Final welcome

Tunisia's Etoile Sahel and Nigeria's Enyimba reached the final of the African Champions League after winning their semi-finals in Tunisia. Nashwa Abdel- Tawab reports

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Both second legs of the semi-finals were played in Tunisia after Etoile Sahel beat Jeanne d'Arc of Senegal 3-0 and defending champions Enyimba edged Esperance of Tunisia on penalties after drawing 1-1 in regulation time.

The victory in Sousse on Sunday gave the Tunisian side a 4-2 aggregate win after they lost 2-1 in the first leg in Senegal.

Etoile opened the scoring early on with a goal in the fifth minute through Ivorian striker Kandia Traore. His Nigerian strike partner Emeka Opara doubled the lead just before half time. Traore then put the game out of Jeanne d'Arc's reach with another strike in the 76th minute.

Etoile, in their first ever Champions League final, will now face reigning champions Enyimba after the Nigerians beat Esperance, also of Tunisia 6-5 on penalties earlier on Sunday.

The game, at the Al-Menzah Stadium in Tunis, ended 1-1 to take the aggregate score to 2-2 with both sides having scored an away goal.

The win for the reigning champions, who defeated Ismaili of Egypt for the title last year, came when Benin international midfielder Muri Ogunbiyi converted his spot kick to edge the champions ahead in the penalty shootout.

Tunisian defender Zied Bhairi then blazed his spot kick over and the legendary "Blood and Gold" were eliminated.

The result was heartbreaking for Esperance, who also lost at the semi-finals stage of the competition in 2001 and last year after being runners-up in 1999 and 2000.

Few neutral observers gave Enyimba a chance after mediocre recent form, a lack of fire power in attack, and the refusal of consistent scorer Ndidi Anumnu to travel after being left out of the starting line-up.

Enyimba coach Okey Emordi boldly vowed to attack in North Africa and kept his promise, packing midfield with offensive players. And although they created few clearcut chances, they were unlucky to trail 1-0 at half-time.

In a rare slick move on a pitch badly cut up by rain, Jose Clayton, Issam Jomaa and Kamel Zaiem combined to set up striker Ali Zitouni, who sidefooted the ball past goalkeeper Victor Enyeama with 43 minutes gone on a cold, overcast afternoon.

Enyimba increased the pressure in the second half and deservedly levelled in the 60th minute when David Tyavkase turned, ran at retreating Tunisian defenders and scored with a low shot past Jean-Jacques Tizie into the corner of the net.

The Nigerians appeared more likely to break the deadlock until substitute Skander Souayah squandered a good chance for Esperance deep in stoppage time, hitting the side netting when unmarked inside the penalty area.

Emordi took off Nigeria first choice Enyeama three minutes into stoppage time, replacing him with Dele Aiyenugba, who saved spot kicks from Zied Triki and Zaiem while Souayah and Bhairi missed.

The first leg of the final will be in Tunisia on the weekend of the 4-5 December with the second leg in Nigeria on 12 December.

Enyimba are seeking to become only the second club after 1967 and 1968 winners Tout Puissant Englebert of the Democratic Republic of Congo to successfully defend the title.