Al Ahly of Egypt will take on Esperance of Tunisia in this year’s Africa Champions League final after the two sides won their respective semifinals last night.
Al Ahly, who have won five of the last seven editions and a record 11 in total, booked their spot in the final after thrashing TP Mazembe of DRC 3-0 in the second leg of their semifinal.
Es Tunis defeated South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns 1-0 in Pretoria.
Mohamed Abdelmonen, Wessam Abou and Akram Tawfiks’s extra time goal sealed Al Ahly’s third victory after a goalless first half over TP Mazembe, in the second leg played last night at packed Cairo international stadium, in Egypt.
Their first Leg match ended in a barren draw in Lubumbashi.
In the other semi final Es Tunis from Tunisia Triumphed over Mamelody Sundowns of South Africa 1-0 in their second leg match, advancing to the final with a 2-0 aggregate score.
Al Alhly who have won the title eleven times will now contest with Es Tunis in the two legged final next month.
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 Esperance 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 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.
