- Al Ahly beat TP Mazembe 3-0 in Cairo
- They are seeking a 12th Champions League title
- Esperance beat Mamelodi Sundowns to progress
Record champions Al Ahly will take on Tunisia’s Esperance, in the final of the CAF Champions League after both sides successfully waded past their semi-final opponents.
Al Ahly’s hunt for a record extending 12th continental crown remain well on course after they progressed to this season’s final, following a well worked 3-0 thrashing of five-time champions TP Mazembe in Cairo.
Mohamed Abdelmoneim, Abou Ali and Akram Tawfiq scored the goals for the Red Devils, who progressed to the final and also qualified for next year’s FIFA Club World Cup.
Ahly’s victory also means that both Esperance, who they will lay in the final, and Mamelodi Sundowns have both qualified for the FIFA Club competition by virtue of ranking.
After a closely contested opening half, with the game evenly poised at 0-0, the game burst into life in the second half.
Mazembe thought they had scored the opener after 57 minutes when Joel Biya headed home inside the box, but the goal was ruled out by VAR for an apparent handball in the build up.
Biya had headed the ball into the net from the edge of the six yard box off a Philippe Kinzumbi cross, but the VAR spotted a handball inside the box before the ball rolled to Kinzumbi.
After surviving what they thought was a goal down, Ahly put in the next gear, and they took control of the game.
Ahly break the deadlock
Al Ahly’s Ali Maaloul celebrates with Mohamed Abdelmoneim after they combined to score. PHOTO/Ahly/X
They broke the deadlock in the 67th minute, Abdelmoneim heading strongly past the keeper from an Ali Maaloul corner.
Despite going down, Mazembe gave in a fight with the coach making some attacking changes to try spur a draw that would see the Congolese side go through on the away goal rule.
However, they were stunned when Ahly scored the second in the 83rd minute, Maaloul having his second assist of the game, curling a brilliant cross into the box from the left that was swept home by Ali. They completed the job deep in added time, Tawfiq squeezing in a shot past the keeper from the right.
Head coach Marcel Koller was delighted with the performance of his team, noting they put up a gallant fight.
“We played in a very tough duel, against a very tough team and I am delighted that we managed to go through,” the coach said after the match.
Meanwhile,
Esperance see off Sundowns
Esperance players celebrate their win in Pretoria. PHOTO/CAF
Tunisian giants Esperance’s hopes of a fifth Continental title are well on course after they progressed to this year’s final following a 1-0 win over Mamelodi Sundowns in Pretoria.
The victory away from home means Esperance progress with a 2-0 aggregate score, having won by the same margin in the first leg in Rades last weekend.
Raed Bouchniba’s second half goal proved to be decisive for Taraji, who have secured a place in the final and are looking to win the title for the first time since they lifted it on 2019.
The game had to be halted for almost an hour after just 22 minutes following lightning and a heavy thunderstorm.
Upon resumption, the home side had some good chances, with Marcel Allende’s shot flying just wide, while the dangerous Themba Zwane also had some forays at goal that were not successful.
The North Africans scored the winner in the 57th minute, 20-year old midfielder Bouchniba striking a brilliant low shot past keeper Ronwen Williams after being put through in the box by Rodrigues Rodrigues.
Sundowns made attempts to get back into the game, as they now needed three goals to overturn the result.
They came close with Zwane and Thembinkosi Lorch hitting the woodwork, but couldn’t find the back of the net.
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