The CAF Champions League final will see a showdown between current champions Al Ahly of Egypt and their traditional rivals Esperance of Tunisia, with a two-leg final scheduled for May.
Al Ahly defeated TP Mazembe from the Democratic Republic of Congo 3-0 in Cairo, after a scoreless draw in the first leg last Saturday. Esperance, on the other hand, held off pressure from Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa in Pretoria, winning 1-0 to advance with a 2-0 aggregate, thanks to their earlier home victory.
In the semi-final against TP Mazembe, Al Ahly’s Mohamed Abdelmonem, Wessam Abou Ali, and Akram Tawfik scored in the second half, guiding their team to the final. Al Ahly seeks a record-breaking 12th title in the prestigious African club competition.
Esperance secured their place in the final with a key goal from Raed Bouchniba, who came off the bench to score 12 minutes into the second half against Sundowns. This match was delayed due to a storm during the first half, but Esperance held on for the win.
This will be the third CAF Champions League final between Al Ahly and Esperance. The Egyptians won in 2012, while the Tunisians triumphed in 2018. Last year, Al Ahly defeated Esperance in the semi-finals with a 4-0 aggregate.
Both Al Ahly and Esperance reached the final with impressive defensive performances, keeping 11 clean sheets in 12 matches throughout the qualifying, group, and knockout stages.
Esperance, aiming for their fifth Champions League title, will host the first leg in Rades on May 18. The second leg will take place in Cairo a week later.
Despite Mamelodi Sundowns’ strong efforts against Esperance, including shots that hit the crossbar and near-misses by Namibia’s captain Shalulile, Esperance capitalized on Bouchniba’s game-winning goal.
In Cairo, Joel Beya’s early second-half goal for TP Mazembe was ruled out before Abdelmonem’s header from a corner gave Al Ahly the lead after 68 minutes. Abou Ali added to the score with a superb strike from Maaloul’s cross, and Tawfik sealed the victory in added time, confirming Al Ahly’s place in the final.
