Egyptian giants Al Ahly have once again claimed the title of African club football champions with a 1-0 victory over Tunisia’s Esperance Sportive de Tunis in the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League final. The match took place on Saturday evening at a packed Cairo International Stadium.
This win marks Al Ahly’s 12th TotalEnergies CAF Champions League title and their fourth consecutive victory, solidifying their dominance in African football. Additionally, the team has gone 20 matches without a loss in the competition and boasted the best defensive record this season, conceding only one goal.
After a goalless draw in Rades last week, the Egyptians entered the match with a slight edge, supported by the enthusiastic crowd at Cairo International Stadium. Their opponents, the four-time African champions, were eager to secure their elusive fifth title since 2019.
Al Ahly’s only goal came in the 4th minute due to an own goal by Roger Aholou, which occurred when Ramy Moustafa’s header deflected off Aholou’s leg and past goalkeeper Amenallah Memmiche. The match was played at a fast pace, with both teams creating numerous attacks that were met with strong defensive efforts.
Esperance had a clear chance in the 52nd minute when TKA’s low shot nearly surprised Mostafa Shobeir, but it went just wide.
The Tunisians almost equalized just after the hour mark when Yan Sasse and Rodrigo Silva set up Sasse for a beautiful curling shot that narrowly missed the target.
Al Ahly nearly doubled their lead when Emam Ashour dribbled past two defenders and unleashed a powerful strike, which the keeper deflected.
Later, Afsha, bringing his experience into play, almost made it 2-0 in the 87th minute with a well-taken free kick that hit the bar.
The match ended 1-0 in favor of Al Ahly, who were crowned champions of Africa once again in front of their home fans in Cairo.
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