2018–19_CAF_Champions_League_knockout_stage
The 2018–19 CAF Champions League knockout stage were played from 6 April to 31 May 2019.[1] A total of eight teams competed in the knockout stage to decide the champions of the 2018–19 CAF Champions League.[2]
The winners and runners-up of each of the four groups in the group stage advanced to the quarter-finals.
| Group | Winners | Runners-up |
|---|---|---|
| A |  Wydad AC |
 Mamelodi Sundowns |
| B |  Espérance de Tunis |
 Horoya |
| C |  TP Mazembe |
 CS Constantine |
| D |  Al-Ahly |
 Simba |
Each tie in the knockout phase was played over two legs, with each team playing one leg at home. The team that scored more goals on aggregate over the two legs advanced to the next round. If the aggregate score was level, the away goals rule was applied, i.e. the team that scored more goals away from home over the two legs advanced. If away goals were also equal, then extra time was not played and the winners were decided by a penalty shoot-out (Regulations III. 26 & 27).[2]
The schedule of each round was as follows.[1] Effective from the Champions League group stage, weekend matches were played on Fridays and Saturdays while midweek matches were played on Tuesdays, with some exceptions. Kick-off times were also fixed at 13:00 (Saturdays and Tuesdays only), 16:00 and 19:00 GMT.[3]
| Round | First leg | Second leg |
|---|---|---|
| Quarter-finals | 6 April 2019 | 13 April 2019 |
| Semi-finals | 26–27 April 2019 | 4 May 2019 |
| Final | 24 May 2019 | 31 May 2019 |
The bracket of the knockout stage was determined as follows:[2]
| Round | Matchups |
|---|---|
| Quarter-finals | (Group winners hosted second leg, matchups decided by draw, teams from same group could not play each other)
|
| Semi-finals | (Matchups and order of legs decided by draw, between winners QF1, QF2, QF3, QF4)
|
| Final | (Winners SF1 hosted first leg, Winners SF2 hosted second leg)
|
The bracket was decided after the draw for the knockout stage (quarter-finals and semi-finals), which was held on 20 March 2019, 20:00 CAT (UTC+2), at the Marriot Hotel in Cairo, Egypt.[4][5]
| Quarter-finals | Semi-finals | Final | |||||||||||||||
| Horoya
| 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||
| Wydad AC
| 0 | 5 | 5 | ||||||||||||||
| Wydad AC
| 2 | 0 | 2 | ||||||||||||||
| Mamelodi Sundowns
| 1 | 0 | 1 | ||||||||||||||
| Mamelodi Sundowns
| 5 | 0 | 5 | ||||||||||||||
| Al-Ahly
| 0 | 1 | 1 | ||||||||||||||
| Wydad AC
| 1 | abd. | awd. | ||||||||||||||
| Espérance de Tunis
| 1 | abd. | awd. | ||||||||||||||
| CS Constantine
| 2 | 1 | 3 | ||||||||||||||
| Espérance de Tunis
| 3 | 3 | 6 | ||||||||||||||
| Espérance de Tunis
| 1 | 0 | 1 | ||||||||||||||
| TP Mazembe
| 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||
| Simba
| 0 | 1 | 1 | ||||||||||||||
| TP Mazembe
| 0 | 4 | 4 | ||||||||||||||
In the quarter-finals, the winners of one group played the runners-up of another group (teams from same group could not play each other), with the group winners hosting the second leg, and the matchups decided by draw.
| Team 1 | Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CS Constantine |
3–6 | Espérance de Tunis |
2–3 | 1–3 |
| Mamelodi Sundowns |
5–1 | Al-Ahly |
5–0 | 0–1 |
| Horoya |
0–5 | Wydad AC |
0–0 | 0–5 |
| Simba |
1–4 | TP Mazembe |
0–0 | 1–4 |
| CS Constantine | 2–3 | Espérance de Tunis |
|---|---|---|
|
Report |
Espérance de Tunis won 6–3 on aggregate.
Mamelodi Sundowns won 5–1 on aggregate.
Wydad AC won 5–0 on aggregate.
TP Mazembe won 4–1 on aggregate.
In the semi-finals, the four quarter-final winners played in two ties, with the matchups and order of legs decided by draw.
| Team 1 | Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wydad AC |
2–1 | Mamelodi Sundowns |
2–1 | 0–0 |
| Espérance de Tunis |
1–0 | TP Mazembe |
1–0 | 0–0 |
Wydad AC won 2–1 on aggregate.
| Espérance de Tunis | 1–0 | TP Mazembe |
|---|---|---|
|
Report |
Espérance de Tunis won 1–0 on aggregate.
In the final, the two semi-final winners play each other, with the order of legs determined by the semi-final draw.
| Wydad AC | 1–1 | Espérance de Tunis |
|---|---|---|
|
Report |
|
| Espérance de Tunis | Abandoned at the result 1–0[note 1] | Wydad AC |
|---|---|---|
|
Report |
Espérance de Tunis were declared champions after second leg was abandoned.
- With the score 1–0 in favor of Espérance de Tunis in the 59th minute, Walid El Karti scored a goal for Wydad AC which was subsequently ruled offside by the linesman. Due to a failure of the video assistant referee system, a review of the decision could not be conducted. Believing the goal was valid, Wydad AC protested the decision and the match was interrupted. After 80 minutes of stoppage, the referee ruled the match as a forfeit by Wydad AC and awarded to Espérance de Tunis, securing them the CAF Champions League title.[6] However, on 5 June 2019 the CAF Executive Committee ordered a replay of the second leg at a neutral venue, requiring Espérance de Tunis to return the trophy and medals.[7] However, the decision to order a replay of the second leg was thrown out by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) on 31 July 2019, who required CAF to refer the case to its proper disciplinary structures for a decision.[8] On 7 August 2019, Espérance de Tunis were again officially declared champions after the CAF Disciplinary Board ruled that Wydad AC "is considered to have lost the game in the 2nd leg."[9] On 18 September 2020, CAS dismissed Wydad AC's appeal over the final and confirmed Espérance de Tunis as champions.[10]
- "CAF Champions League regulations" (PDF). CAF.
- "Friday & Saturday for Champions League, Sunday for Confederation Cup". CAF. 17 April 2018.
- "Moteab and Mboma to conduct Interclubs quarterfinals draw". CAF. 20 March 2019.
- "Last eight teams know their opponents". CAF. 20 March 2019.
- "ES Tunis crowned CAF Champions in shambolic circumstances". AS.com. 1 June 2019. Archived from the original on 14 September 2019. Retrieved 1 June 2019.
- "Caf Champions League: Esperance ordered to return medals and face Wydad Casablanca again". BBC Sport. 5 June 2019.
- "Le Tribunal Arbitral du Sport (TAS) annule la décision du Comité Exécutif de la CAF" [The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) cancels the decision of the CAF Executive Committee] (PDF) (in French). Court of Arbitration for Sport. 31 July 2019. Retrieved 7 August 2019.
- "Decisions of the Disciplinary Board 7th of August 2019". CAF. 7 August 2019.
- "CAS dismisses the appeal of Wydad Athletic Club" (PDF). Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). 18 September 2020.
- Total CAF Champions League 2018/2019, CAFonline.com