The 2007 CAF Champions League final was the final of the 2007 CAF Champions League, the 43rd edition of Africa's premier club football tournament organized by the Confederation of African Football (CAF), and the 11th edition under the current CAF Champions League format.

The final was played between Étoile du Sahel from Tunisia and Al-Ahly from Egypt. After a goal-less first leg, EsS Sahel won the second leg 3–1 in Cairo to win their first African title . As a result, ES Sahel qualified to enter the quarterfinals of the 2007 FIFA Club World Cup as the CAF representative, as well as participate in the 2008 CAF Super Cup against the winner of the 2007 CAF Confederation Cup.

Qualified teams In the following table, finals until 1996 were in the African Cup of Champions Club era, since 1997 were in the CAF Champions League era.

TeamRegionPrevious finals appearances (bold indicates winners) Étoile du SahelUNAF (North Africa)2004, 2005 Al AhlyUNAF (North Africa)1982, 1983, 1987, 2001, 2005, 2006

Background Both teams had met in the same round in 2005 when the Egyptian team won (3-0) in Cairo. Al-Ahly were the defending champions, and also the most successful club in the African Champions Cup/CAF Champions League with Zamalek, reaching a total of six finals, winning five (1982, 1987, 2001, 2005, 2006) and losing one (1983). Étoile du Sahel reached the final twice but they lost against Enyimba in 2004 and against Al Ahly in 2005. Both teams qualified as winners of their groups.

Both teams qualified for the semifinals on the second-last matchday. In the semifinals Étoile du Sahel defeated the Sudanese side Al Hilal 3–2 on aggregate, losing the first leg in Omdurman (1-2), with the second leg ending in a win (3-1). Al Ahly faced Al Iittihad from Libya and draw the first leg (0-0) away from home. In need of a win in the second leg, Al Ahly were victorious 1–0 and reached the final to face Étoile du Sahel again after 2 years.

Venues

Stade Olympique de Sousse

Stade olympique de Sousse is a multi-purpose stadium in Sousse, Tunisia. It is used by the football team Étoile du Sahel, and was used for the 2004 African Cup of Nations. The stadium holds 28,000 people. It hosts within it the meetings played by the football team of the city: Étoile sportive du Sahel (ESS).

For many decades, Sousse footballers knew only the clay surfaces and knew the turf surfaces only when the stadium was inaugurated with an initial capacity of 10,000 places. It passes over the years to 15,000 seats and is then expanded again on the occasion of the 1994 African Cup of Nations with 6,000 additional seats to reach a capacity of 21,000 seats; A luminous panel is installed at the same time. The last expansion was carried out in 1999 to bring the capacity of the stadium to 28,000 seats for the 2001 Mediterranean Games, a reorganization of the gallery of honor was carried out, from a capacity of 70 to 217 places.

It hosted 1977 FIFA World Youth Championship, 1994 African Cup of Nations, 2001 Mediterranean Games and 2004 African Cup of Nations.

Cairo International Stadium

Cairo International Stadium, formerly known as Nasser Stadium, is an Olympic-standard, multi-use stadium with an all-seated capacity of 75,000. The architect of the stadium is the German Werner March, who had built from 1934 to 1936 the Olympic Stadium in Berlin. Before becoming an all seater stadium, it had the ability to hold over 100,000 spectators, reaching a record of 120,000. It is the foremost Olympic-standard facility befitting the role of Cairo, Egypt as the center of events in the region. It is also the 69th largest stadium in the world. Located in Nasr City; a suburb north east of Cairo, it was completed in 1960, and was inaugurated by President Gamal Abd El Nasser on 23 July that year, the eighth anniversary of the Egyptian Revolution of 1952. Zamalek SC currently use the Petro Sport Stadium for most of their home games and Al Ahly use Al Salam Stadium for most of their home games.

The Stadium is located about 10 km west of Cairo International Airport and about 10 km (30 min) from downtown Cairo.

In 2005, in preparation for the 2006 African Cup of Nations it underwent a major renovation, and was brought up to 21st century world standard along with all its multi-game Olympic facilities which did not enable the same two teams to play the 2005 final on this stadium.

Road to final

Étoile du SahelRound Al-AhlyOpponentAgg.1st leg2nd legQualifying roundsOpponentAgg.1st leg2nd leg Fello Star5–11–0 (A)4–1 (H)First round Highlanders2–00–0 (A)2–0 (H) Maranatha3–00–0 (A)3–0 (H)Second round Mamelodi Sundowns4–22–2 (A)2–0 (H)OpponentResultGroup stageOpponentResult FAR Rabat1–0 (A)Matchday 1 Al-Hilal2–0 (H) Al-Ittihad0–0 (H)Matchday 2 ASEC Mimosas1–0 (A) JS Kabylie3–0 (H)Matchday 3 Espérance de Tunis3–0 (H) JS Kabylie2–0 (A)Matchday 4 Espérance de Tunis0–1 (A) FAR Rabat0–0 (H)Matchday 5 Al-Hilal0–3 (A) Al-Ittihad0–2 (A)Matchday 6 ASEC Mimosas2–0 (H)Final standingsOpponentAgg.1st leg2nd legKnock-out stageOpponentAgg.1st leg2nd leg Al Hilal4–31–2 (A)3–1 (H)Semifinals Al Ittihad1–00–0 (A)1–0 (H)

Format The final was decided over two legs, with aggregate goals used to determine the winner. If the sides were level on aggregate after the second leg, the away goals rule would have been applied, and if still level, the tie would have proceeded directly to a penalty shootout (no extra time is played).Regulations of the CAF Champions League

Matches First leg

ES Sahel: GK 1 Aymen MathlouthiDF 13 Saber Ben Frej DF 4 Radhouene Felhi DF 6 Saïf Ghezal DF 10 Mehdi Meriah MF 19 Mohamed Ali NafkhaMF 24 Moussa NarryMF 25 Mouritala Ogunbiyi MF 5 Mejdi Traoui MF 14 Gilson SilvaFW 21 Amine Chermiti Substitutes:FW 16 Sadat Bukari DF 4 Hatem Bejaoui Manager: Bertrand MarchandAl Ahly: GK 1 Essam El Hadary DF 4 Emad El-NahhasDF 26 Wael GomaaDF 7 Shady MohamedDF 2 Islam El-Shater DF 25 Hossam AshourMF 17 Anis Boujelbene MF 5 Ahmad El-Sayed MF 8 Mohamed Barakat MF 22 Mohamed Aboutrika FW 23 Flávio Substitutes:MF 9 Emad Meteb FW 6 Ahmed Sedik MF 18 Osama Hosny Manager: Manuel José

Assistant referees: Efarist Mikwande (Cameroon) Zogo Ndang (Cameroon) Fourth official: Fathi Amina (Tunisia)

Second leg

Al Ahly: GK 1 Essam El HadaryDF 4 Emad El-Nahhas DF 7 Shady MohamedMF 5 Ahmad El-SayedDF 2 Islam El-Shater DF 12 Gilberto DF 25 Hossam AshourMF 17 Anis Boujelbene MF 22 Mohamed AboutrikaMF 9 Emad MetebFW 23 FlávioSubstitutes:MF 9 Hassan Mostafa FW 6 Mohamed Sedik MF 18 Ahmed Qenawi Manager: Manuel JoséES Sahel: GK 1 Aymen Mathlouthi DF 13 Saber Ben Frej DF 4 Radhouene Felhi DF 5 Ammar JemalDF 6 Hatem BejaouiMF 24 Moussa NarryDF 19 Mohamed Ali NafkhaMF 25 Mouritala Ogunbiyi MF 10 Afouène Gharbi MF 7 Gilson Silva FW 27 Amine ChermitiSubstitutes:FW 18 Mejdi Traoui MF 26 Bassem Ben Nasser MF 15 Mahmoud Khemiri Manager: Bertrand Marchand

Assistant referees: Ayoub Mohamed (Morocco) Radhouan Achik (Morocco) Fourth official: Walid Ibrahim (Egypt)

Notes and references

External links 2007 CAF Champions League - cafonline.com