Wydad Athletic Club are on the verge of defending their TotalEnergies CAF Champions League following their 4-3 penalty victory against 4-3 Tanzania’s Simba to advance to the semifinal.

The game was decided on penalties, with goalkeeper Youssef El Motie earning the hero title of the evening after saving two of them.

After Wydad won the rematch 1-0 in Casablanca to tie the overall score at 1-1, the game had to be decided from 12 yards out.

El Motie, the backup goalkeeper, made sure they were on course to defend their title.

El Motie took Ahmed Reda Tagnaouti’s place in the starting lineup since he was injured and showed why by stopping penalties from Shomari Kapombe and Clatous Chama as Wydad advanced.

Moses Phiri, Erasto Nyoni, and Saidi Ntibazonkiza all scored goals for Wekundu wa Msimbazi.

After Chama’s miss, Wydad didn’t miss any of their attempts as they skillfully converted four penalty kicks and didn’t need to enter the fifth.

Ayoub El Amloud, Abdellah Haimoud, Amine Abdoulfath, and Skipper Yahya Jebrane all tucked home their efforts with military precision.

Bouly Sambou, a bulky forward, forced overtime with his sixth goal of the year. The goal was scored in the 24th minute after Kapombe’s clearing of Yahya Attiat Allah’s cross went pleasantly into his path. The striker joined the Moroccan champions at the beginning of the season.

In the 32nd minute, he had another chance to score, but the Simba goalkeeper made a fine stop off of a header off a cross from Hicham Boussefiane.

The game was forced to go into penalties because Simba maintained their defensive posture in the second half and let Wydad have the ball without much threat.

The victor of Saturday’s match between Mamelodi Sundowns and CR Belouizdad will play the Red Castle in the semifinals.