Inas Mazhar previews the two penultimate games which will produce a final in the African Champions League Ahli of Egypt host Ittihad of Libya in the second-leg match of the semi-finals of the championship at Cairo Stadium on Sunday, while Etoile du Sahel of Tunisia host Sudan's Hilal in the other semi-final in Sousse a day earlier. Though Ahli and Hilal are halfway to making it to the finals of the African Champions League, the results of their first-leg matches puts more suspense to the two decisive games. The two clubs avoided defeats in their first leg semi-final matches played two weeks ago. Ahli had played out a 0-0 draw with Ittihad in Tripoli while Hilal edged past Etoile du Sahel 2-1 in Omdurman. The results have thus helped the Egyptian and Sudanese teams keep their hopes of a place in the last two on course. Playing their first away game since the 3-0 thrashing by Hilal in the penultimate match of the group phase, Ahli had displayed one of their best performances but the ultimate remained elusive during that encounter. Ittihad's best chance came after six minutes when midfielder Walid Mhadeb beat Ahli goalie Essam El-Hadari to a through ball, only for Ahmed El-Sayed to scoop the ball of the line. The Egyptians also had their fair share of the highly balanced game but Angolan import Flavio wasted the brightest, in the 79th minute after Ittihad goalie Samir Aboud had come off his line, but the latter's first timer deflected off a defender, missing the target narrowly. Ittihad are making their maiden appearance at this stage of the competition since its inception 11 years ago. Ahli are the defending champions and have won the title a record five times. For Hilal, they had to come from a goal down in the first half, before Nigerian pair of Godwin Eze and Kelechi Osunwa moved them closer to their first ever final in the continent's most prestigious club competition since 1992. It was the home team who opened the scoring at the Omdurman stadium in the first leg-match when Etoile's midfielder Radhoune Felhi stunned the local crowd with a 37th minute header. Hilal fought back and leveled up in the 62nd minute through Nigerian-import Eze, who connected home from a goal-mouth melee. Former Dolphins striker Osunwa grabbed the winner four minutes later by heading home compatriot Yusuf Mohammed's cross from the right. While Ahli needs victory to ensure their third successive final, a draw in the second leg will be enough to see the Sudanese through to the final for the first time in their history. However, in football never predict a score or congratulate the winner until the referee blows the final whistle. Etoile du Sahel and Ittihad also have a chance and are equally fighting for a berth in the final of the $1 million championship. Etoile's task could seem easier given that they will enjoy home advantage and rely on a long and respectable history in the Champions League. A lone goal victory will see Etoile through due to the away goals rule. The African Confederation has allocated a crew from Seychelles to officiate the Etoile-Hilal game. Referee Maillet Eddy and assistants Damoo Jason and Omath David will lead the game which will kick off at 9.00pm Tunisian local time on Saturday in Sousse. For Ahli and Ittihad a crew from Ghana was appointed for the game. Referee Kotey Alex and assistants Haruna Ayuba and Saijah George will handle the match which is scheduled to kick off at 9.00pm Cairo local time at Cairo Stadium.
