SAN FRANCISCO, November 05, (THEWILL) – Egyptian Premier League side Zamalek SC booked their place in the CAF Champions League final as a 3-1 win over Moroccan Botola club Raja Casablanca set up a shot at Al Ahly SC for the continental title.
Zamalek came into the tie with a 1-0 lead in the first leg, from an Achraf Bencharki header. And the five-time African champions were given an early fright in Wednesday’s return game but a late double from Mostafa Mohamed helped to ease their passage.
After a relatively quiet first 45 minutes, striker Ben Malango drilled a 22-yard strike, helped by a wicked deflection, into the bottom left corner to give Raja Casablanca the lead two minutes into the second period, levelling the tie on aggregate.
However, Ferjani Sassi delivered a strike from the edge of the area that found the left corner. That clever finish put Zamalek level on the night and back in front on aggregate in the 61st minute.
It stayed that way until 5 minutes from time when forward Mohamed nudged the hosts 2-1 ahead with a terrific header. The striker grabbed his brace three minutes later as defenders were caught static while he fire home to give the hosts a 4-1 aggregate victory.
That was how the second-leg game, that had been postponed in two different occasions because of a coronavirus outbreak in the Raja ranks, ended.
Zamalek qualify for an all-Egyptian final at the Borg El Arab Stadium in Alexandria on Friday, November 27 against an Al Ahly side who saw off another Moroccan side Wydad Casablanca in their own semi-final.
