Egyptian anger over hosting of African Champions League final in Morocco

RIYADH: Africa has not yet finished the semifinals of its Champions League but the announcement on Monday that the final will take place in Morocco has not gone down well with Egypt whose football governing body is ready to take the matter to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

Last weekend, Cairo giants Al-Ahly defeated ES Setif of Algeria 4-0 in the first leg at home to put more than one foot in the final and stay on course for a third successive continental title providing they avoid disaster in Algiers on Saturday (though Setif prepared for the return leg by thrashing Relizane 7-0 in the league on Tuesday).

In the other last-four clash, Wydad Casablanca won 3-1 away at Petro de Luanda of Angola and returning to Morocco for the second leg on Friday, are odds-on to book their spot in the final which will take place on May 30.

On Monday, just 48 hours after the first legs had been played, the Confederation of African Football announced that Morocco would be the host country for the final for the second year in succession.

A CAF spokesman said: “CAF received bids from Senegal and Morocco, and, after the subsequent withdrawal of the Senegalese bid, Morocco has been awarded the hosting rights.”

With the final likely to be between Al-Ahly and Morocco’s Wydad, there was widespread anger at the decision in Egypt. In a letter to CAF, Al-Ahly called for the game to be played elsewhere.

In a statement, the club said: “Al-Ahly highlighted in the letter that the final should not be hosted by one of the countries of the four teams competing in the CAF Champions League semifinals and a neutral venue will provide equal chances for the four teams.

“Al-Ahly stressed that the game should be held in a neutral venue, since CAF did