CAF Champions League: Hearts of Oak Annihilated by Wydad Casablanca

The Moroccan side proved too strong for the Ghanaians in their second leg meeting in the continental inter-club championship.

Ghanaian champions Hearts of Oak are out of the Caf Champions League following an embarrassing 6-1 away defeat to Moroccan giants Wydad Casablanca on Sunday. 

Patrick Razak was on target for the Phobians in the second qualifying round second leg fixture but earlier goals from Simon Msuva (2x), Aymane El Hassouni, Achraf Dari, Yahya Jabrane, and Ayoub El Amloud for the hosts put the game completely out of reach for the visitors. 

With a slim 1-0 home victory in the first leg fixture in Accra, the Ghanaians got kicked out of the competition on a 6-2 aggregate score, thus, failing to make the group stage of the competition. 

Wydad, on the other hand, are on course to win the title they won four years ago in 2017.

Back in continental club action for the first time since 2015 after winning last season's Ghana Premier League, Hearts reached the second qualifying round of the Champions League following a 2-0 home victory over Guinean side Club Industriel de Kamsar in the first round. 

The challenge came off in a one-off form in Accra, owing to political instability in Guinea.

Despite making the trip to Morocco, Congo left-back Raddy Ovouka, who was substituted early in the first leg after picking up an injury, was left on the bench when Hearts coach Samuel Boadu unveiled his starting XI for Sunday's fixture. 

Tanzania ace Simon Msuva, Ivorian defender Cheick Comara and Libyan attacker Muaid Ellafi featured in the hosts’ line-up.

It did not take long for Wydad to level the aggregate score as an unmarked Msiva connected to a cross from the right and headed into the net beyond goalkeeper Richard Attah in the fifth minute.

Two minutes later, the hosts made it 2-0 through El Hassouni who drove a low free-kick beneath the wall into the net.

Dari tripled their lead in the20th minute when he rose high to head a corner into the net before Jabrane added the fourth goal from the spot seven minutes to half-time

Back from the break, Wydad continued their riot as El Amloud beat Attah from close range before Msuva scored again to finish the annihilation.