Ahly boss Hossam El-Badry said the referee denied his side a legitimate penalty that could have changed the result after his side were held to a 1-1 home draw by Morocco's Wydad Casablanca in the first leg of the African Champions League final on Saturday. Eyeing their ninth Champions League title, Ahly opened the scoring as early as the third minute through Moemen Zakareya before Achraf Bencharki brought Wydad level 13 minutes later. In a game where the visitors where happy to sit back and close down spaces against a dominant Ahly side, striker Walid Azaro had a penalty claim waved away by the ref following a high-foot challenge from defender Badr Gaddarin on the hour-mark. "The referee denied us a legitimate penalty after a Wydad defender fouled Azaro inside the area," El-Badry, who led Ahly to the 2012 Champions League title, said in the post-match press conference. "I expected it to be a tough game, but we weren't lucky in finishing off our attacks. We weren't lucky today. "I expect to enjoy much more chances in the return leg, where we will be fighting for the title. Wydad managed to minimize spaces here, but that won't be the case in the return leg." One-time champions Wydad host Ahly in the return leg at Mohamed V Stadium in Casablanca on 4 November. Ahly need to score an away goal to stand a chance of lifting their first Champions League trophy since 2013. (For more sports news and updates, follow Ahram Online Sports on Twitter at @AO_Sports and on Facebook at AhramOnlineSports.)
