Defending champions Wydad Athletic Club moved top of Group A of the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League after edging out AS Vita Club 1-0 at a loud Mohamed V Complex in Casablanca on Friday evening.
Mohamed Ounajem’s deflected strike, later credited as a Guy Magema’s own goal, was the difference in the catch-up fixture Casablanca.
The deferred match day one fixture was rearranged for Friday night, having been initially pushed forward due to Wydad’s involvement in the FIFA Club World Cup when the group stage fixtures kicked off.
The victory takes Wydad to six points, adding on to last weekend’s identical win over Petro de Luanda.
The lone goal of the match was scored in the 55th minute. Ounajem, barely seconds into the pitch, made a daunting run on the right taking a shot that deflected off Magema to beat the keeper at his near post. The winger had just come on for Hicham Boussefiane.
Prior to that, Wydad had dominated the match against a Vita side that had chosen to play behind the ball, but were yet to break the deadlock.
In the opening half the best chance was in the 28th minute when Bouly Junior Sambou rose to head from a corner, but the effort was denied by the crossbar.
In the second half, Wydad were off faster off the blocks and changes made by the returning coach Juan Carlos Garrido paid off just 10 minutes after the restart.
From then on, it was Wydad all the way, with Vita defending deep. With bodies defending from the edge of the box, the home side tried to change tact and shoot from distance with keeper Yahya Jebrane twice denied by the keeper.
On the hour mark, they had a golden chance to extend the lead when the ball was clipped to right back Ayoub El Amloud, but his shot was saved one on one with the keeper.
Late into the match, substitute Muaid Ellafi had a similar chance, but his shot on goal rolled wide.
