CAF Champions League winners Al-Ahly have set up a meeting with UEFA Champions League winners Real Madrid after disposing of Seattle Sounders in the FIFA Club World Cup.
The quarter finals was played in Morocco and it was a tough match as Sounders, the first ever MLS team to play in the FIFA Club World Cup in its entire history, gave a good account of football in their region. It took a late goal from Mohamed Magdy to help the Egyptians progress to the semis and set up a match with Real Madrid, one of the most successful sides in the competition.
Al-Ahly and Sounders played out a tense match with both sides exchanging chances, fluffing them and sounding each other out for more than 80 minutes. The game came alive from the 88th minute after Magdy’s initial chip from outside the box hit the bar.
The rebound fell luckily to him and from the same position, he fired another shot towards goal that was helped into the net by a deflection off a Sounders defender.
Both sides then switched into high gear as Al-Ahly worked to defend their lead and possibly add a second while Sounders desperately looked to send the game to extra time to further make history for themselves and the MLS, who were being represented at the competition for the first time in its history.
Al-Ahly eventually saw the game off and will now face Madrid in a clash of two ultra successful clubs in the semis of the competition.
The Egyptians are the most successful team in Africa, with 42 league titles and 10 Champions League titles while Madrid have 36 league titles and 14 Champions League titles.
The winner of their match will face either Flamengo of Brazil or Al-Hilal of Saudi Arabia, who are going to face each other in the other semi-final. The winner will be determined in the final which will be played next weekend.
Madrid, on the other hand, will worry about their increasingly tight fixture schedule.
They are due for a match against Barcelona in the Copa del Rey but will have little time for rest thanks to the semi-finals of the Club World Cup.
Barcelona were reportedly happy with the draw thanks to Madrid’s fixture schedule providing them ample time to rest and prepare for the fourth Clasico of the season.
Having lost one trophy to Barcelona already this season, losing another will be a tough one for Los Blancos to water down as it will mean that the Blaugrana club will go ahead of them in total titles won in history.
Regardless, it is an opportunity for Carlo Ancelotti to show his man management skills as a veteran in the game.
