Latest news with #AlexandreSantos
Morocco World
08-04-2025
- Sport
- Morocco World
AS FAR vs Pyramids: When, How to Watch & Score Prediction
AS FAR face a daunting task this evening as they host Egypt's Pyramids in the second leg of the CAF Champions League quarter-finals. Kick-off is at 8 p.m. Moroccan time (GMT+1), and fans can catch the action live on BeIN Sports Arabic. The Moroccan side trail 4-1 from the first leg in Cairo and must deliver a near-flawless performance if they are to progress to the semis. Head coach Alexandre Santos is under no illusions about the scale of the challenge: 'We've got 95 minutes,' declared AS FAR boss Alexandre Santos. 'This is our moment to show our identity, our quality, and above all, our focus.' The Rabat-based side were undone early in Cairo, conceding two quick goals and never truly recovering. Santos is expected to make changes to avoid a repeat, with 21 players available for selection. Winger El Amine Zouhzouh, who struggled with a knock in the first leg, is fit and expected to feature in the starting lineup. The match also carries emotional weight following a controversial decision in Egypt which saw hundreds of AS FAR fans denied entry until the final minutes. A large crowd is expected in Meknes, with supporters eager to fire up their side towards an unlikely semi-final berth. 'The result was painful, yes,' Santos added, 'but we've worked well. The belief is there. Every player knows what's at stake.' Pyramids coach Krunoslav Jurčić is all caution: 'We're expecting a very, very difficult match. AS FAR are aggressive, technically strong, and they'll come at us like a storm from the first minute.' Still, he exuded quiet confidence. 'If we play as we did in Cairo, we'll go through. We've handled hostile atmospheres before—we've played Ahly, Zamalek, you name it.' Pyramids will go through with a draw or even a two-goal defeat. AS FAR must win by three goals to level the tie. But if there's one truth in football, it's that it's never over until the final whistle. Score Prediction: AS FAR will huff, puff, and roar. But unless Pyramids collapse under pressure, the Egyptians should edge through. We hope a miracle will turn up uninvited. Verdict: AS FAR 1-1 Pyrami Tags: AS FARCAF Champions LeaguePyramids
CAF
19-02-2025
- Sport
- CAF
Who are the eight remaining sides in the 2024/25 TotalEnergies CAF Champions League?
The draw for the quarter-finals of the 2024/25 TotalEnergies CAF Champions League will take place in Doha, Qatar on Thursday, where the eight remaining sides will learn their path to the final. The four group winners will be drawn against the four runners-up, though they cannot meet the team who advanced to the knockout stage from their pool. The draw for the semi-finals will be conducted at the same time. Here is a look at the eight remaining teams in the competition. GROUP WINNERS AL HILAL Country: Sudan Coach: Florent Ibengé (DR Congo) Best finish: Runners-up 1987, 1992 Al Hilal were forced to play their 'home' games in Mauritania due to the conflict in their own country, but topped their pool in fine style with 10 points from a possible 18. Their success has been built around a tight defence, bar a blow-out 4-0 loss to TP Mazembe in their final pool game. They have the experienced Congolese coach Florent Ibengé in charge and have advanced from the group stage for the first time since they reached the semi-finals in 2015. AS FAR Country: Morocco Coach: Alexandre Santos (Portugal) Best finish: Winners 1985 Moroccan side AS FAR went unbeaten through the pool stage with two wins and four draws, topping the group with 10 points. They were one of only two clubs that did not lose a pool stage game. They have recently appointed Portuguese coach Alexandre Santos. The club were champions in 1985 but have not been this far in the competition since a semi-final showing in 1988. ESPERANCE SPORTIVE DE TUNIS Country: Tunisia Coach: Laurențiu Reghecampf (Romania) Best finish: Winners 1994, 2011, 2018, 2019 Esperance edged Egyptian side Pyramids on head-to-head to top their pool with 13 points from a possible 18. The duo of South African Elias Mokwana and Tunisian Achref Jabri each grabbed three goals in the pool stages and will be dangermen again. Romanian coach Laurențiu Reghecampf has been in charge since November, with the side losing only one of their 19 fixtures in all competitions since his appointment. This past weekend they lifted the Tunisian Super Cup. ORLANDO PIRATES Country: South Africa Coach: Jose Riveiro (Spain) Best finish: Winners 1995 Orlando Pirates are into the knockout rounds of the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League for the first time since they reached the final in 2013. They have been riding a wave of success under Spanish coach Jose Riveiro and their 14 points from a possible 18 in the pool stage was the highest of any team as they went unbeaten. Their 2-1 win at Al Ahly in their final group game will have given them a huge boost in confidence. GROUP RUNNERS-UP AL AHLY Country: Egypt Coach: Marcel Koller (Switzerland) Best finish: Winners 1982, 1987, 2001, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2012, 2013, 2019–20, 2020–21, 2022–23, 2023–24 The record 12-time winners finished runners up to Orlando Pirates but have often stumbled through the pool stages of late, only to turn it on in the knockout rounds and dominate, leading to four titles in the last five years. They have the skill and experience to beat any team, especially over two legs. They are seeking to become the first team ever to lift the trophy three years in a row. MAMELODI SUNDOWNS Country: South Africa Coach: Miguel Cardoso (Portugal) Best finish: Winners 2016 Mamelodi Sundowns were runners-up to AS FAR in their group and failed to find their usual fluency up front with five goals scored in their six games. But they too have the experience to navigate the knockout rounds having reached this stage in nine of the previous 10 seasons. They were champions in 2016 but have not been past the semi-finals since. MC ALGER Country: Algeria Coach: Khaled Ben Yahia (Tunisia) Best finish: Winners 1976 MC Alger secured nine points in their pool to finish runners-up to Al Hilal but did so by scoring only four goals. Their campaign has been built on defence, having conceded just two goals, the least of any side in the pool stages. They were champions in 1976 but have not been past the quarter-finals since then. They hired coach Khaled Ben Yahia in December following the exit of Patrice Beaumelle. PYRAMIDS FC Country: Egypt Coach: Krunoslav Jurčić (Croatia) Best finish: Group Stage 2023-24 Pyramids FC were the joint leading scorers in the group stage with 14 goals as they finished runners-up in their pool to Esperance. They reach the knockout rounds for the first time in their second year of competing in the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League having exited in the group phase in 2023-24. They are led by Croatian coach Krunoslav Jurčić, who has been in his post a little over a year.
