Ahly Vs Esperance. Photo courtesy of Ahly.
The Cairo giants had already lost 1-0 in the first leg in Tunisia, exiting the competition 4-2 on aggregate.
The loss marked Ahly’s first failure to reach the semi-finals since 2019, when they suffered a 5-1 aggregate defeat by South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns.
It is also Esperance’s first win over Ahly in Egypt in CAF Champions League meetings between the two sides.
This also marked Ahly’s first defeat in both legs of a knockout tie since 2014, when they lost 3-2 and 1-0 to Ahly Benghazi in the round of 16.
Mahmoud Trezeguet opened the scoring in the 10th minute to keep Ahly’s hopes of reaching the semi-finals alive.
Esperance improved in the second half, with Florian Danho equalising in the 68th minute and Mohamed Tougai putting them ahead from the penalty spot in the 78th.
Substitute Marwan Othman levelled six minutes from time, but defender Hamza Jelassi secured victory with a stoppage-time winner.
Ahly dominated the opening stages and created several chances.
Emam Ashour came close with a header in the fifth minute, while Yasser Ibrahim also threatened, but Esperance goalkeeper Bechir Ben Said produced a series of saves to keep the hosts at bay.
Trezeguet eventually broke the deadlock with a powerful close-range finish, and Ahly continued to press, with Ahmed Sayed “Zizo” and Marwan Attia both denied by Ben Said before the break.
Esperance improved after halftime and equalised in the 68th minute through Florian Danho, who struck from outside the area.
The visitors took the lead in the 78th minute when Mohamed Tougai converted a penalty after a foul inside the box.
Ahly coach Jess Thorup made attacking substitutions, introducing Marwan Othman and Hussein El Shahat in a bid to revive his side’s chances.
Othman briefly reignited Ahly’s hopes, heading home an equaliser in the 84th minute.
However, Esperance secured victory in stoppage time when defender Hamza Jelassi scored with a header, sealing a 3-2 win on the night and a place in the semi-finals.
Ahly joined fellow Egyptian side Pyramids FC, who were also eliminated in the quarter-finals after a 3-2 aggregate loss to Morocco’s AS FAR earlier on Saturday.
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