African Champions League final - as it happened

All the action as it happened as Al Ahly draw 1-1 with Esperance in the African Champions League semi-final first leg.

4 November 2012 Last updated at 19:10 GMT

As it happened

1630:

All set for the biggest club match in African football? Between them Al Ahly and Esperance have lifted the Champions League trophy eight times. So there is some serious pedigree here.
Esperance are in the final for the third consecutive year and are aiming to defend the title they won last year, while Ahly are making their first appearance in the final since 2008.
It has all the makings of a classic. But who will have the advantage after this first leg?
1635:

With home advantage, Egyptian giants Ahly will want to make a strong start - and for the first time in over nine months they will be backed by their fans, who have been allowed to attend a match for the first time since the Port Said disaster.
About 20,000 supporters have been permitted in to see the game in Alexandria. It's only the second match in Egypt that fans have been allowed in to see since more than 70 supporters that lost their lives during violent clashes at Al Ahly's match with Al Masry in February.
1640:

Some of the more fanatical Ahly supporters, known as Ultras, said on their Facebook page that they will not return to watch their team until they feel justice has been served with respect to the fans that died in Port Said in February. But other Ahly fans have turned up today to cheer their team on.
Ahly official Mahmoud Allam confirmed before the match that the club had arranged for the families of the Port Said victims to be at the game.
The area where the Ultras usually stand is displaying pictures of those who lost their lives in February.
1645:

Tunisia's Esperance go into the game aiming to achieve back-to-back success. But they will have to compensate for the loss of star player Youssef Msakni, who was ruled out of the game after suffering from appendicits and undergoing surgery.
Coach Nabil Maaloul knows the size of the task his side faces in Egypt but is confident they can pull off a result that puts them in a good position for the return leg at the Rades Stadium in Tunis on 17 November.
"We have managed to get good results in Egypt and I hope that will be the case again this time round," he said.
1655:

Only five minutes to go before kick off. What are your predictions?
1658:

Line-ups:
Al Ahly: Sheriff Ekramy, Sherif Abdul-Fadil, Wael Gomaa, Walid Soliman, Mohamed Nagy 'Gedo', Hossam Ghaly, Abdullah Saeed, Mohammed Aboutrika, Mohamed Naguib, Ahmed Fathi, Hossam Ashour
Esperance: Moez Ben Chrifia, Houcine Ragued, Khalil Chammem, Karim Aouadhi, Yannick N'djeng, Sameh Derbali, Wajdi Bouazzi, Khaled Mouelhi, Mohamed Ben Mansour, Harisson Afful, Walid Hichri.
1700:

A minute's silence is held to show respect for those who lost their lives in the Port Said tragedy. The game kicks off.
1711:

Ahly have made a good start to the match. Abdullah Saeed sends an early long-range effort over the bar before Gedo comes close to getting on the end of a pass, but Moez Ben Chrifia races out to smother the ball and snuff out the danger.
1714:

The lively Gedo is involved again and his low effort whistles past the upright - another warning for Esperance who have yet to settle into their rhythm.
1716:

YELLOW CARD
Esperance are struggling to get a grip of the game at the moment and Karim Aouadhi is cautioned for a high challenge on Ahly's Hossam Ashour.
1717:

YELLOW CARD
A busy couple of minutes for the referee, who is forced to dip into this pocket again, this time to book Sameh Derbali for his tackle on Walid Soliman. It's a costly caution for Derbali as it ruled him out of the return leg. Esperance could pay a high price for a physical approach at this rate.
1723:

GREAT SAVE!
Ben Cherifia is called on again to keep out a fierce strike by Saeed. It's all Ahly right now.
1728:

Esperance have tightened up now, denying Ahly the time and space to operate as freely as they had been. The hosts remain on top but are finding chances harder to come by.
1732:

For the third time in the match, Esperance stopper Chrifia is forced to make an intervention, this time coming out to stop Walid Soliman. How long can the visitors live this dangerously?
1734:

YELLOW CARD
The third booking of the match goes to Ahly's Ahmed Fathi, who brings down Wajdi Bouazzi. It's competitive out there, as you would expect.
1736:

Saeed stings the hands of Chrifia yet again. The Esperance keeper is having a good game - and he needs to because his side are being dominated.
1738:

In the crowd, some fans are wearing black shirts to mourn the victims of the Port Said tragedy.
1741:

CLOSE!
The best chance of the game so far goes begging. From an unmarked position inside the area, Mohamed Aboutrika smashes the ball high of the goal. Will Ahly come to rue that miss, and will it stir Esperance into life?
1743:

How many times can Chrifia save Esperance? The inspired keeper rushes out to deny Gedo, who was about to latch on to a throughball.
1747:

Ahly are pressing through Gedo, Aboutrika and Soliman. But they are still unable to get through the Esperance ranks. Apart from the great chance that fell to Aboutrika, most of their play has been long-range. Credit to Esperance for standing strong - even if they have had to rely on Chrifia on a number of occasions.
1750:

YELLOW CARD
Yet another booking, right on half-time, as Khalil Chammem is penalised for kicking the ball at Soliman while the player was on the ground.
1751:

HALF-TIME
So it's goalless and Esperance have been able to keep Ahly out, with some not inconsiderable help from their goalkeeper. A 0-0 draw would be a good result for the Tunisians to take back to their home ground. Ahly will be disappointed not to have made their superiority tell in the first half.
1757:

Sentayehu Demisse on the BBCAfrica Facebook page has made a prediction of Al Ahly 2-1 Esperance - anyone else got a prediction?
1800:

Some stats that back up the dominance of Ahly in that first half. The hosts won the corners count 3-0, had five shots on target compared to only one from Esperance and also had seven shots off target, while Esperance managed none.
1810:

KICK-OFF
Esperance get the second half up and running.
1814:

GOAL- AL AHLY 0-1 ESEPERANCE
Walid Hichri rises highest at the near post to direct a corner from captain Chammem beyond Sheriff Ekramy. It is a strike that comes against the run of play in the match and is a vital away goal for Esperance.
1817:

How will Ahly respond to that? The hosts have been on top all game, yet they find themselves behind now.
1820:

GREAT SAVE!
Saeed fires in another shot as Ahly press for the equaliser. But Ahly's best player of the match is again frustrated as Esperance keeper Chrifia gets down low to his near post to palm the ball away.
1823:

GREAT SAVE!
And again Chrifia comes to the rescue! He is having the game of his lfe. This time he beats away a venomous long-range drive from Gedo.
1825:

SUBSTITUTION
Ahly know they need to change things up now. And they are bringing on Mohamed Barakat - a former BBC African player of the Year - for captain Hossam Ghaly.
1825:

Ahly on the attack again and this time Saeed lets fly with a shot from distance. It's easy for Chrifia. Ahly really need to get in behind Esperance. At the moment they are limited to long-range shots and the visitors look fairly comfortable.
1829:

Robert Malit on BBCAfrica Facebook: Now that Esperance are leading it's going to be hell for Ahly to win this. I think they will pull one back for a draw but don't ever put anything beyond Ahly.
1830:

CLOSE!
Esperance relieve the pressure on themselves by getting into Ahly territory and forcing a corner. And they almost pull off a repeat of their goal, but this time Yannick N'djeng heads inches wide of the post.
1832:

Now it's back to defending for Esperance and they pull 10 men back behind the ball, with only N'djeng left up front. Ahly have a lot of work to do to penetrate their opponents.
1834:

Ahly win a free-kick 25 yards out but Saeed's delivery is headed wide.
1836:

Only 20 minutes to go and Ahly are pushing for a goal to level the score. But they aren't creating any clear-cut chances and Esperance are edging closer to taking an excellent result with them to defend in Tunisia in two weeks' time.
1839:

GREAT SAVE!
Unbelieve save from Chrifia. Somehow he manages to keep out a point-blank effort from Aboutrika who had stabbed the ball goalwards from Soliman's low cross.
1842:

Chrifia has been capped only once by Tunisia. On this display, the 21-year-old is set to win many, many more caps! It has been a sensational performance between the sticks from the young man.
1844:

Ahly players looking tense now. And the 19,500 home fans in the stadium must be feeling nervous, too. In contrast, there are 500 visiting supporters who can barely believe that their team is 1-0 up.
1848:

This is not good. It looks like some objects have been thrown on the pitch and security officers have moved towards the Ahly fans, forming a guard on running track that surrounds the playing area.
1849:

Soliman sends a low shot wide of the far post. He turns and holds his head in his hands in frustration. Time is running out for Ahly in this first leg of the final.
1851:

The hosts win a free-kick right on the edge of the penalty area. But Saeed floats the set-piece straight through to the grateful arms of Chrifia. A poor effort from Ahly.
1854:

GOAL- AL AHLY 1-1 ESPERANCE
Ahmed Fathi plays the ball through to substitute El Sayed Hamdy, who arows a low shot past the helpless Chrifia from inside the box. That could prove to be a crucial strike - and it has been a long time coming!
1856:

We're into injury time now and Ahly waste a corner, sending it too long.
FULL-TIME- AL AHLY 1-1 ESPERANCE
It ends all square in Alexandria. While Ahly will be relieved to have pulled it back late on, overall Esperance must be happy with a draw and the away goal. Lots to play for in two weeks' time in Tunisia.
1904:

So, it remains finely balanced in the African Champions League final after the first leg ends in stalemate. But Esperance do have the advantage of an away goal.
Who will triumph?
Make a date in your diary to log on to the BBC African football pages on 17 November and join us for another live text commentary to find out!
Until then, take care.