The Egyptian Al-Ahly football team defeated the Tunisian Esperance by 2-1 in the second leg of African Champions League's final, which was held on Rades Stadium in Tunisia, on Saturday. The first leg which was held in Alexandria of Egypt ended by the result 1-1, thus, the final result is 3-2 for Al-Ahly. The Egyptian giants, or the red devils, got their 7th African Champions league's title, as Al-Ahly won the tournament in 1982, 1987, 2001, 2005, 2006, 2008 and finally 2012.
‘Match in Details,' according to Filgoal.Com.
Ahli manager Hossam Al-Badri surprisingly leaves out midfield talisman Mohamed Abou-Treika on the bench as Al-Sayed Hamdi starts upfront alongside Geddo. On the other hand, Esperance are boosted by the return of star man Youssef Msakni, who seemed to have recovered after an appendicitis operation. ESPERANCE: Ben Cherifia – Chemmam, Ben Mansour, Hichri, Zouaghi – Ragued, Mouelhi, Aouadhi, Bouazzi, Y. Msakni – N'Djeng Ahly: Ekrami – Fathi, Gomaa, Naguib, Shedid – Ashour, Ghaly, Al-Saied, Soliman – Geddo, Hamdi
‘First half'
1' The first half kicks off..let's hope for an enthralling game between the two African heavyweights
1' Foul for the hosts in midfield
2' Throw in for Ahli
3' Cagey start for both teams as the ball is restricted mainly to midfield
4' Shedid and Soliman combine down the left but lose the ball
4' We must remember a clean sheet would send Esperance through..the Cairo giants must score tonight
6' Geddo pleads for a foul inside the box as he struggles for the ball with a defender..the referee says no
8' foul for Ahli..the visitors now seem determined to pose threat from early on
9' Ben Cherifia does great to deny a dangerous Ahmed Shedid cross before thwarting a long range strike
10' Soliman makes a darting run before sending a through ball to Hamdi who is ruled to be in offside position
11' Let's remember that Ben Cherifia put in a superb display in the away game to keep his side's advantage intact
12' A fine team move ends up with an offiside against the hosts
13' Ahli pounce on a mis-pass by Esperance in midfield but eventually give away the ball
14' foul for Soliman in his own half
15' Another foul but this time for Ghaly in the opponents' half
16' Al-Saeid takes the free kick..blocked by the keeper
17' A fine team move sees Fathi square to a team mate who dithers on the ball inside the area..it could have been much better than that!
18' Ekrami punches a free kick from way out..he could have easily handled it instead
19' Ahli capitalise on another error by Esperance in midfield but Ghaly opts for a long range low shot..misses the target
20' A fine spell by Ahli ends up with a miscued strike from Al-Saeid..Ahli is the better side inside the opening 20 minutes
22' foul for Soliman as Ahli attack..good game for the Reds away from home
23' Msakni finds space and fires from way out..no threat though
24' foul for striker Hamdi after bursting down the right..let's see how they are going to deal with it
25' the free kick deflects off Hamdi inside the area directly into the keeper's hands..the referee says Hamdi was offside
26' Another shot from way out from Ahli..now they need to find another way
27' Esperance are forced to play the ball back, thanks to the visitors sustained pressing
29' Hamdi in offside position after some promising play by his team mates
30' Ahli are now laying siege on their opponents' box..will they be able to take the lead?
31' A dangerous challenge by Fathi..foul for the Tunisians
32' Ekrami blocks N'Djeng shot who strikes from tight angle, the first test for the Egyptian guardian after 32 minutes
34' Fathi's cross too high for Geddo but the latter displays a fighting spirit to claim the ball
35' A long through ball by Esperance but the three men upfront are apparently offside
37' Laser beams are directed towards Ekrami as the Tunisians play a free kick
38' The home side started to pose threat now..
40' Geddo superbly latches on a high through ball but his volley is blocked by Ben Cherifia..the referee says he was in an offside position
41' foul for Ahli following a shove by an opponent..free kick from the right
42' Soliman takes the ball but awfully played..out for goal kick
43' GOAAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLL!!!! GEDDO opens the scoring
44' Geddo hits home following some superb work by Hamdi who squares for the former to earn his side a deserved lead
45' Hamdi excels down the left as the Reds get a corner kick
45' The referee blows the whistle..it's the end of the first half, will Ahli be able to preserve their lead, that's what we will see in the second period
'Second half'
46' Esperance push forward early in the second half...
48' Hossam Ashour superbly controls the ball but ends up with a foul for the Tunisians
49' N'Djeng launches an incursion on the right flank, tries to avoid a goal kick but fails..The hosts seem to have redeemed themselves after falling to a goal down
50' WHAT A CHANCE!!!!!!!!! Al-Saied misses with the goal at his mercy as Ben Cherifia blocks his short range effort..Ahli could have comfortably been two nil now!
51' Walid controls the ball badly in front of the box to end a promising attack
52' Esperance could have restored parity now!!!! N'Djeng breaks through only to see his shot go inches off the post
53' Bouazzi is substituted
56' N'Djeng is the hosts' dangerous man with another low shot narrowly missing the target
58' foul for Ahli at the back
60' Hamdi heads wide following some superb combination between Shedid and Soliman down the left..Ahli is dangerous on the attack
62' GOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLL!!!! AHLI TWO!!!
62' Soliman pounces on a miscued play by the opponents to juggle the ball over a defender before going clear and slotting home past the helpless Ben Cherifia
63' A player from Esperance is on the ground as he is treated by the medical staff
65' The post denies another N'Djeng effort..their most menacing man
66' Abou-Treika is now introduced instead of Hamdi for their first substitution
67' Fathi commits a foul upfront..free kick played by the keeper
70' Soliman fails to control the ball on the left..throw in
70' Esperance now need to score three goals, they seem to have thrown in the towel
71' Esperance fans look totally dismayed with both their team's result and performance
72' Dominique comes on instead of Soliman as Esperance take a free kick from a good position on the left hand side of the area
72' Dominique brilliantly dribbles past a defender but the finish is way awful..slicing his shot
73' An Esperance man dispatches near the edge of the box but flows wide
75' Ghaly does great to maintain his side's possession
78' Ghaly booked even though TV replays show he did no contact with Msakni
79' Geddo wastes a good chance to make it three!! his venomless shot from close range reaches the keeper's hand so easily!
80' Hichri denies Dominique a goal with Ben Cherifia out of goal following a fine through from Ghaly to Geddo
82' Esperance desperately moving the ball..Ahli produced a big game tonight
83' N'Djeng tries his luck from distance..blasted high
85' GOAALLLLLLL!!! ESPERANCE PULL ONE BACK!!
85' N'Djeng deservedly finds the net when he notched home a low cross from the right after Ahli defenders were caught napping
87' Offside against Ahli
88' Dominique attempts to waltz around a defender, he should have kept the ball to burn some time
89' A PENALTY!!!!! FOR AHLI after the keeper tripped clear-on-goal Dominique
90' Treika on to take it but the keeper blocks it!!! to deny the Reds their third of the night
90+2' Dominique close range effort blocked..he could have passed to his team mate on the right of him instead
90+3' Treika sees his shot at the near post thwarted by the keeper..not lucky today
90+4' The referee blows the final whistle!!!! Ahly makes it seven Champions League titles in their history with a 3-2 aggregate win..The Reds will now make an appearance in the Club World Cup in Japan in December.
