AL AHLY CROWNED AFRICAN CHAMPIONS

A mesmerizing Al Ahly side defied the odds to win a record-extending seventh Champions League title after beating Tunisia's Esperance 2-1 in Tunis for a 3-2 aggregate victory on Saturday.

Defending champions Esperance were deemed favourites to retain their title after holding Ahly to a 1-1 draw in Alexandria two weeks ago but they outplayed by the ruthless Cairo giants.

Forward Mohamed 'Gedo' Nagy, who enjoyed a new lease of life under coach Hossam El-Badry, gave Ahly a deserved lead two minutes before the break with a neat finish after some fine individual work from deep-lying forward El-Sayed Hamdi.

A superb piece of skill saw Walid Soliman extend the gap just past the hour mark, silencing around 35,000 fans at Rades Stadium and leaving Esperance with an uphill climb as they needed three goals to overturn the deficit.

Esperance's Cameroonian striker Yannick N'Djeng pulled one back with five minutes remaining but it was too little, too late.

The visitors could have added a third in the dying minutes but substitute Mohamed Abou-Treika had a penalty saved by Esperance keeper Moez Ben Cherifia.