Ten-time African champions Al Ahly have failed to defend their title for a third consecutive year after falling down to Wydad in Morocco.

The game was played under several controversial decisions after CAF decided to hold the final in Casablanca just weeks before the showdown.

Although tickets were supposed to be allocated equally between both sides, Wydad’s fans outnumbered the small Ahly contingent that made the trip to Casablanca, and moreover, the CAF handed the supposed empty Al Ahly seats to the fans.

The news before the game seems to have got into the Al Ahly player’s heads, who were shaky from the start, unlike their Moroccan counterparts.

Wydad nearly took the lead after just 10 minutes through Guy Mbenza, whose effort rattled off the bar from outside the box.

Just a few minutes later, another powerful strike from Zouhair El Moutaraji from 30-yards found the back of Mohamed El-Shennawy’s net.

The visitors seemed to be the better side after the goal and had a couple of chances to equalise through the headers of Yasser Ibrahim and Taher Mohamed, but they went just wide.

Despite dominating the possession, Al Ahly conceded a second goal just a few minutes after the break following a poor defensive display from Mohamed Hany, who allowed El Moutaraji to complete his brace from close range.

Pitso Mosimane tried to put his side back into the game by bringing on Afsha, Mohamed Sherif, El-Sulya and Salah Mohsen for El-Shahat, Abdelkader, Hamdi Fathi, and Mohamed Hany.

The substitutions proved their worth and Al Ahly could have scored through Afsha and Salah Mohsen, but they failed to beat Ahmed Tagnaouti.

The hosts managed to eventually seal the game to lift their third-ever Champions League title, forcing Al Ahly to wait for their 11th for the foreseeable future.