20101018
africanews

Tunisian champions Esperance Sportive de Tunis will play holders TP Mazembe of DR Congo in the final of this year's CAF Champions League after beating Egyptian giants Al Ahly 1-0 in Tunis on Sunday night. Nigerian striker Michael Eneramo had the match winner with a controversial hand ball goal.

The Blood and Gold went through the finals on the away goal rule with the aggregate scores level at 2-2.

Esperance's goal came after just 50 seconds but was clearly punched into the net by their Nigerian striker Eneramo, using his forearm to steer the ball goalward as he dived in at the back post.

But Ghanaian referee Joseph Lamptey surprisingly let it stand and Ahly's frustration boiled over just 20 minutes later when Mohamed Barakat punched an opponent and was sent off.

The Cairo club were unable to conjure up a fightback and having held a 2-1 lead from an equally tempestuous first leg.

The Congolese sealed their place in the final on Saturday after holding JS Kabylie of Algeria to a goalless draw in Tizi Ouzou.

The Algerians were seeking to overturn the 3-1 deficit in the semi-final, second leg clash but the visitors were resolute.

Kabylie's hopes of winning the game suffered a blow when Billel Naili was given his marching orders on the hour mark.

But Mazembe failed to make their numerical advantage count, indeed the 10 men of JS Kabylie looked the likelier to score.

Two-time champions Mazembe defended strongly late in the game to reach their fifth final in the continent flagship club competition. Mazembe won the Champions League in 1967 and 1968 and finished runners-up in 1969 and 1970.

This year's Champions League final will take place on the weekend of 12-14 November. The winners will pocket prize money of US$1.5m and will also qualify to represent Africa at the 2010 Club World Cup in the United Arab Emirates in December.