After a thrilling round of first leg matches played in the 2021/2022 CAF Champions League quarter-final fixtures, only ninety more minutes separate the eight remaining teams from gracing the semifinals of the prestigious continental competition.As things stand, defending champions Al Ahly, Angolan side Petro Luanda and Moroccan outfit Wydad Club Athletic hold slender advantages heading into the return clashes. Will they however manage to grab their tickets come the end of the full-time whistle?Here is a preview of the return leg ties which start off at Saturday midnight through to Sunday morning.Here are the #TotalEnergiesCAFCL matches of the round! 👇Ready for the quarter-finals leg two? 🔥 pic.twitter.com/O5xaftybPu— TotalEnergies CAFCL – TotalEnergies CAFCC 🏆 (@CAFCLCC) April 21, 2022 Esperance v ES Setif – Stade Olympique Hammadi Agrebi, Radès – Friday April 22, 0000EATThe two sides head into the return tie in Rades with the match evenly poised following a 0-0 draw in the first leg in Algiers last weekend.Both teams will fancy their chances, but home side Esperance look to make the most of their home advantage. They have lost only one of their last five Champions League matches at home, a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Al Ahly last June.They have gone on to win three and drawn one. Before last year’s defeat to Ahly, they had gone all the way from 2018 without losing at home.🇹🇳 @ESTunis1919 🆚 @essetifienne 🇩🇿🏟️ Stade Olympique De Rades🏆 #TotalEnergiesCAFCL quarter-finals⌚ 21:00 GMTThe first #TotalEnergiesCAFCL quarter-finals second leg game! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/AVmgB3QOAB— TotalEnergies CAFCL – TotalEnergies CAFCC 🏆 (@CAFCLCC) April 22, 2022 Setif will however come in confident as they are the only other side to beat Esperance at home in Continental football since 2005. Ahly has beaten them on three different occasions while Setif won 2-1 in 2014, when they went on to win the Champions League trophy.Any scoring draw would be enough for Setif and Esperance will be keen not to concede any away goal, as they would have to outscore the visitors to progress into the semis.Setif have not been in a continental semi since 2018 while Esperance have been out since the 2018-19 season.Raja Club Athletic v Al Ahly – Stade Mohamed V, Casablanca, Saturday, April 23, 0100EATDefending champions Al Ahly arrive in Casablanca with a 2-1 victory from the first leg in Cairo last weekend. It would have been a comfortable 3-1 margin had they converted a second-half penalty, but Anas Zniti ensured his Raja side head home with a realistic target to beat.At a very intimidating Mohamed V Stadium in Casablanca, the work is cut out for Al Ahly against Raja, current champions of the CAF Confederation Cup.Raja have won seven of their last nine Champions League matches at home without conceding defeat. Their last defeat in open play however, was against an Egyptian opponent when Zamalek beat them 1-0 in the 2019-20 season.🇲🇦 @RCAofficiel have conceded 𝗭𝗘𝗥𝗢 goals at home this season! Will they extend their record tonight vs. @AlAhly? 🤔#TotalEnergiesCAFCL pic.twitter.com/zloeKdcldY— TotalEnergies CAFCL – TotalEnergies CAFCC 🏆 (@CAFCLCC) April 22, 2022 Al Ahly on the other end have had a chequered last five trips away from home in the Champions League, losing once, drawing twice and winning twice.The reigning champions will have fond memories of their last visit to the Mohamed V Stadium as it hosted the final of the Champions League last season, where they thrashed South African side Kaizer Chiefs 3-0.Their previous visit to the Moroccan stadium in 2020, also ended in victory, as they beat Wydad Club Athletic 2-1.But what is different this time round, is the fact that fans have been finally allowed back into stadia in Morocco and judging by the influence they have had, it will not be business as usual for Pitso Mosimane and his Red Devils.IT’S MATCHDAY! 😍🆚 Raja Casablanca 🏟 Stade Mohammed V🏆 CAF Champions League ⏱ 10:00 PM [Moroccan time] 12:00 AM [Egyptian time]#AfricaYaAhly pic.twitter.com/KY2pSSqAc6— Al Ahly SC 🇬🇧 (@AlAhlyEnglish) April 22, 2022 The South African coach knows as much; “The job is not yet done and we will do our best to ensure we qualify. It will be hard against Raja at their home stadium but we are Ahly and we will fight for every ball and every goal.”Al Ahly will once again rely on goal poacher Mohamed Sherif to lift them on an expectedly tough evening. The Ahly number 10 scored six goals in the run to the title last season and this season has three to his name.Mamelodi Sundowns v Petro de Luanda – FNB Stadium, Johannesburg, Saturday April 23, 1900EATSundowns suffered their first defeat in the Champions League this season after losing the first leg quarter-final against Petro 2-1 in Luanda last weekend. They would have grabbed a draw but VAR, used in the quarter-final for the first time ever, chalked a last-minute equalizer.They head home with the single target of ensuring victory as they eye a second Champions League trophy, six years since their last continental silverware.”I believe that we can turn the result around.”Head to our website to read @LyLo_7’s match preview for tomorrow’s #TotalEnergiesCAFCL match!👆📲 https://t.co/vbx9DDzVVm#Sundowns pic.twitter.com/UNv8F5Ufjq— Mamelodi Sundowns FC (@Masandawana) April 22, 2022 The Brazilians have a strong record at home, having suffered only two defeats in the Champions League since 2006. They have won 37 games, drawn eight while their only two defeats were at the hands of North African opponents, losing 2-0 to CR Belouizdad last April and 2-1 to Esperance in 2017.On the contrary, Petro have a poor away record, having won only four of their last 18 matches on the road. Their last away day ended in a 5-1 spanking at the hands of Wydad Club Athletic in their final group match.With a slender lead from the first leg though, Petro will look to preserve the lead with all they have, against a side talented with a massive strike force.Sundowns will look on to the likes of Themba Zwane and Peter Shalulile to bag in the goals and overturn the first leg result.”In a very humble way we accept the lesson and we move on,” said Sundowns co-coach Rulani Mokwena after the first leg result. He added; “We will strive to do well at home and earn qualification. We know it is not going to be easy but we will give our absolute best.”Wydad Athletic Club vs CR Belouizdad – Stade Mohamed V, Casablanca, Sunday, April 24, 0100EATAnother team that will face the wrath of a stormy and noisy Stade Mohamed V in Casablanca is Algerian outfit CR Belouizdad.They have a mammoth task ahead of them, to overturn a first-leg defeat from home. Wydad picked up a crucial 1-0 result in Algiers, having them a priceless advantage heading to Sunday’s return duel. They achieved that result despite playing more than 83 minutes with 10 men after Jalal Daoudi was sent off seven minutes into the game.The 2021/22 #TotalEnergiesCAFCL knockouts bracket!Who will be the final two? pic.twitter.com/7jSc0EkRnA— TotalEnergies CAFCL – TotalEnergies CAFCC 🏆 (@CAFCLCC) April 5, 2022 It is a result the Moroccans will cherish and look towards building, heading into the return tie at home where they have rock solid results.Wydad tactician Walid Regragui says they know it will be difficult, but reiterates they will mount a massive challenge to qualify.“We travelled to Algiers with the aim to win and get closer to the semi-final. It wasn’t easy especially when we had a player sent off. It was a positive result for us and this will now allow us to play the second leg with confidence,” the coach beamed.CRB will look to overturn the result despite their recent poor away record, losing three of the last five matches.“Football is a funny game. We dominated but lost after one mistake. This tie is not finished. We need one goal when we play in Casablanca and I know we have a chance. Wydad are a good team with up to seven professionals in their team but we will face them head on,” said CR Belouizdad’s Brazilian coach Marcos Paqueta.He added; “We will not change our strategy but just aim to do better especially offensively.”
