CAIRO — Egyptian giants Al-Ahly advanced to a fourth successive CAF Champions League final as they completed a comfortable aggregate victory over Esperance of Tunisia after a 1-0 home win in second-leg of their semi-final tie.
The Egyptian club has won Africa’s top club competition a record 10 times and was runners-up on another five occasions.
They won in 2020 and 2021 but last year was beaten in the final by Wydad Casablanca.
The final is played over two legs next month with the first game in Cairo on June 4 and the return in either Casablanca or Pretoria one week later.
It’s Al-Ahly’s sixth final after 2017, 2018, 2020, 2021 and 2022 – they won the 2020 and 2021 editions under South African coach Pitso Mosimane.
Winger Hussein el-Shahat scored the solitary goal for the Egyptian Red Devils in the first half to secure the home victory and progress to their sixth final in seven seasons.
After a conservative start, Ahly broke the deadlock after 21 minutes, and it was the South African wizard Percy Tao who was the chief orchestrator again.
After his brace in the first-leg, Tau turned provider this time round, sending Elshahat through on goal with a brilliant defense splitting pass, the latter clipping the ball over the advancing keeper.
Esperance had a chance to respond three minutes on the turn, needing five goals now to turn the tide in their favour. However, Mohamed Ali Ben Hamouda saw his effort on the half volley deflected for a corner.
In the second-half, Ahly continued with their conservative approach, choosing to keep possession and frustrating Esperance who were in desperate need of a goal.
The Tunisians almost got the leveler in the 71st minute off a counter attack. Ben Hamouda was away on his wheels on the right, capitalizing on the space left by right back Mohamed Hany who had been upfield in attack.
He sliced in a low cross into the area, but Moataz Zaddem blazed his effort over.
In the final minutes of the game, Ahly had some chances to burry off the game. Substitute Ahmed Abdelkader came to the end of a beautiful passage of play by the hosts but couldn’t keep his final shot at goal low.
Mahmoud Kahraba also had a late chance, but his shot was well saved by the keeper.
In penning the opposition back, the Egyptian side actively searched for their second goal despite their aggregate advantage.
The travelling side had moments in which they progressed the ball upfield. However, Al-Ahly did well to recycle the ball inside their own half.
With 70 minutes on the clock, the Egyptian side remained in control of the tie. Al Ahly kicked into game-management mode during the closing stages of the game but kept their foot on the peddle in going forward.
The Tunisians had no answer to the swift attacking Al-Ahly advancements, as the home side went on to secure a 1-0 victory on home soil.
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