USM Alger will welcome Wydad Casablanca in the 2017 CAF Champions League semifinal first-leg match at the Stade du 5 Juillet in Algiers, Algeria on Friday.
Kick-off is at 7:00pm.
The Red and Blacks qualifed for the semifinals after overcoming Mozambican outfit Ferroviário Beira in a tightly contested quarterfinal tie.
The two sides drew 1-1 on aggregate and Alger advanced to the next stage on the away goals rule following a goalless stalemate in Algiers last weekend.
The player to watch out for in the Red and Blacks team is forward Oussama Darfalou, who has scored five goals in this year’s tournament.
The Algerian side are eager to reach the final of the Champions League final for the second time in two years. They lost 4-1 on aggregate to DR Congo giants TP Mazembe in the 2015 final.
Mohamed Benkhemassa, the Alger midfielder, is expecting two difficult matches against Wydad in the semifinals.
“Listen, when you reach this phase of the Champions League, it means that there is no easy team. Ferroviàrio is not a weak team. We faced a quality opponent who posed a lot of problems,” Benkhemassa said.
“I also assume that Wydad did not easily qualify for the semifinals and their task was not easy. This will be the case in the next match. At this level, all the matches are difficult and we must expect that it will remain the same if we reach the final.”
Meanwhile, Wydad progressed into the semifinals after stunning the defending champions, Mamelodi Sundowns in the quarterfinals.
The two sides drew 1-1 on aggregate and Wydad secured a 3-2 victory over the South African giants in a penalty shootout.
Super Sport.
