Ahli were saved by an 88th minute equalizer from substitute Al-Sayed Hamdi to claim a 1-1 draw with an ultra-defensive Esperance side in the CAF Champions League final first leg. Visitors and defending champions Esperance claimed a shock lead through defender Walid Hichri, but Hamdi came off the bench to salvage a draw following a series of missed chances for Ahli. The return of some 15000 supporters to the stands was hardly enough for Ahli, who now need to score in the return leg in Tunis on November 17. Despite the positive result, Esperance will miss two key players in the second leg as Sameh Derbali and Harrison Afful received their second booking in Alexandria. Super Ben Cherifia and another set piece! The man of the match was undoubtedly Esperance number one Moez Ben Cherifia, who made no less than four quality saves to keep the Tunisians' chances of retaining the title alive. Since the first minute, Nabil Maaloul's side have hardly posed a threat on Sherif Ekrami's goal, while Abdullah Al-Saied saw his left-foot drive thwarted by the keeper at the other end as the first chance of the game. But the half-chance was nothing compared to a sitter from Ahli star Mohamed Abou-Treika, who shockingly missed the target from six yards out. Only four minutes into the second half, Esperance grabbed the vital away goal, thanks to a header from center-half Hichri, who superbly rose above Ekrami's hand to head in Khalil Chemmam's corner. It is Esperance's fifth set-piece goal on the trot against Ahli. The game was increasingly turning into a one-way affair, with Esperance defending with no less than nine players. Geddo's long-range effort was splendidly foiled by Ben Cherifia, while Abou-Treika missed another chance from close range, but credit once again had to go to the Esperance goalie who made a wonder reflex save on the goal line. Ahli kept venturing forward leaving only Mohamed Naguib and Wael Gomaa in their half, until the Esperance wall was finally breached by a sensational piece of skill from Ahmed Fathi. After winning the ball and dribbling past one opponent, the Ahli and Egypt defender threaded a slick through pass that deceived three Esperance defender before finding Hamdi, who dispatched home with two minutes remaining.
