Al-Ahly’s quest for African glory: 6 titles and an early farewell

Al-Ahly secured their spot in the quarter-finals of the African Champions League after topping Group D at the expense of Young Africans.

The potential opponents facing Al-Ahly in the quarter-finals are narrowed down to three teams: TP Mazembe from Congo, Simba SC from Tanzania, and Tunisia’s Esperance.

The Red Devils’ journey towards their twelfth star, in the quarter-finals of the African Champions League, is fraught with memories against the three potential opponents, especially considering that some of them were part of the stations through which Al-Ahly secured their eleven titles.

TP Mazembe: Al-Ahly and TP Mazembe have only met four times in the group stages. The matches ended in a draw twice in Congo and Egypt, while Al-Ahly secured two victories at home.

Simba SC: Similarly, Al-Ahly and Simba SC have only faced each other in the group stages, with Al-Ahly winning twice at home and drawing twice in Tanzania.

Esperance: The rivalry between Al-Ahly and Esperance extends over twenty years, encompassing various stages, from group matches to the final.

Across fourteen encounters, Al-Ahly secured five victories compared to Esperance’s two in the knockout stages.

In the only quarter-final meeting between the two, Al-Ahly triumphed with a draw at home and a win in Rades.

Esperance, a classic rival, witnessed Al-Ahly’s triumph in four occasions (2001, 2012, 2021, and 2023), one of which was at Rades in 2012.

Esperance also saw Al-Ahly finish as runners-up in three instances (2007, 2017, and 2018).

The dates for the quarter-final draw are yet to be announced by CAF. The first leg matches are scheduled for March 29-30, with the return legs on April 5-6.