Moroccan Football Loses Second Champions League Final in Four Years

AS FAR failed to bring the CAF Champions League title back to Moroccan football, after losing the final of the competition to South Africa's Mamelodi Sundowns. This marks Morocco's second defeat in the final match within the last four years.

The military club drew the second leg 1-1 on Sunday evening at Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat. However, their 1-0 defeat in the first leg secured the title for the South African side with a 2-1 aggregate score.

This is the second time a Moroccan team has lost a Champions League final in recent years, following Wydad AC's defeat in the 2023 edition against Egypt's Al Ahly. Wydad had lost the first leg 2-1 in Cairo before drawing the second leg 1-1 in Casablanca.

Despite two Moroccan teams reaching the final in the last four editions, national football has only secured one title during this period, following Wydad's triumph in the 2022 edition, alongside losing the 2023 and this year's finals.

AS FAR's defeat reignites discussions about Moroccan clubs' ability to maintain their continental dominance, especially in finals, which are increasingly decided by small margins against teams with significant experience in the competition.