CAF Champions League: Sudan legend Haitham Mustafa expresses hope for Al Hilal after quarterfinal draw

Legendary former Sudanese footballer Haitham Mustafa hopes for a positive outing when his boyhood club Al Hilal faces Egyptian giants Al Ahly in the CAF Champions League.

Mustafa donned the Blue Waves shirt for 16 seasons and also played for arch rivals Al Merriekh as he won 12 Sudanese top flight titles. Speaking to BeIN Sport after the Champions League draw, Mustafa said he hopes Al Hilal qualifies for the semifinals. "God willing! I hope to laugh when Al Hilal qualifies to the semi final at the expense of Al Ahly."

On Wednesday, Al Hilal head coach Florent Ibengé stated he doesn't have any particular side that he fancied to face but Al Ahly is the most difficult opponent his team could have drawn. The record African champions are the clear favorites to progress to the semifinals and defend their title.

Mustafa was a key member of the Al Hilal team that reached the semifinals of the 2007 CAF Champions League. He captained the side that beat a star studded Al Ahly team 3-0 at the Hilal Stadium in August 2007.

Apart from being a hero to Al Hilal, Mustafa famously led Sudan to the 2008 Africa Cup of Nations in Ghana after a thirty year absence.