Al Ahly will enter their crucial CAF Champions League semi-final second leg against Esperance Tunis with a comfortable 3-0 advantage. The match will be held at the Cairo International Stadium on Friday night.
In the previous encounter at Stade Olympique de Rades, Al Ahly demonstrated their superiority over Esperance Tunis, securing a three-goal lead. Percy Tau played a significant role, scoring the opening goal in the 8th minute with a skillful run past the left-back.
Despite creating several opportunities, Al Ahly couldn’t extend their lead in the first half. However, Tau completed his brace in the 55th minute, and Kahraba added a third goal in the 75th minute through a swift counter-attack.
While delighted with the away victory, Al Ahly coach Marcel Koller urged his team to remain focused and avoid complacency, emphasizing that the tie is far from decided.
Drawing inspiration from comebacks in football history, such as Liverpool against Barcelona and Juventus against Real Madrid, Koller warned against underestimating Esperance de Tunis in the second leg.
Esperance Tunis, on the other hand, has been struggling recently, losing three consecutive matches across all competitions. Their home form in the CAF Champions League is also concerning, as they have failed to win in their last three matches. Notably, their only victory in the last five encounters against Al Ahly came during that period.
Looking ahead, Esperance’s head of Sport, Hamdi Al-Mudab, expressed confidence in the assistant coach’s ability to lead the team while awaiting the appointment of a new coach. The club emphasized its commitment to success across all levels and categories, reassuring fans of their dedication.
The second leg between Al Ahly and Esperance Tunis is scheduled to kick off at 7:00pm GMT.
