JOHANNESBURG: Title-holders Al Ahly of Egypt and long-time rivals Esperance of Tunisia will meet in the two-leg CAF Champions League final during May.

Ahly overpowered TP Mazembe from the Democratic Republic of Congo 3-0 in Cairo to win a semifinal by the same score on aggregate after a goalless first leg last Saturday.

Esperance soaked up constant pressure from Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa in Pretoria before snatching a 1-0 win to advance 2-0 overall after also winning 1-0 at home.

Mohamed Abdelmonem, Wessam Abou Ali and Akram Tawfik scored in the second half for Ahly, who are seeking a record-extending 12th victory in the premier African club competition.

Raed Bouchniba came off the bench to score 12 minutes into the second half against Sundowns in a match that lasted 190 minutes after a storm halted play midway through the opening half.

It will be the third time Ahly and Esperance face each other in the final of the Champions League with the Egyptians winning in 2012 and the Tunisians succeeding in 2018.

They also clashed in the semifinals last season with Ahly winning home and away for a 4-0 aggregate triumph.

Both clubs have booked final places after 11 clean sheets in 12 qualifying, group and knockout matches.

Esperance, seeking a fifth Champions League title, will host the first leg in Rades on the outskirts of Tunis on May 18 with the return match in Cairo seven days later.

Sundowns had their chances against Esperance with Peter Shalulile and Aubrey Modiba hitting the woodwork and Namibia captain Shalulile coming close several times.

But the first time Esperance threatened to score they did so as a counterattack ended with Bouchniba racing into the area and firing across goalkeeper Ronwen Williams into the far corner.

Since their lone Champions League title in 2016, Sundowns have reached the semifinals three times and lost on each occasion to north African opponents.

In Cairo, Joel Beya had a goal for Mazembe early in the second half disallowed before a powerful header from Abdelmonem off a corner broke the deadlock on 68 minutes.

A superb cross from veteran Tunisia defender Ali Maaloul was fired into the net by Abou Ali on 83 minutes for his first goal of the African campaign.

Tawfik struck 12 minutes into added time by racing through and slamming the ball across Senegalese goalkeeper Alioune Faty into the far corner.
 

KOLKATA: Jonny Bairstow smashed a “ballistic” unbeaten century as Punjab Kings recorded the highest successful run chase in Twenty20 cricket with an eight-wicket thrashing of Kolkata Knight Riders in the Indian Premier League on Friday.
The England star clobbered nine sixes and eight fours in his 48-ball 108 to help Punjab overhaul Kolkata’s 261-6 with eight balls to spare in hot and humid conditions at the Eden Gardens.
“We got off to a good start and that was key. They got off to a flier themselves so we knew we had to go ballistic in the powerplay,” said Bairstow, named player of the match.
“When you’ve to chase 200-plus you’ve to take risks in the powerplay. Try and whack it as hard as possible.”
Shashank Singh also impressed with the bat, making 68 not out off 28 balls with eight sixes and two fours.
The previous highest run chase in T20 history was scripted by South Africa who overhauled 258-5 made by the West Indies in 2023.
“Shashank has done it all season, a lovely guy and special player. To have someone like him coming in and do that is unbelievable,” added Bairstow.
The match also saw the batsmen club 42 sixes — the most ever hit in a T20 game.
“Cricket has turned to baseball hasn’t it?” said Punjab captain Sam Curran.
“Guys can hit balls for long periods of time, the coaches, training, the dew, dot balls become wide after reviews and you get the extra ball. Stats are going out of the window.”
He added: “Really pleased for Jonny, he’s been on tour for a long time and was eager to score. Shashank, he was promoted to number four, he’s been our find of the season.”
Kolkata skipper Shreyas Iyer said his team will learn from the defeat.
“Both teams played tremendously. You have to go back to the drawing board and see where you went wrong,” said Iyer.
“Not defending hurts but it’s a great lesson for the players.”
Punjab registered only their third win from nine games and moved to eighth spot in the 10-team competition.
Kolkata, with five wins from eight games, remain in second place.
“From the dugout, I was watching the wicket. I felt the ball was coming on with good bounce,’ said Shashank.
“This match, the way Jonny batted was a huge positive. It was a great learning for me, we still have five more matches to go.”
Opening the Punjab innings, Bairstow put on 93 runs with impact sub Prabhsimran Singh (54) and another 85 runs with South Africa’s Rilee Rossouw (26).
Prabhsimran was run out by a direct throw from Sunil Narine who also chipped in with the wicket of Rossouw in the 13th over.
Despite the two dismissals, Shashank continued to unleash big shots, making sure Punjab did not lose their nerve while chasing the big total.
Earlier, Kolkata got off to a blistering start with Phil Salt and Narine sharing 138 runs off just 69 balls for the first wicket after being put in to bat.
Narine, dropped on 16, hammered four sixes and nine fours in his 32-ball 71 before holing out to Bairstow off leg spinner Rahul Chahar.
England’s Curran dismissed Salt who hit a 37-ball 75 studded with six sixes and six fours after being dropped twice by sloppy Punjab fielders.
Venkatesh Iyer chipped in with a cameo 39-run knock as Kolkata posted the highest IPL total ever at the Eden Gardens.