On Friday in Cairo, Egypt’s Al Ahly secured TotalEnergies CAF Champions League final spot with a 3-0 win over Mazembe.
As a result, they’ll face Esperance of Tunisia, who defeated Sundowns 2-0 on aggregate to set up this year’s final Al Ahly.
In the first leg of the match played in Lubumbashi, no team managed to score a goal. However, the return fixture in Cairo was full of drama.
In Cairo, Joel Beya’s goal for Mazembe was disallowed early in the second half before Abdelmonem’s powerful header off a corner broke the deadlock on 68 minutes.
Led by South African-born Percy Tau, the 11-time champions displayed tenacity, hunger, and quality to carry Egyptian football’s flag into next month’s final.
Marcel Koller’s side responded to the threat of the visitors and showed the composure and quality that has made them African club football’s pre-eminent force over the past decade.
Mohamed Abdelmonem’s thumping header put them ahead in the 68th minute before late strikes from Wissam Abu Ali and Akram Tawfik completed the win as Al Ahly seeks to maintain its grip on African club football’s biggest prize.
Al Ahly secured a place in the final against Tunisian heavyweights Esperance after Akram Tawfik scored the third goal in the 12th minute of stoppage time.
#TotalEnergiesCAFCL Semifinal #MSFCEST | 🇿🇦@Masandawana 0⃣-1⃣ @ESTuniscom🇹🇳: Esperance Secures Historic Victory and Club World Cup Berth.@ESTuniscom to face @AlAhlyEnglish in this year's CAF CL final. pic.twitter.com/7AaqOPIxZh
— Alie Bittar (@bittar32) April 27, 2024
