Esperance Tunis vs Al Ahly SC Prediction 18.05.2024

• Competition: CAF Champions League - final 1st leg
• Date: Saturday, 18th, May 2024
• Kickoff: 20:00 UTC +1 / 21.00 CEST
• Venue: Stade Olympique Hammadi Agrebi (Rades)

The first of two legs in the final of the CAF Champions League will take place at Stade Hammadi Agrebi, with Esperance de Tunis hoping to get a favorable result against the record-breaking champions Al Ahly.

Esperance Tunis vs Al Ahly SC Betting Tips: UNDER 2.5

Ending a dry spell of three matches without a win, which included a painful elimination from the fourth round of the Tunisian Cup against second-tier side OC Kerkennah, was done in dramatic fashion as Miguel Cardosco's troops defeated Etoile Sahel in a five-goal thriller to come within touching distance of winning a record 33rd Ligue Professionnelle 1 crown.

As they edge closer to sealing the deal for the top-flight title, holding a comfortable five-point lead over nearest challenger Monastir with three rounds to go, Esperance de Tunis can now fully focus their efforts on Africa's most prestigious club competition, where they are desperate to end their five-year wait for lifting the CAF Champions League trophy.

En route to their eight appearance in the final, emerging as three-time winners of the tournament, the Blood and Gold have demonstrated incredible tenacity at the back, as their defense has been breached only once, which occured back in the group stage against Sudanese side Al Hilal Omdurman in a 1-3 away loss, while the other 11 continental outings have seen them remain unbeaten on goal.

Basking in the luxury of performing before their devoted fans in the opening leg of the final, Esperance de Tunis will harbor optimism regarding their prospects of clinching a favorable outcome, given that no visiting side has departed the Hammadi Agrebi Stadium with maximum spoils, with the Smiling One's backline remaining unbreached in all six of their CAF home fixtures - just four goals being produced in the process.

However, the Tunisian giant will be acutely aware of the magnitude of their opponent in the final, as they face none other than the record-winning tournament champions Al Ahly, boasting an staggering 13 CAF Champions League trophies, three of which came in the last four seasons, including last term when they defeated Wydad Casablanca 3-2 on aggregate.

As they open a fifth straight final of Africa's top club competition, the Red Devils from Cairo are bursting with confidence, having won five matches on the spin across all competitions, a winning run that included a 3-0 demolition of DR Congo's TP Mazembe in the semifinal showdown, maintaining an unblemished record in the tournament this edition (W8, D4).

Emulating the defensive excellence of their rivals in the final, the Egyptian behemoths have excelled at the back all tournament long, with the 1-1 stalemate against Young Africans in Group D's matchday two being the sole occasion Marcel Koller's squad did not maintain a shutout in 12 continental appearances, with eight of those games producing fewer than 2.5 goals.

Given that this is a high-stakes clash between two nearly impenetrable defenses, we anticipate a low-key affair where a goalless draw might even be on the cards, as neither team will want to take too many risks while searching for a breakthrough, yet Al Ahly SC, boasting a significantly richer pedigree, might just find a way to edge out a win by the narrowest of margins.