Al Ahly the 40-time Egyptian league winner enters this Friday night final against Esperance Sportive de Tunis on a run of 24 unbeaten home games in the CAF Champions League.

The last team to escape with a victory in Cairo was ASEC Mimosas of Côte d'Ivoire with a 2-1 win in the group stage game in June 2016.

Goalkeeper Mohammed El Shenawy has kept five clean sheets in six outings at the Borg el Arab Stadium this season in the African club's elite tournament, but conceded three goals in the 4-3 win over  Ugandan outfit KCCA in their last group stage game.
                     

Despite this good defensive record, Patrice Carteron's side also enjoy scoring in front of their supporters, with 17 goals netted at home this season.

The two contenders have met 14 times since July 2007. Al Alhy leads their head-to-head meetings with seven wins against Esperance's three and they have shared points on four occasions. All the draw games have occured in Egypt.

Both teams were pooled together in the group stage of the competition this year. A goalless draw occured in Cairo before Walid Azarou goal helped the Egyptians snatch a 1-0 away victory in Tunis.

Al Alhy is yet to lose at home against its opponents meanwhile Esperance just have one defeat in their last five trips to Cairo, a 2-1 loss in October 2010.

The Tunisians also enjoy a pretty good record away from home in this year competition. In fact, Pedro Luvumbo's winner for Angolan Primeiro de Agosto in Esperance's 1-0 away loss in the semi-final is the only goal conceded by the 28-time Tunisian champions in seven games on the road.

It means they have lost once in eleven away encounters in continental championship since March 2017.

Coach Moin Chabani who was appointed just three weeks ago will certainly rely on Anice Badri top scorer of the competition with seven goals.
                                                                 

This two-legged tie is also the reprise of the 2012 final, where Esperance registered an encouraging 1-1 draw before losing 1-2 at the Rades Olympic stadium and thereby giving the Egyptian giants their eighth Champions League title.

Al Alhy will certain hope for a favourable result than last year 1-2 aggregate loss to Moroccan Wydad de Casablanca.

The winner of this year final will be Africa's club representative at the FIFA Club World Cup in the United Arab Emirates.

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