Wydad Athletic Club and Mamelodi Sundowns have announced their starting line-ups for this evening African Football League final first leg at Stade Mohammed V.
Moroccan giants Wydad booked a place in the final after defeating Enyimba 4-1 on aggregate in the quarter-finals before eliminating Esperance de Tunis in the semi-finals.
The three-time CAF Champions League winners, though, needed penalties to advance after winning the first leg by 1-0 and losing the return fixture in Tunisia by 1-0.
Sundowns faced familiar foes in Petro de Luanda in the quarter-final, beating them 2-0 in Angola before playing to a goalless draw in Pretoria.
Masandawana the had an ‘African Derby’ as they faced CAF Champions League winners Al Ahly SC in semis. Downs won the first leg in South Africa by 1-0 and they played a goalless draw in Cairo Egypt to advance 1-0 on aggregate.
These two sides have met each other 12 times, with Wydad winning four – all of them at home, while Downs won three times (all in South Africa) and five ended in draws.
Sundowns, though, are unbeaten in five matches against Wydad, with the last two contests at the Stade Mohamed V ending in goalless draws. Masandawana, however, still have a score to settle with Wydad after the Moroccan giants knocked them out of the CAFCL semis last season.
The second leg will be played on 12 November at Loftus Versfeld Stadium.
Here is how they line up:
Wydad AC XI: El-Motie, El Amloud, Harkass, Aboulfath, Attiat-Allah, Jabrane, Draoui, Haimoud, Lahtimi, Boussefiane, El Bahri.
Subs: Mafth, Mahrous, Serrhat, El Houni, Ounnajem, Regragui, Cheti, Ahannach, Farhane, Sambou, Bouhra, Bah.
Sundowns XI: Williams, Modiba, Coetzee, Boutouil, Kekana, Mudau, Mokoena, Allende, Zwane, Nku, Maseko
Subs: D. Onyango, De Reuck, Lebusa, B. Onyango, Zungu, Sirino, Mashego, Mkhulise, Mabena, Mvala, Maema, Maboe
