Cairo – Esperance of Tunisia is planning to complete the mission of returning to the final of the African Champions League in football, when it comes to Pretoria with a lead of one goal to face Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa on Friday, while caution overwhelms Al-Ahly of Egypt, the defending champion, when it receives Congolese Mazembe in Cairo after they tied 0-0 in the first leg.
Esperance and Al-Ahly aspire to play in an all-Arab final for the third season in a row, and to keep the title in the North region for the eighth season in a row. The four sides in the semi-finals have 21 titles in their possession, as Al-Ahly has won 11 times (a record), Mazembe five times, most recently in 2015, and Esperance four times, most recently in 2019, compared to a single title for Sun Downs (2016).
A final barrier separates Esperance from appearing in the final for the first time since 2019, as it seeks to qualify for the Club World Cup in its updated version for the year 2025 in the United States, after Al-Ahly and Wydad Casablanca secured two of the four cards allocated to Africa.
The “Bab Souika” team is competing for the remaining two cards with Sun Downs and Mazembe. Esperance is aware of the pressure that awaits it at Loftus Versfeld Stadium, and the pressure will also be on the hosts after they fell behind in the first leg to a goal by Brazilian Yann Sas.
Reclaim the title
◙ Great confidence
Esperance, led by its Portuguese coach Miguel Cardoso, is relying on the defensive solidity of the team, led by goalkeeper Aman Allah Mamish, who has kept a clean sheet in the last seven continental matches. The Portuguese coach said in press statements that all options are possible in the return match against Sun Downs, and added that winning with a goal in the first leg does not mean reassurance and the advantage of qualifying, as all possibilities are possible and the two teams have the same chances.
The team played 11 matches in the group stage and knockout stages, during which it kept a clean sheet on 10 occasions. The back line will be led by the Algerian duo Mohamed Amine Togay and Yassine Meriah and the full-backs Mohamed Ben Ali and Mohamed Ben Hamida, while the team’s attack will be occupied by the Brazilian duo SAS and Rodrigo Rodriguez and midfielder Ghilane Chaalali.
Sun Downs and its coach, Rulani Mokoena, seek to employ ground workers and the public in an attempt to cross Esperance towards regaining the continental title.
Defender Oussama Bougherra stressed in a press statement the need to focus on achieving the desired goal, as “every match has its details and reality, and what we must as players is to prepare properly for the match.” Sun Downs, aspiring to combine the African League and Champions League titles, will be under pressure from its fans in order to overturn their deficit. Esperance of Tunisia was keen to travel early to South Africa so that the players could get used to the atmosphere there, as they arrived on a special flight on Tuesday evening, led by club president Hamdi Meddeb.
On the other hand, Sun Downs seeks to employ ground workers and the public in an attempt to cross the hurdle of Esperance towards regaining the African Champions League title, which it won once in 2016 at the expense of Egyptian Zamalek, in addition to exploiting the high morale of its players after they succeeded in crowning the African League championship and helping… The South African national team won the bronze medal in the recent African Cup of Nations, which was held in Côte d’Ivoire.
Deceptive result
◙ The presence of Laft
His coach, Rulani Mokoena, said, “Give me four years to try and win the African Champions League,” and he added, “I have the feeling that we do not understand the Champions League. I look at the Champions League from a different perspective because I was here before.”
He continued, “This is my second season, and we have already reached the semi-finals twice in a row, and I feel that people do not appreciate this.” Mokoena responded to the recent criticism by saying, “I do not think that the amount of sacrifices we are making is appreciated. It affects me because I’m human and I’m not afraid to say it because sometimes talking about your weaknesses is okay. “You are able to know how to motivate yourself and find strength.”
The team suffers from a goal barrenness, as it has not scored in its last three matches in the Champions League, despite the presence of prominent names in its front line such as Themba Zwane, the Uruguayan Gaston Sirino, and the Namibian Peter Shalulile. Mokoena is also counting on international goalkeeper Ronwen Williams, the Brazilian Lucas Cochta, the Chilean Ivan Allende, and the Moroccan defender. Abdel Moneim Boutweel.
In another summit, Al-Ahly of Egypt seeks to cross the Mazembe obstacle and qualify for the final of the tournament to defend its continental title, but it will clash with the ambitions of Mazembe, which wants to regain its place on the podium. Mazembe are missing Kevin Mondeko, Gloire Mujaya and Marcel Njimbe, while the duo of Sheikh Fofana and goalkeeper Suleiman Shaibu returned.
Al-Ahly of Egypt, the record holder in winning the tournament with 11 titles, succeeded in getting out of a goalless draw from the first leg that was held at Mazembe Stadium last Saturday.
