Al Ahly change venue for Sundowns clash
Al Ahly have reportedly gone against CAF rules for their second leg quarterfinal clash with Mamelodi Sundowns.
Mamelodi Sundowns celebrate the second goal during the Absa Premiership match between Maritzburg United and Mamelodi Sundowns at Harry Gwala Stadium on March 12, 2019 in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa. (Photo by Anesh Debiky/Gallo Images)
The Egyptian giants changed the venue three days before the match was scheduled to kick off.
CAF rules stipulate that the stadium for a match needs to be 200 kilometres from the airport.
Al Ahly hope to overturn the result in the second leg after losing 5-0 in the first leg in Pretoria. The newly selected venue, the El Arab Stadium, is 244 kilometres from the airport.
“We only found out on Sunday that it was moved from Suez to Alexandria. According to the rules this is not allowed,” Sundowns acting general manager Yogesh Singh told SowetanLIVE. “This is what we go through in this competition and CAF allows that somehow, even though it’s not according to the rules.
“I wrote to CAF yesterday demanding an explanation and we want them to be liable for our costs. You can imagine we have already made hotel bookings and we have written to Safa as well to let them know about these shenanigans.
“We are busy working on changing a few things like the hotel and training facility.”
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