Ahly seek to draw inspiration from 2006 in Champions League final

The Egyptian giants take on Tunisia's Esperance in the second leg of the African Champions League final on Saturday

Six years ago, a last-gasp volley from Mohamed Abou-Treika in Tunis silenced an enthusiastic crowd at Rades Stadium and sparked wild celebrations in Egypt after Ahly claimed the African Champions League title in thrilling fashion.
Tunisia's Sfaxien looked as though they were heading for a famous triumph on the away-goal rule after the first leg ended in a 1-1 draw in Cairo but Abou-Treika's strike broke their hearts and gave Ahly one of their memorable triumphs of all time.
Looking for a similar scenario?
Ahly are yearning to enjoy another night to remember, having been held to a 1-1 draw by Esperance in Alexandria that makes the Tunisians favourites to be crowned African champions for the second year in a row.
The second leg will take place at Rades Stadium on Saturday before a limited number of 35,000 fans.
Veteran playmaker Abou-Treika remains one of Ahly's most potent weapons. He might not be the agile player of the past but his accurate defence-splitting passes usually come in handy for the Cairo giants.
Esperance's rearguard looked hard to beat in the first leg at Alexandria's Borg El-Arab Stadium, where Ahly needed a late goal from substitute El-Sayed Hamdi to avoid a stunning home defeat.
“I don't think that Esperance will be looking for a draw,” Ahly's rock-solid defender Wael Gomaa said in an interview with FIFA.com.
“They will fear replicating what happened in 2006 when we scored a late goal against Sfaxien in Tunis to win the trophy after the first leg also ended in a 1-1 draw in Egypt.”
The evergreen Gomaa, who kept Esperance's Cameroonian striker Yannick N'Djeng at bay in the first leg, will set an African record of five Champions League triumphs for a single player if Ahly beat Esperance.
The Red Devils are also eager to win Africa's elite club competition to honour the victims of the Port Said disaster, which left over 70 Ahly fans dead in a crowd riot following the end of an ill-tempered league game against Masry.
“We remember how Ahly won the title in 2006 at the last moment here in Tunisia. So we have to be careful,” Esperance coach Nabil Maaloul told CAFonline.com.
Esperance absentees
Ahly coach Hossam El-Badry will have a fully-fit squad to choose from, with left-back Sayed Moawad being the only absentee after he failed to recover in time from injury.
Esperance, on the other hand, will have to do without a number of regulars, including key duo Harrison Afful and Sameh Derbali who will miss the game through automatic suspension.
Playmaker Youssef Msakni remains doubtful following an appendectomy surgery that also ruled him out of the first leg.
“We miss many players like Derbali and Afful in addition to the injured players, but we have the suitable replacement for them,” Maaloul added.
“Our players can play in various positions and they all can do their role.”
Ahly are looking to win a record-extending seventh Champions League title and their first since 2008 while Esperance are bidding to clinch a third continental title.
The winner will play at next month's FIFA Club World Cup in Japan.
(For more sports news and updates, follow Ahram Online Sports on Twitter at @AO Sports and on Facebook at AhramOnlineSports)##