AFRICAN Champions League "inseparables" Esperance of Tunisia and Wydad Casablanca of Morocco meet again tomorrow, and this time there has to be a winner.
A win for Wydad or a score draw in the second leg of the final and the Moroccans raise the trophy, pocket $1,5million (R11,8million) and secure a place in the Fifa Club World Cup in Japan next month.
Victory for the Tunisians and they take the spoils, while a repeat of the goalless first leg in Casablanca last Sunday and the biggest club fixture on the continent goes down to a penalty shootout.
Each club won the competition once in the 1990s when it was called the African Champions Cup and Esperance have lost three finals since, including a humiliating 6-1 thrashing last year from Democratic Republic of Congo outfit TP Mazembe.
Neither team has a proud record in Confederation of African Football finals with Esperance winning four of eight for a 50percent success rate and Wyad only two of five for a 40percent rate.
The first leg followed a predictable pattern until the closing stages with a Wydad team encouraged by a 70000-strong crowd at the Mohammed V Stadium controlling possession and creating a few scoring chances.
Defender Yassine Rami and Congo Brazzaville-born sharp-shooter Fabrice Ondama went closest for the "Red and Whites", while goalkeeper Moez Ben Cherifia produced several spectacular saves for Tunisia's "Blood and Gold". Esperance coach Nabil Maaloul has proved a master tactician during the campaign and his second-half introduction of offensive midfielder Oussama Darragi had a significant impact.
Club captain Darragi created space and fellow midfielders Mejdi Traoui and Khaled Mouelhi were not far off target as the visitors sought the away victory that would have virtually guaranteed them becoming African champions a second time.
"My players are determined to win the Champions League this year and engrave their names in Tunisian football history. This is a very special match for a club that has been chasing this trophy for a long time," stressed 49-year-old Maaloul.
Wydad handler Michel Decastel is Swiss, six years older than Maaloul, greyer around the temples and spent a season with Esperance in a coaching career that has taken him to several African countries. He remains optimistic that Wydad can emulate neighbours Raja Casablanca, who were held 0-0 by Esperance in the 1999 final only to force a similar result on the road and win 4-3 on penalties.
Champs League final nail-biter
AFRICAN Champions League "inseparables" Esperance of Tunisia and Wydad Casablanca of Morocco meet again tomorrow, and this time there has to be a winner.
A win for Wydad or a score draw in the second leg of the final and the Moroccans raise the trophy, pocket $1,5million (R11,8million) and secure a place in the Fifa Club World Cup in Japan next month.
Victory for the Tunisians and they take the spoils, while a repeat of the goalless first leg in Casablanca last Sunday and the biggest club fixture on the continent goes down to a penalty shootout.
Each club won the competition once in the 1990s when it was called the African Champions Cup and Esperance have lost three finals since, including a humiliating 6-1 thrashing last year from Democratic Republic of Congo outfit TP Mazembe.
Neither team has a proud record in Confederation of African Football finals with Esperance winning four of eight for a 50percent success rate and Wyad only two of five for a 40percent rate.
The first leg followed a predictable pattern until the closing stages with a Wydad team encouraged by a 70000-strong crowd at the Mohammed V Stadium controlling possession and creating a few scoring chances.
Defender Yassine Rami and Congo Brazzaville-born sharp-shooter Fabrice Ondama went closest for the "Red and Whites", while goalkeeper Moez Ben Cherifia produced several spectacular saves for Tunisia's "Blood and Gold". Esperance coach Nabil Maaloul has proved a master tactician during the campaign and his second-half introduction of offensive midfielder Oussama Darragi had a significant impact.
Club captain Darragi created space and fellow midfielders Mejdi Traoui and Khaled Mouelhi were not far off target as the visitors sought the away victory that would have virtually guaranteed them becoming African champions a second time.
"My players are determined to win the Champions League this year and engrave their names in Tunisian football history. This is a very special match for a club that has been chasing this trophy for a long time," stressed 49-year-old Maaloul.
Wydad handler Michel Decastel is Swiss, six years older than Maaloul, greyer around the temples and spent a season with Esperance in a coaching career that has taken him to several African countries. He remains optimistic that Wydad can emulate neighbours Raja Casablanca, who were held 0-0 by Esperance in the 1999 final only to force a similar result on the road and win 4-3 on penalties.
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