- Al Ahly solidified their dominance over African club football
- They defeated Tunisia's Esperance 1-0
- Esperance struggled to find their attacking rhythm
Egyptian powerhouse Al Ahly solidified their dominance over African club football, securing a record-extending 12th African Champions League title!
They defeated Tunisia’s Esperance 1-0 in a tense second-leg final played at the Cairo International Stadium.
The first leg in Tunisia ended goalless, leaving everything to be decided in Cairo. Al Ahly seized the initiative early on, taking the lead through a fortuitous own goal. Rami Rabia’s header from a corner deflected off Esperance’s Roger Aholou and found the back of the net.
The hosts pressed for a second goal to create breathing room, with efforts from Wessam Abou Ali, Percy Tau, and Hussein El Shahat all coming close. Esperance struggled to find their attacking rhythm, rarely threatening Al Ahly’s well-organized defense.
Substitute Afsha nearly doubled the lead with a spectacular free-kick that rattled the crossbar in the closing stages. Al Ahly held firm through six minutes of added time, securing a 1-0 victory on aggregate and their fourth Champions League title in the last five years.
This win marks a historic achievement for Al Ahly. Manager Marcel Koller’s men not only clinched the title, but remained unbeaten throughout the entire Champions League campaign, mirroring the feat of their 2005 team. Goalkeeper Mostafa Shobeir deserves a special mention for keeping an impressive nine consecutive clean sheets.
With this victory, Al Ahly extends their unbeaten streak in continental competitions to 22 games. This also marks their fourth occasion of winning back-to-back Champions League titles. Both Al Ahly and Esperance have already qualified for the expanded 32-team FIFA Club World Cup, set to be held in the United States next year.
