Full Time: Ahly 3-1 Esperance

The referee blows his final whistle

90' 4 minutes of stoppage time.

88' El-Shennawi saves a real one from Belaïli. It would have been a last-gasp killer and would have made Esperance's mission much easier in the second leg.

87' Mohamed Hany gets a yellow card.

83' Yellow card for Franck Kom.

82' Soliman curls a brilliant free kick onto the bar.

80' Sameh Derbali of Esperance receives a yellow card.

79' Magri replaces Khenissi.

77' Wolid Soliman scores the third for Ahly and his own second also from a penalty kick.

GOOOAAAL FOR AHLY

74' Mehdi Abid Charef decides another penalty for Ahly.

71' Ahly now are on their back foot after receiving a home goal that would make their mission more difficult in the second leg on Friday.

69' Ben Cherifia falls on the pitch and the medics get in.

67' Mido Gaber replaces Ahmed Hamoudi.

64' Youcef Belaïli brings Esperance back to life and scores the first for his team from a penalty.

Goal for Esperance

63' Penalty kick for Esperance. 

60' El-Shennawi parries away a distant shot from a free kick by Chemmam.

58' Amr El-Sulaya doubles the score to the 8-time African champions after a stunning cross from Soliman.

GOOAAAL FOR AHLY

54' The second half starts in a very low rythm as a number of players fall and receive treatment on the pitch.

49' Yello card to Ahly's Saad Samir.

47' Hamoudi tries to curl a shot but it goes to a goal cick.

The second half is underway

The referee blows his halftime whistle

47' The bar saves a stunning distant strike by the Tunisians.

45' The referee adds 4 minutes of stoppage time.

44' A very modest performance from both teams dominates the first half of the game.

41' Ben Cherifia briliantly parries away a real chance by Ahmed Hamoudi.

37' Chaalali's shot deflects to a corner.

34' Walid Soliman scores the first from a penalty cick.

34' GOOOAAAL FOR AHLY

33' Penalty for Ahly.

30' Potentail penalty for Ahly. Referee is awaiting the VAR descision. It does not seem to be a legitimate penalty.

22' Mohamed Hany replaces injured Ahmed Fathi.

21' Mohamed El-Shennawi saves a first easy chance after a weak shot from inside the box by Taha Yassine Khenissi.

20' Ben Cherifia saves a brilliant cross from Soliman.

18' Chamseddine Dhaouadi receives the game's first yellow card after an interference against Walid Azaro.

15' No real chances for any of the sides after 15 minutes. Mohamed Hany from Ahly is now warming up.

14' El-Sulaya's distant shot is blocked by Franck Kom.

10' Esperance cross from a free cick just goes wide after a touch from Coulibaly.

7' Ahly have the better possession after 7 minutes.

3' Walid Soliman receives treatment on the pitch after an agressive tackle from Khalil Chemmam.

The match is underway

20:25 Goalkeeper Moez Ben Cherifia makes it to Esperance starting 11 replacing Rami Jridi after the latter's lowly performance in the semifinal against Primeiro de Agosto.

20:20 Players are warming up. 

Esperance starting line-up: Moez Ben Cherifia- Sameh Derbali - Houcine Rabii - Chamseddine Dhaouadi - Khalil Chemmam - Franck Kom - Fousseny Coulibaly - Ghaylène Chaalali - Anice Badri - Taha Yassine Khenissi - Youcef Belaïli

Ahly starting line-up: Mohamed El-Shennawi - Salif Coulibaly, Saad Samir, Ayman Ashraf, Ahmed Fathi - Amr El-Sulaya, Hossam Ashour - Walid Soliman, Islam Mohareb, Ahmed Hamoudi - Walid Azaro.

19:30 Ahly bus arrives at Borg El-Arab stadium.

19:00 Ahly's historical left stand is now fully occupied by supporters, two hours ahead of the start whistle.

18:30 Carteron: "I always consider Ahly fans as a partner in our victories. The supporters deserve the best and I promise that my team will do its best."

18:15 Ahly supporters continue to arrive at Borg El-Arab stadium.

17:50 "The final includes two matches and I asked my players to be calm during Friday's clash as they will have the chance to overturn any negative result in the second leg," Carteron told the pre-match news conference on Thursday.

17:25 Ahly manger Patrice Carteron said on Thursday his men have the ability to win the African Champions League title, asking them to shrug off the anticipated pressure of the final game.

16:55 Ahly are aware the result of Friday's first-leg would be crucial, given that they paid the price of a disappointing 1-1 draw at home to Wydad last year which left them with an uphill climb in the return leg.

16:00 All in all, Ahly's record of seven wins, six draws and three loses against Esperance in African competitions should be taken into account, although the Tunisians believe they have what it takes to end the hoodoo of having failed to beat the Cairo club since 2011.

15:30 Ahly's probable starting lineup: Mohamed El-Shennawi - Salif Coulibaly, Saad Samir, Ayman Ashraf, Ahmed Fathi - Amr El-Sulaya, Hossam Ashour - Walid Soliman, Islam Mohareb, Ahmed Hamoudi - Walid Azaro.

15:00 Alexandria's Borg El-Arab stadium has opened its gates as Ahly's fans arrive on time to attend the first leg of the CAF Champions League final against Tunisia's Esperance. More than 50,000 supporters are likely to attend the first leg in Alexandria, with Ahly fans dreaming of a record-extending ninth triumph and the first since 2013.

14:00 Apart from long-term absentees Junior Ajayi and Ali Maaloul, Ahly will have a fully-fit squad to choose from.

13:30 Ahly met Esperance twice in the group stage this year, drawing 0-0 at home and winning 1-0 in Rades.

11:30 Ahly, who host their North African rivals in the first leg at Alexandria's Borg El-Arab Stadium on Friday, are determined not to let another trophy slip out of their grasp following an agonising defeat by Morocco's Wydad Casablanca in last year's final.


Stay tuned as match is due to start at 21:00 Cairo time (GMT+2)


Venue: Borg El-Arab Stadium, Alexandria

Referee: Mehdi Abid Charef (Algeria)

Check the match preview here

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