Al Ahly, Esperance to clash in CAF Champions League final

Two of Africa’s football giants on the continent, Al Ahly of Egypt and Esperance of Tunisia will battle iver two legs for the coveted Totalenergies CAF Champions League.

Both teams booked their places in the nal with dramatic semi- nal victories over TP Mazembe and Mamelodi Sundowns respectively a er the second-leg matches were played on Friday night.

While Al Ahly had to produce a remarkable late ght to see o Mazembe 3-0 in Cairo on Friday night, Esperance held their nerve to edge out Sundowns 1-0 in Pretoria to qualify 2-0 on aggregate.

Record 11-time winners Al Ahly will be tipped by many as they target an unprecedented fourth Champions League crown in ve years, but know all too well they cannot underestimate the considerable threat posed by the Tunisian giants.

It was only four years ago that Esperance shocked the Egyptian giants in the 2018 final as the Tunisians won two titles in a row.

With the rst leg set for Tunis on 18 May, followed by the return in Cairo a week later, a monumental tussle awaits between two sets of battle-hardened continental heavyweights.

For Al Ahly, the challenge is clear - maintain their remarkable levels of consistency on Africa’s biggest stage by getting the better of their old foes from across the Mediterranean.

Marcel Koller’s star-studded side, led by the irrepressible Percy Tau, demonstrated their big-game mentality with that dramatic turnaround against Mazembe, recovering from the setback of having a goal ruled out to ultimately run out comfortable winners.

Esperance, by contrast, arrived in the nal the hard way a er holding rm amid intense pressure to repel Mamelodi Sundowns on the back of a narrow rst-leg lead in Tunis.

Coach Miguel Cardoso instilled his trademark resilience and tactical discipline into his side, who will need to draw on all those qualities to upset the odds against the African club game’s preeminent force.

A er starring in both semi- nal ties, Amanullah Memmich will likely be key to Esperance’s hopes of springing a surprise, with the goalkeeper in inspired form.

All the ingredients are there for a nal of the highest quality to crown the new kings of African football.