Mamelodi Sundowns will have their toughest test yet in the CAF Champions League when they travel to reigning champions Wydad Casablanca in the semi-final first-leg on Saturday evening.
CAF Champions League
Teams: Wydad Casablanca v Mamelodi Sundowns
Date: 13 May 2023
Venue: Stade Mohammed V
Time: 21h00
Sundowns cruised to the quarter-finals after dismantling Belouizdad 4-1 in the first-leg away and won the second leg 2-1 in Tshwane to record a comprehensive 6-2 aggregate win.
The Brazilians, who wrapped up the domestic league title with seven games to go, reached this stage of the tournament for the first time since 2019 and have played two league games since beating the Algerian side in the second-leg, a 2-2 draw against AmaZulu and a 2-0 win over Marumo Gallants last weekend.
As for Wydad, they kept their hopes of defending the title alive by the skin of their teeth, after edging Simba 4-3 on penalties, following a 1-1 draw on aggregate in the quarter-finals.
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The Moroccan side reached this stage for the seventh time in eight seasons, however, they will face Sundowns with a new coach after Juan Carlos Garrido resigned last week.
The Spanish mentor has been replaced by Belgian Sven Vandenbroeck.
Wydad are currently second in the Botola Pro League, just one point behind leaders AS FAR, with five games to go.
The sides have met ten times in the tournament, with the Moroccan giants having four wins compared to Sundowns' three, while the other three have been draws.
The last time the sides met was in the 2019/20 group stages, where the Brazilians took four points off Wydad, as a goalless draw was followed by a 1-0 win in Tshwane thanks to a penalty scored by Ricardo Nascimento.
Confirmed line-ups:
Wydad Casablanca: El Motie, Aboufath, Jabrane, Jaadi, El Hassouni, Ounajem, Idrissi, Sambou, Amloud, Bouhra, Kiaku
Mamelodi Sundowns: Williams, Boutouil, Mvala, Mbule, Modiba, Mokoena, Mudau, Morena, Zwane, Maema, Shalulile
Subs: D.Onyango, Lebusa, Zungu, Sirino, Allende, Kekana, Mkhulise, Mashego, Mailula
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