* Espérance won 2-0 on aggregate having beaten Mamelodi 1-0 in 1st leg in Tunis
* Defending champions Al Ahly stage late rally to defeat TP Mazembe having drawn 0-0 in 1st leg
* The 11-times champions Al Ahly and four-times winners Espérance to clash in titanic final
Maravi Express
South African side, Mamelodi Sundowns, who were fighting for the second CAF Champions League title, were eliminated in the semifinals yesterday — losing 0-2 on aggregate against Tunisian side Espérance Sportive de Tunis.
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In the other semifinal also played a yesterday, DR Congo’s TP Mazembe were denied their shot for their 6th title and their appearance at the final match since 10 years ago when they got beaten 0-3 by defending champions Al Ahly in Cairo.
In Pretoria — having ground out a 1-0 first leg win in Tunisia, Espérance Sportive displayed all the traits that have made them such a formidable force on the continent to repel the South Africans by the same scoreline.
Raed Bouchniba’s 56th minute strike ultimately proved the difference as Espérance withstood a barrage of Sundowns pressure to book their place in next month’s final — and for Sundowns, it was a case of so near yet so far as they came agonisingly close to forcing the tie into extra time, with both Thembinkosi Lorch and Themba Zwane striking the woodwork in a frantic second half assault.
But Espérance, steered by the impressive Amanallah Memmich in goal, held firm to continue their dream of landing a third Champions League crown in seven years.
While crestfallen Sundowns must lick their wounds, for Espérance and their veteran coach Miguel Cardoso the focus switches to stopping Al Ahly’s bid for an unprecedented treble.
The roars of delight in Cairo from Al Ahly’s players and fans told the story in — the Egyptian giants had pulled off a remarkable comeback to crush Mazembe 3-0.
With the first leg in Lubumbashi ending goalless, few could have predicted the drama that was to unfold in the return fixture under the lights in Cairo.
Ahly fans thought they were staring elimination in the face when Joel Beya’s 58th-minute header found the net only for VAR to rule it out for an infringement in the build-up.
Marcel Koller’s side showed the composure and quality that has made them African club football’s pre-eminent force over the past decade by responding to the threat of the visitors.
Mohamed Abdelmonem’s thumping header put them ahead in the 68th minute, before late strikes from Wissam Abu Ali and Akram Tawfik completed what seemed like an exhilarating turnaround.
By the time Tawfik lashed home the third in the 12th minute of stoppage time, the ecstatic celebrations had long since begun in the stands — as this was their latest demonstration of big-game prowess as they kept alive their hopes of landing their fourth CAF Champions League crown in five years.
Led once again by the tireless Percy Tau, the record 11-time champions displayed tenacity, hunger and no shortage of quality to recover from the brink of elimination and carry Egyptian football’s flag into next month’s final.
For Mazembe, the pain of falling short in their bid to reach the final was compounded by Ahly’s late resurgence after running the Egyptians so close over two tightly-contested semi-final legs.
But the men from Cairo march on having snatched victory in typically dramatic fashion as they seek to maintain their iron grip on African club football’s biggest prize.
Record 11-time winners Al Ahly will be tipped by many as they target an unprecedented fourth Champions League crown in five years, but know all too well they cannot underestimate the considerable threat posed by the Tunisian giants.
It was only four years ago that Espérance shocked the Egyptian giants in the 2018 final as the Tunisians won two titles in a row.
With the first leg set for Tunis on May 18, 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.
Al Ahly
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.
Espérance, by contrast, arrived in the final the hard way after holding firm amid intense pressure to repel Mamelodi Sundowns on the back of a narrow first-leg lead in Tunis.
Coach Miguel Cardoso has 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.
After starring in both semi-final 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 final of the highest quality to crown the new kings of African football.—Reporting by CAFonline
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