CAF Champions League champions Al Ahli of Egypt (above pictured in the first leg in Tripoli) are celebrating their third successive qualification to the final of the competition where they will meet Etoile Sahel of Tunisia after they were made to sweat to get through by beating Libya’s Al-Ittihad by an auto-goal, 1-0.

Al Ahli edged past Al-Ittihad who had held them to a scoreless draw in the first leg, with an own goal scored by the Libyans’ defender, Hesham Shaban who headed into his own net as he tried to cut a cross by Angolan international Gilberto after 20 minutes.

So Al-Ittihad’s run in Africa’s most pretigious competition has come to an end. But once again they had the chance to prove one and for all that have become worthy opponents and that defeat was far from humiliating. They in fact have shown that they have reached a stage where they can easily be considered as one of the best sides in Africa.

AL-Ittihad can certainly claim that they are at least one of the best four teams, particularly after their two matches against title favourites Al-Ahli and their group matches against the other finalists, Etoile Sahel. They managed to get four points off the Tunisia’s in an away draw and a home win.

The only real disappointment in the second leg in Cairo was the sending off three minutes from time of substitute Pierre Coulibaly. He was dismissed for an off the ball incident, the result of frustration more than anything else.

However, it came at a time when Ittihad needed all their resources as they were all out searching for the equaliser.

Al Ahli, spurred on by the home crowd at the National Stadium, started well and calling on their greater experience tried to unsettle Ittihad. Though they took the game to Ittihad, they did not succeed that much and it looked odds on they were going to have a tough time and would have to work hard for victory.

The 20th minute own goal by Shaban who beat his own goalkeeper as he was under pressure from E mad Moteab, in the end proved make all the difference.

However, the goal seemed to clip the wings off Ittihad and as nearing half time Al Ahli came very near to scoring a second goal. This time they were denied by a fine save from goalkeeper Samir Aboud when he flew across goal to turn a Flavio effort to corner.

Al Ahli seemed determined to take all the advantage of a home team and once again controlled midfield in the second half. They saw more of the ball but failed to bank on a couple more scoring opportunities.

They missed a good chance on the hour mark when Flavio shot wide after Gilberto put him through with a perfect cross, but otherwise the Ittihad goalkeeper was not tested again.

Towards the end Al-Ittihad pushed the Egyptians back but failed to get the goal that they so desperately needed to level and go through themselves on the away goals rule.

Etoile Sahel will host the first leg of the final on the weekend of 26-28 October and the return leg in Cairo will take place on 9-11 November.