Egypt's Al Ahly surprised holders
Esperance of Tunisia with a 2-1
second-leg win to lift the African
Champions League 3-2 on aggregate.
Gedo fired in Al Ahly's opener from 12
yards shortly before half-time and Walid
Soliman doubled their lead just after
the hour mark.
Esperance's Yannick N'djeng pulled a
goal back to set up a tense finish.
Al Ahly had Mohamed Aboutrika's late
penalty saved but held on to become
African champions for a seventh time.
Hossam Ghaly lifted the trophy to seal a
remarkable win amid a domestic
season in Egypt that has been
postponed indefinitely because of the
February stadium riots that left 74
people dead.
Al Ahly, who extended their own record
for the most African Champions League
wins, will represent the continent at the
Fifa Club World Cup in Japan next
month.
Esperance fielded a weakened side due
to suspensions and injuries, although
Youssef Msakni returned to the team,
just two weeks after undergoing an
operation for appendicitis.
The Tunisian side were the more
defensive in a first half that produced
some flowing football but few
goalscoring opportunities.
Ahly were rewarded for their purpose
when Gedo struck on 43 minutes after
good work down the left from Hamdy
Al-Sayed, who shook off a defender and
cut the ball back from the goal-line.
Esperance came into the second half
with more urgency, and N'djeng had a
shot saved on 53 minutes.
Soliman made it 2-0 in the 61st minute,
hooking the ball over the head of
Esperance defender Mohamed Ben
Mansour to leave himself one-on-one
with the keeper on the edge of the box
before shooting into the bottom-right
corner.
N'djeng then hit the post, before finally
getting his goal with six minutes to go,
side-footing in from six yards - but
Esperance still needed two more goals
if they were to retain their title.
Ahly legend Aboutrika had his penalty
pushed past the post by Esperance
keeper Moez Ben Cherifia, who had
fouled Ahly's Mauritania striker
Dominique Da Silva.
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