Esperance Tunis 1-0 Al Ahly (CAF Champions League Round of 16 First Leg)
Esperance Tunis secured a crucial victory over Egypt's Al Ahly with a 1-0 scoreline in the first leg of the Champions League Round of 16.
This marks Esperance's first win against Al Ahly in 8 years, specifically in the 2018 Champions League final return leg when the Tunisian side won 3-1 and claimed the title.
It is also Esperance's first goal against Al Ahly since that 2018 final, ending a streak of 6 consecutive goalless matches against the Reds.
Mohamed Amin Tougai scored the match's only goal in the 73rd minute from a penalty awarded after a VAR review for a handball by Al Ahly's right-back Mohamed Hany. Al Ahly players protested vehemently for several minutes before the kick was taken.
Al Ahly dominated most of the first half and were the better attacking side, with chances denied by Esperance's keeper.
In the 11th minute, Esperance's first chance came as Florian Danho shot from inside the box, but Al Ahly keeper Mostafa Shobeir saved brilliantly.
Mahmoud Hassan (Trezeguet) shot in the 21st minute, saved by Esperance keeper Bechir Ben Said and turned into a corner.
Shobeir shone, saving a clear chance for Esperance in first-half stoppage time from Danho's close-range shot.
Ben Said denied Al Ahly twice in under two minutes: blocking Ashraf Bencharki's shot in the 62nd, then saving a header from Imam Ashour.
Yan Sasse wasted another Esperance chance in the 80th, shooting over from close range.
Al Ahly intensified attacks late for an equalizer; substitute Hussein El Shahat shot from inside the box in the 88th, but it hit the outside netting.
The return leg will be at Cairo International Stadium next Saturday without fans, per CAF sanctions: Al Ahly banned from two home games and fined $60,000 for crowd incidents against Morocco's Royal Army in the group stage finale.
