On Saturday evening, Tunisian club Esperance qualified for the semi-finals of the African Champions League, after eliminating Ivorian club ASEC Mimosas on penalties, 4-2, after a goalless draw in the regular time of the match.
The two teams had tied in the first leg of the quarter-finals at Hammadi Al-Aqrabi Stadium with the same score, bringing Esperance closer yesterday after qualifying to be nominated to participate in the Club World Cup according to the new system of the International Federation of the Game.
Esperance joined Al-Ahly of Egypt In the semi-finals, Sun Downs will face South Africa, while the defending champion, the “Red Jersey”, will face the Congolese Mazembe team, which yesterday defeated Angola’s Petro Atletico, 2-1, at the latter’s home, after the two teams tied negatively in the first leg.
Esperance had reached the quarter-finals of the tournament, after coming in second place in its third group with 11 points, behind Angola’s Pietro Atlético, as it won 3 matches, tied in 2 matches, and suffered one defeat.
“This is our history”
Esperance owes its qualification to the semi-finals yesterday to its goalkeeper Aman Allah Mamish, who shone during the penalty shootout and managed to block two kicks from the opposing team.
Portuguese coach Miguel Cardoso, Esperance coach, had urged his players to win before the match, and said in a press conference preceding the match: “We will play to win, because this is our history, our tradition, our commitment and our desire.”
Cardoso added: “I believe that the team that plays to win will ultimately be able to achieve a positive result.”
The Egyptian Al-Ahly team, the defending champion, had also qualified for the semi-finals of the tournament by defeating its guest, Simba of Tanzania, with two unanswered goals, on Friday evening, at Cairo International Stadium, in the second leg of the quarter-finals of the tournament.
Al-Ahly confirmed its superiority over its competitor, having previously won the first leg It was held a week ago At Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam, with a goal without a response, qualifying with the result of the two-legged matches (3-0).
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