Horoya entertains Ahly in a thrilling quarterfinals opener
Knockout stage debutants Horoya of Guinea are facing a tough test when they entertain record African champions Al Ahly of Egypt this Friday, as the 2018 Total CAF Champions League quarterfinals kickoff in style.
Horoya reached the quarterfinals of the continental premier club competition for the first time in their history. The Guinean champions had one CAF title in their cabinet, the defunct Cup Winners' Cup back in 1978. But since then they failed to impress on the continental front.
On the contrary, their opponents Al Ahly are undoubtedly the most successful club in Africa. The Cairo "Red Devils" have grabbed 20 different CAF trophies, including eight in the elite CAF Champions League, which is a continental record; the last being in 2013. They were losing finalists last year, falling at the last hurdle to eventual champions Wydad of Morocco 2-1 on aggregate.
Al Ahly recovered from a slow group stage start that saw them grabbing a single point from their first two games to win four in a row and top their group A, and that feat saw them reaching the quarterfinals alongside Tunisian Esperance. Meanwhile Horoya axed 2016 champions Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa to go second in group C behind title holders Wydad.
"Horoya" (which means "Freedom" both in local language and in Arabic) will be backing on their inform striker Ocansey Mandela. The Burkinabe born has scored four goals in this season's Champions League to top his side's scorers list. On the other side Ahly's Moroccan import Walid Azaro has completed his significant goalscoring fine form to score six this year.
"Facing Horoya is not going to be an easy mission at all", Ahly coach Patrice Carteron told
Al Ahly are missing key players like midfielders Amr Elsoleya, Mido Gaber and forward Junior Ajayi due to various injuries, but the man who previously tasted continental glory with TP Mazembe in 2015 sees that a no problem. "Our target is nothing but the title, so we have to play every game to win. We will have the replacements for our absentees, and I'm sure we will make Ahly supporters happy", concluded Carteron.
Meanwhile Horoya assistant director Ibrahima Condo expressed his side's satisfaction before the game. " We didn't have any preferences, we are ready to play against all the teams. We are happy to play against Ahly, as we know everything about them because they are one of the biggest teams in the continent. We achieved a great feat by reaching the quarter finals, but now we want to go further and play in the final", Condo told
The 28 September Stadium in Conakry will be the venue for the first leg, while Ahly hosts the reverse fixture eight days later. The aggregate winner reaches the semifinals for a clash against either title holders Wydad or Algeria's ES Setif.