Latest news with #RajaCasablanca
Sharjah 24
31-05-2025
- Sport
- Sharjah 24
Al Ain signs Rui Patricio for Club World Cup
Patricio arrives in UAE for medical and training The club confirmed on its official "X" account that Patricio arrived in the UAE on Sunday. He is set to undergo medical examinations before joining the first-team training sessions in preparation for the global competition. Strengthening the squad with key signings This latest signing follows the acquisitions of Moroccan players Yahya Benkhalek from Fath Union Sport and Hussein Rahimi from Raja Casablanca, demonstrating Al Ain's commitment to building a competitive squad for the Club World Cup.
IOL News
22-05-2025
- Sport
- IOL News
The untold story of Mamelodi Sundowns' CAF Champions League title aspirations
Teboho Mokoena With Teboho Mokoena's control in midfield, Sundowns have the depth and quality to compete with any team in Africa. Photo: BackpagePix Image: BackpagePix In the unyielding world of African football, few stories resonate as deeply as that of Mamelodi Sundowns, who are on the cusp of securing their second CAF Champions League title. Since their historic triumph in 2016 when they won their only title, Sundowns have weighed in with incessant effort, honed their skills, altered strategies and built a squad brimming with talent and potential. This, seemingly, has laid the foundation for another successful bid for continental supremacy. The final is a two-legged affair, with the Brazilians hosting Egyptian upstarts Pyramids FC in the first leg on Saturday (3pm kick-off) at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria. The next stop will be the crucial return leg on June 1 in Cairo. We track the features of Sundowns' Champions League journey ahead of the two pulse-pounding encounters over the next two weeks... 1 Group-stage resilience and depth During the Group B stage, Sundowns have emerged as formidable contenders. Despite the pressure of playing in a group with Moroccan heavyweight clubs such as Raja Casablanca and AS FAR Rabat, who have four Champions League titles between them, they underlined their ability to navigate the complexities of continental football. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Masandawana suffered one loss in six games and secured crucial victories, marked by strategic prowess. It speaks volumes about their preparation and execution during high-pressure games, a testament to their tenacity and character on the field. 2 Cardoso transformed knockout campaign The coaching baton was handed to the Portuguese tactician Miguel Cardoso after two matches in the knockout stages. Both games under Manqoba Mngqithi ended in draws. Cardoso first showed his hand in the next with a win over three-time champions Raja Casablanca. He brought structure, stability, and a continental edge to Sundowns. With this mix, under his stewardship, they edged out last season's finalists Esperance 1-0 across two legs in the quarter-finals. They displayed remarkable fortitude in revising the playbook against the tournament's giants, Al Ahly, in the semi-finals. Cardoso's tactics laid the platform for individuals to shine. 3 Ronwen Williams, the Rock of Gibraltar Sundowns' stalwart goalkeeper Ronwen Williams has become the rock on which his team's continental dreams are built. He has emerged as one of the competition's best shot-stoppers, maintaining a contest-high number of clean sheets. His contributions extend beyond mere saves; they embody a presence and leadership, particularly during hostile games in Tunis and Cairo. As the last line of defence, Williams is expected to play a pivotal role in the forthcoming finals, where every save could mark the difference between glory and disappointment. His influence on his team's fortunes cannot be overstated. 4 Domestic arena a breeding ground for success The confidence bubbling in Sundowns' ranks signifies the emergence of a confident, battle-hardened squad that thrives under pressure and knows how to claim victory. For months, the squad balanced local and continental fixtures, as well as national team call-ups. Often, there was very little recovery time, but the Brazilians carved out a legacy of excellence that has transformed the South African football landscape. Their domination locally cultivated a belief amid deep-seated expectation that knows how to prevail. Even amidst injuries or fixture congestion, their system persisted with fluidity and competitiveness. 5 Sundowns can bury ghosts of the past After being crowned 2016 champions, Sundowns dropped out three times in the semi-final rounds in subsequent seasons. This year's squad, however, appears mentally steeled, tactically astute, and infused with an emotional resolve to overcome past demons. Having eliminated heavyweights like Esperance and Al Ahly, teams with deep reservoirs of experience and winning history. Progressing past such heavyweights has fortified their confidence and highlighted their undeniable talent. The upcoming finals will offer a chance to eradicate the ghosts of previous campaigns and transform past disappointments into triumphs.
Morocco World
11-05-2025
- Sport
- Morocco World
AS FAR Book CAF Champions League Spot
AS FAR have secured their place in next season's CAF Champions League after seeing off Hassania Agadir 3-0 away on the final day of the Botola Pro. After a goalless first half, the visitors turned on the style after the break. Khalid Aït Ourkhan broke the deadlock on 57 minutes, before quickfire goals from Abdelfattah Hadraf and Hicham Bousfiane on 60 and 79 minutes sealed the points. The win confirmed AS FAR's runners-up finish on 57 points, three points clear of Wydad Casablanca in third. Hassania Agadir, meanwhile, wrapped up a disappointing campaign in 13th place on just 29 points and is set to take part in the relegation playoffs. Wydad Casablanca and Raja Casablanca will also represent Morocco in a continental competition. Wydad signed off their league season with a convincing 2-0 home win over Nahdat Zemamra on Sunday night at the Mohammed V Stadium. Mohamed El Raheyi put Wydad ahead from the penalty spot after 12 minutes, before Mayele Maïlula doubled the lead just before half-time, finishing off a smart pass from Obing. The result saw Wydad finish third on 54 points and qualify for the CAF Confederation Cup, just missing out on the Champions League spot claimed by AS FAR. Zemamra, meanwhile, ended their season fifth on 47 points. Raja Casablanca had already booked their ticket to the CAF Confederation Cup after winning the Throne Cup title with a 2-1 victory over AS FAR in the final. Tags: AS FARbotola proCAFchampions leagueConfederation Cuprajawydad
Morocco World
11-05-2025
- Sport
- Morocco World
Wydad and Raja Seal CAF Confederation Cup Spots
Wydad Casablanca and Raja Casablanca will represent Morocco in next season's CAF Confederation Cup, following the end of the 2024/25 Botola Pro campaign. Wydad signed off their league season with a 2-0 home win over Nahdat Zemamra at the Mohammed V Stadium. Mohamed El Raheyi put Wydad ahead from the penalty spot after 12 minutes, before Mayele Maïlula doubled the lead just before half-time, finishing off a smart pass from Obing. The result saw Wydad finish third on 54 points, just missing out on the Champions League spot claimed by AS FAR. Zemamra, meanwhile, ended their season fifth on 47 points. Raja Casablanca had already booked their ticket after clinching the Cup of the Throne last year with a 2-1 victory over AS FAR in the final in Agadir. Tags: botola proCAF Confederation Cuprajawydad
CAF
30-01-2025
- Sport
- CAF
Stat Attack: Morocco
Published: Thursday, 30 January 2025 Numbers you might not know. This week we focus the spotlight on the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations hosts Morocco, where the draw was conducted on Monday. 1 – The number of times that an African country has been to a FIFA World Cup semi-final, a feat achieved by Morocco at the last edition in Qatar in 2022 where they beat Belgium, Canada, Portugal and Spain on route to the last four where they lost to France. 9 – The record number of stadiums that will be used by Morocco when they host the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations finals at the end of the year. The previous record was six in Mali in 2002, Egypt in both 2006 and 2019, Cameroon in 2021 and the last edition in Cote d'Ivoire. 17 – The number of continental club competition titles that Moroccan teams have won, which includes seven in the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League and seven in the TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup. There were also two successes in the old-style Confédération Africaine de Football Cup and one in the CAF Cup Winners' Cup, which were combined in 2004 to become the TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup. Raja Casablanca are the most successful of the Moroccan clubs with six continental titles. 19 – The number of times Morocco have taken part in past TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations finals, which is bettered only by five countries. Morocco's only success was in 1976 in only their second tournament appearance. They were runners-up in 2004 and have been semi-finalists a further three times. Morocco have played a total of 74 matches at the finals. 26 – The number of goals Morocco netted in a record-breaking TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign, at an average of more than four per match. Brahim Diaz scored seven of them to end as the top scorer in the 2025 qualifiers. It brought to 303 their total number of TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations goals in both qualifying and at the finals. Their total in finals stands at 87.
