Egyptian giants Al Ahly have reclaimed their position as the kings of African club football, clinching their 12th TotalEnergies CAF Champions League title with a 1-0 victory over Tunisia’s Esperance Sportive de Tunis at a packed Cairo International Stadium.
Saturday’s win marks Al Ahly’s fourth consecutive Champions League title, solidifying their status as the continent’s football club champions.
The victory also extends their unbeaten streak in the competition to 20 matches and concludes the season with the best defensive record, having conceded just one goal.
Al Ahly took the lead early in the match through an own goal by Roger Aholou in the 4th minute, deflecting a header by Ramy Moustafa past the young goalkeeper, Amenallah Memmiche.
Played under the Cairo stars at an electrifying pace, both teams displayed attacking prowess, with solid defending preventing numerous goal-scoring opportunities.
Esperance came close to equalizing in the 52nd minute when TKA’s low drive narrowly missed the target. They continued to press, with a curling effort from Yan Sasse going wide shortly after the hour mark.
Al Ahly almost doubled their lead with Emam Ashour’s strike, saved by the keeper, while Afsha’s late free-kick hit the bar, denying him a spectacular goal.
The match ended 1-0 in favor of Al Ahly, who celebrated their victory in front of their home fans in Cairo, adding another chapter to their storied history in African football.