The 2017 CAF Champions League continues, with the clubs of Liberia’s two representatives, William Jebor and Anthony Laffor, restoring their hopes of reaching the quarterfinals of the competition.
Having won one and suffered two defeats from their previous games, Jebor’s Wydad was on the verge of missing out on reaching the last eight if they lost at home to Egyptian club, Al Ahly.
The 2016-17 Moroccan champions began their Champions League campaign with a comfortable 2-0 win over Cameroonian club, CotonSports, at home before bowing 1-0 to Zanaco of Zimbabwe.
Their hope of experiencing victory again was dashed on the third match day when they suffered a 2-0 defeat away at Egyptian Premier League giant, Al Ahly SC.
Wydad’s defeat to Al Ahly was followed by a shocking news for their Liberian striker, William Jebor, whose mother passed away in Morocco while he was on club duty in Egypt.
The sad event occurred the same week Liberia’s national team was going into their first match against Zimbabwe in qualifying campaign of 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, and Jebor was ruled out of the crunch encounter. The week got terrible for the former LISCR FC striker with Liberia going down 3-0 to Zimbabwe.
However, his club brought a smile back to his face with an important home win over North Africans rivals, Al Ahly. Before the crucial match, Jebor had returned home for the burial of his mother and had to miss the match that brought together 80,000 fans at the Stade Mohamed V where Wydad recorded a 2-0 win to keep alive their hopes of reaching the last eight.
A defeat for Wydad at home would have seen visitors Al Ahly reach the quarterfinals, but a goal from Congo Brazzaville-born Fabrice Ondama in 48th-minute and Walid El Karty’s header 11 minutes from full time earned Wydad the three points in a revenge win.
Wydad remained in the third position in Group D after the victory, but with six points from four games. They are four points behind group leaders Zanaco and a point behind Al Ahly., Their chances of reaching the quarter-finals depends on the results of the remaining group games among the four clubs in Group D. Wydad must win their remaining two games and hope Ahly and Zanaco drop points to reach the last eight.
Meanwhile, a slow start by defending champions, the Mamelodi Sundowns, continues, with the South African side securing a draw away from home. Their group stage campaign began with a disappointing goalless draw with lowly rated St. George before bouncing back with a 3-1 win away at Congolese club, AS Vita. The win away at Congo looked to have put the Sundowns back on track in defending their crown.
However, they received a major setback in their third match at home against Esperance Tunis of Tunisia. The Tunisians grabbed a stoppage time goal form the spot-kick to wrap up a surprising 2-1 win at the Lucas Masterpieces Moripe Stadium in Pretoria, South Africa.
Having defeated ES Setif in Tunisia during the 2016 CAF Champions League campaign, Laffor’s Sundowns was targeting a win over Esperance Tunis away at Tunisia.
However, the return leg at Esperance Tunis didn’t go on as planned as the South Africans were held to a goalless draw. Laffor, who scored away at AS Vita to help the Sundowns to a 3-1 win away from home, played 76 minutes in the draw away from home.
The Sundowns moved up to second in Group B with five points, leveled with third-placed St George and three points behind Esperance Tunis, which sits at the top. The Sundowns’ next match is at home against AS Vita, and a win for them will help keep their quarterfinals qualification hopes.
Photo Courtesy of Wydad Athletics
