Ten-man Wydad Casablanca earned an entertaining 1-1 draw with holders ES Tunis in the first leg of the CAF Champions League final on Friday.
Hosts Wydad trailed 1-0 to Fousseny Coulibaly s opener at half-time and the Moroccan side were reduced to 10 men approaching the 50th minute following Brahim Nakach s second yellow card.
However, Wydad – who had an equaliser ruled out for handball prior to the interval – restored parity with 11 minutes remaining in Rabat via Cheick Comara.
It was a fiercely contested clash at Stade Prince Moulay Abdallah, where there was plenty of niggle in the opening exchanges.
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After 2017 champions Wydad came close to breaking the deadlock just past the half-hour mark, Tunisian giants ES Tunis opened the scoring on the stroke of half-time with a priceless away goal.
Khalil Chemmam looped a free-kick to the back post and after Ahmed Reda Tagnaouti kept out Coulibaly s initial header, the Wydad goalkeeper could not stop him volleying in on the follow-up.
Wydad thought they had equalised a minute later after Ayoub El Amloud found the back of the net but it was ruled out for handball following a VAR consultation.
The home side s task was made more difficult when Nakach saw red for a nasty challenge five minutes into the second half and it looked like it was not going to be Wydad s night after their penalty appeal for handball was waved away by the referee and VAR.
But Comara headed home from a set-piece in the 79th minute to leave the final poised ahead of the return leg in Rades on May 31.
