Tuesday, November 19, 2024 at 8:57 p.m.
El Jadida – Two years later…AS FAR returns to the final of the CAF African Women’s Champions League, by defeating the Egyptian club FC Masar (2-1), Tuesday at the El Abdi Stadium in El Jadida.
Favorites on paper, the reigning Moroccan champions were determined to continue the adventure. No question of leaving anything to chance! From the start of the match, they were very focused.
This intensity quickly translated onto the field. In the 11th minute, the Military opened the scoring through Safa Banouk.
Relaxed, a little too much, after this opening score, Amine Alioua’s protégés were surprised. Sandrine Niyonkuru, pushed into the penalty area by Hajar Said, won a penalty. Her face to face with Kahdija Er-Rmichi turned in favor of the Moroccan who splendidly repelled the attempt of the Burundian center forward of FC Masar.
AS FAR almost widened the gap, but its dangerous actions were deflected by the Egyptian defense. Doha El Madani and Sanaa Mssoudy were dynamic but lacked realism.
Without seeming to force too much, Nouhaila Benzina’s teammates, serene and experienced, managed the second half perfectly. FC Masar, although still combative, has hardly found the fault which leads straight to the goal.
They played deep, attacking from the left and right, but the military defensive block, quite aggressive and compact, exerted good pressure on the ball carrier, before the midfielder set the tone to get it out.
In added time, the referee of the match, the Namibian Antsino Twanyanyuwa, after using VAR, awarded a penalty to the Egyptians transformed by Maya Ehab.
Not giving up after this goal scored against the run of play, the Military will only wait a few seconds to double the lead by the “Goleador” Doha El Madani with the transformation of a splendid free kick from the left side.
In the final, the Capital team meets TP Mazembe coached by Moroccan Lamia Boumehdi. The two teams met in the first round. The victory was Moroccan (3-1).
This is the second time that the Military has qualified for the final after 2022 in Morocco… Their coronation year. They will thus have the opportunity to equal the record of titles held by the South African Mamelodi Sundowns (2).
