the competition, scoring seven goals in six group stage fixtures, while Wydad, on the other hand, found the back of the net 15 times in the same period.
Things turned around in the knockout stages as the defending champions scored nine goals in the quarter-finals and semi-finals. Wydad Al Oumma have scored just five goals in the knockout stages.
Nerves play a big role in games like this and given their rich history in the competition, we back Al Alhy to come out victorious here.
Prediction: Al Ahly 2-1 Wydad Casablanca
