Farayi Mungazi Fifty-two matches unbeaten and still counting. Ahli proved on Saturday that they have no equals in Africa at the moment by roasting Etoile Sahel 3-0 to win the Champions League. Following the goalless first leg in Sousse, the return leg at the Military Academy Stadium in Cairo was a real test of character for the home team, and they passed it with flying colours. Three goals from Mohamed Abou Treika, Osama Hosni and playmaker Mohamed Barakat gave the Egyptian side the Holy Grail of African club football for the fourth time in their history. This was a victory not just for coach Manuel Jose and his side, but also for a nation struggling to regain its football pride, particularly in the wake of their World Cup failure. Okay, it was not the vintage display of flowing football from the Egyptian side that many pundits had predicted, but it was enough to protect a remarkable unbeaten streak that began in June 2004. Frankly, it would have been an affront to natural sporting justice if Ahli had been denied the title. "Ahli are a very good team and deserved to win," a chastened Gilli Stephane, Etoile Sahel's assistant coach, told BBC Sport. He added: "We tried our best but Ahli are the best team in Africa, and we can't say anything more." For Etoile Sahel, it was another bitter pill to swallow after their defeat on penalties to Enyimba of Nigeria in last year's final. Jose said that they have been working with only one objective in mind for the past 18 months -- to regain Ahli's status as the best club in Africa. "Ahli are a team with a great history and we want our fans to be happy again," the Portuguese said of his second Champions League success with the Cairo Red Devils. Much of the pre-match hype concentrated on whether Ahli would maintain their unbeaten record and win their first African title since Jose guided them to success in 2001. As it happened, the African "Club of the Century" did just that, and will now take on other continental kings at the World Club Championship in Japan next month. Overall, it was a truly outstanding performance by the whole team, driven as ever by Egyptian international Barakat. The 29-year-old capped another eye-catching display with a splendidly taken goal in the closing stages of the game. As Barakat and his team-mates were being presented with their medals, flag-waving Ahli fans sang and danced on the terraces. They truly had something to sing -- and crow about. * The writer is a reporter for BBC Sport.
