CAFCL: Al Ahly stage late rally to defeat Mazembe and reach final; Esperance edge past Sundowns in Pretoria to book final place
The roars of delight from Al Ahly’s players and fans told the story – the Egyptian giants had pulled off a remarkable comeback to crush Mazembe 3-0 on Friday night and book their place in yet another TotalEnergies CAF Champions League final.
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 a third in the 12th minute of stoppage time, the ecstatic celebrations had long since begun in the stands as Al Ahly secured a mouthwatering final showdown with Tunisian heavyweights Esperance.
For Al Ahly, this was their latest demonstration of big-game prowess as they kept alive their hopes of landing their fourth TotalEnergies 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.
Tunisian giants Esperance reached the final of the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League when beating Mamelodi Sundowns 1-0 in Pretoria the second-leg of the semi-final in Pretoria on Friday night.
Having ground out a 1-0 first leg win in Tunisia, the Blood and Gold displayed all the traits that have made them such a formidable force on the continent to repel the South Africans by the same scoreline in the return fixture in Pretoria.
Raed Bouchniba’s 56th minute strike ultimately proved the difference as Esperance withstood a barrage of Sundowns pressure to book their place in next month’s final.
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 Esperance, steered by the impressive Amanallah Memmich in goal, held firm to continue their dream of landing a third Champions League crown in seven years.
The Tunisians may have slipped below the Blood and Gold in recent years, but they have already shown their ability to rise to the big occasion by edging out Sundowns over two tight semi-final legs.
While crestfallen Sundowns must lick their wounds, for Esperance and their veteran coach Miguel Cardoso the focus switches to stopping Al Ahly’s bid for an unprecedented treble.
The two African giants will go head-to-head in two legs of the mouthwatering final between two sets of continental royalty next month.
Al Ahly needed a late fight to defeat Mazembe and reach yet another TotalEnergies CAF Champions League final, but will be wary of the threat posed by Esperance.
