After escaping the turmoil of civil war in Sudan, captain Mohamed Abdelrahman and his Al-Hilal teammates have remarkably battled their way to the quarter-finals of the CAF Champions League.
They are set to meet defending champions Al Ahly from Egypt in Cairo on Tuesday, with a return leg scheduled for the Mauritanian capital, Nouakchott, on April 8.
Following a power struggle that erupted in April 2023 between the Sudanese army and a paramilitary force, Hilal and their biggest domestic rivals, Al-Merreikh, relocated to Mauritania.
The ongoing civil war has resulted in tens of thousands of fatalities and displaced over 12 million individuals, as reported by the United Nations.
Florent Ibenge, the Congolese coach of Hilal, shared his experiences regarding the outbreak of conflict during a recent interview with Mauritanian media.
“My family was with me in Sudan, and we fled to France through Djibouti. It was a sudden, terrifying experience,” the 63-year-old, who has been with Hilal since 2022, recounted.
In dire need of match practice, the 30-time champions of Sudan agreed to participate in the Mauritanian league.
Utilising the national stadium in Nouakchott for their Champions League fixtures, they successfully topped Group A to secure their quarter-final berth this season.
“We are incredibly thankful to our Mauritanian brothers for permitting us to compete in their national league,” expressed Abdelrahman, a 31-year-old forward, during his conversation with Mauritanian journalists.
“Playing in the Mauritanian league has provided us with essential match practice for our African commitments.”
Currently positioned fourth in the league, they are six points behind leaders Nouadhibou, albeit with four games in hand. The Sudanese side has recorded 11 victories, four draws, and two losses.
Having first donned the Hilal jersey in 2010 as a 16-year-old, Abdelrahman has had spells with Merrikh and the Algerian side Bordj Bou Arreridj before returning to the ‘Blue Wave’.
He believes that being perceived as underdogs in this season’s Champions League has played a role in their successful journey to the last eight.
“We were seen as outsiders in our group,” he noted, referring to a pool also featuring former champions TP Mazembe from DR Congo, Mouloudia Alger from Algeria, and Tanzania’s Young Africans.
Hilal began strongly, registering victories against Young Africans and Mouloudia on the road, as well as defeating Mazembe in Mauritania, amassing a perfect nine points by the halfway mark.
They later drew with Mouloudia at home, ensuring their progression to the quarter-finals with two matches remaining — a feat that even the record 12-time champions Ahly couldn’t replicate.
“We overcame the challenge of not being able to play in our beloved homeland because we are warriors,” stated Abdelrahman.
“Our team thrives as underdogs. Beating Young Africans in Tanzania set a fantastic tone for our group campaign. It boosted our confidence.
“Success has not come easily. We have fought diligently to secure wins in the Mauritanian league and across Africa. We aim to keep our momentum going against Ahly.”
The two clubs have faced each other eight times in the history of the Champions League, with Ahly winning all four encounters played in Egypt. Hilal has managed to secure two victories and two draws on home soil.
Hilal made their debut in this prestigious African club competition, originally named the African Cup of Champions Clubs, back in 1966, reaching the semi-finals.
The closest they have come to claiming the trophy was in 1987 and 1992, when they finished as runners-up to Ahly and Morocco’s Wydad Casablanca, respectively.
This season marks Hilal’s 24th consecutive appearance in the tournament, during which they have reached the semi-finals on four occasions.
As they prepare to face Ahly, the team will undoubtedly enter as the underdogs, with their opponents striving to make history by becoming the first team to win the Champions League three times in a row.
However, being the outsiders suits Hilal just fine.
Compiled by SportArena.com.au.
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