Reigning champions Al Ahly progressed to the final of the CAF Champions League with a 3-0 aggregate win over TP Mazembe in the semi-finals.
Unlike the first-leg, Ahly gave Bafana Bafana international Percy Tau a start before Mazembe welcomed back Boaz Ngalamulume for Augustine Oladapo and Oscar Kabwe ahead of Philip Kanzumbi.
The host came close to taking the lead when Ali Maaloul cut in from the left and crossed for Ahmed Kader to get a shot in, but Alioune Faty parried before seeing the follow-up cleared off the line.
Ahly continued to pile on the pressure and a surging run to the near side from Tau urged the Ravens to track back in numbers to thwart the South African-born.
The Ravens started to exert themselves on the host who maintained a very tight defensive shape and denied the visitors moments to get runs in and penetrate.
Both teams enjoyed a fair share of chances late in the half though lacked the killer instinct to rattle the back of the net and kept matters level.
It was a fiery opening to the second half and saw the Ravens denied when a floated corner towards the back-post culminated in a goal-line clearance.
Mazembe did go ahead ten minutes from the break after Joel Beya rose in unmarked to head in a floated ball, but after a pitch-side review- the effort didn’t stand and was ruled out for offside.
The reigning champions changed matters on the field and introduced Amr Al-Sulaya in the place of Emam Ashour, with the Congolese giants staying unchanged.
Ahly made the breakthrough midway through the second half when Mohamed Abdelmonem charged in at the near post to nod in Maaloul’s corner.
The host were in firm control at this point and with ten minutes to go, doubled the lead through a fine finish from the area by Wessam Abou Ali following a delightful cross.
Mazembe didn’t stage any comeback following the closing stages, as the host added a third in a lengthy stoppage time when Akram Tawfik ran in on the far side to find the far corner.
The win assured Ahly a spot in the final once again and on course to defend the title for a second year running.
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