Supporters of Egypt’s football team, Al-Ahly, took to the streets nationwide to celebrate their team’s crowning as champions of Africa, following their CAF Champions League final 1-0 win over Tunisia’s Esperance at Cairo International Stadium.
In the capital Cairo, supporters celebrated winning a record-extending 12th CAF Champions League title by waving flags in the streets, while hundreds of cars honked their horns and fans chanted victory slogans.
This was the Red Devils’ fourth time they lift the continent’s most prestigious title in succession – a feat that rubber stamps their authority as African football club kings.
President Abdel Fattah El Sisi congratulated Al-Ahly club on winning the CAF Champions League.
In a social media post, the President conveyed his greetings to the fans of Al-Ahly Club and all Egyptians, wishing for more success and achievements in the future.
Sisi also extended appreciation to the honorable performance by the Tunisian team.
Al-Ahly triumphed 1-0 on aggregate after a goalless first-leg of the final to win back-to-back titles in the elite African club competition for a fourth time.
They also became only the third team to win the Champions League with an unbeaten record having won nine and drawn five of 14 qualifying, group and knockout matches.
Victory for Ahly completed a double for Cairo clubs as arch rivals Zamalek won the second-tier CAF Confederation Cup last weekend.
Ahly captain and centre-back Ramy Rabia headed a corner goalwards and the ball deflected off Esperance midfielder Roger Aholou and into the corner of the net.
Al-Ahly Swiss coach Marcel Koller made one enforced change from the first leg with Karim Fouad replacing Ali Maaloul, who went off injured after only seven minutes in Tunisia last weekend.
Goalkeeper Mostafa Shobeir, who had not conceded in eight matches ahead of the second leg after replacing injured captain Mohamed el-Shenawy during the group stage, retained his place.
Meanwhile, South Africa’s Percy Tau has bolstered his trophy collection at the club, now including one Egyptian Premier League, two Egyptian Cups, one CAF Super Cup, two CAF Champions Leagues and three Egyptian Super Cups.
Esperance coach Miguel Cardoso, seeking the first trophy of his managerial career that included spells in his native Portugal, France, Spain and Greece, chose an unchanged side.
Goalkeeper Amanallah Memmiche, who had kept 12 clean sheets in 13 previous Champions League matches this season, had to pick the ball out of the net after just four minutes in Cairo.
Roared on by a predominantly red-clad sell-out crowd in the 75,000-capacity Cairo International Stadium, Ahly threatened to overwhelm Esperance with relentless attacks.
Wessam Abou Ali fired narrowly wide, South African Percy Tau hit the side netting with a fierce drive and Memmiche parried a goal-bound shot away to foil Hussein el Shahat.
A poor free-kick at the other end by Yan Sasse — one of two Brazilians in the Esperance line-up — summed up a first half which ended with the Tunis outfit lucky to be just one goal behind.
Ahly was less dominant as the second half unfolded and had a narrow escape just past the hour when a Sasse drive beat Shobeir only to finish off target.
The anxiety of Ahly, as they clung to a one-goal advantage on the night and on aggregate, became clear with 20 minutes left when Shobeir was warned by the Congolese referee for wasting time.
Koller introduced attackers Mohamed Magdy ‘Afsha’ and Mahmoud Kahraba 12 minutes from time as Ahly sought the second goal that would almost certainly kill off the Esperance challenge.
Afsha’ came close to scoring two minutes from time when his free-kick from just outside the area rebounded off the crossbar with Memmiche beaten.
Ahly attacker Abou Ali struck the side netting and their South African forward Percy Tau could have doubled the lead but put his 29th-minute effort wide.
Esperance rarely troubled the home goal. While they were strong in defence in reaching the final, they also struggled to score with only two goals in six matches in the knockout stages and they rarely troubled Ahly’s back four.
There was a scare for the Egyptians in the 61st minute, however, when Esperance’s Brazilian attacker Yan Sasse curled an effort narrowly wide after a swift one-two with compatriot Rodrigo Rodrigues.
A late free kick from Ahly substitute Asfha cannoned off the crossbar as the home side, coached by Koller, enjoyed fanatical support with almost the entire crowd dressed in red and producing ear-splitting noise throughout the match.
Al-Ahly consolidated their position as the continent’s top club with their 12th triumph in the competition. The next most number of Champions League wins by a single club is five for their Cairo rivals Zamalek and TP Mazembe of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Esperance, who have won the title on four occasions, finished runners-up for a fifth time.
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