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His dream was realised in the 11th minute when a nervous Kabylie defence failed to clear a Hans Agbo free kick and Jean-Rene Eyoum grabbed his third CAF Cup goal with a rising left-foot shot from close range.

Tonnerre, appearing in their first CAF decider since losing the 1976 Cup Winners Cup final to Shooting Stars of Nigeria, looked threatening down the right flank with Liberian Robert Sesay and Agbo prominent.

And Kabylie goalkeeper Lounes Gaouaoui, an idle onlooker throughout the first leg, appeared ill at ease whenever the ball was lofted into his penalty area.

But Tonnerre lacked a clinical finisher and when Sesay did outpace two defenders to create a half-chance, he hurried his shot which finished well off target.

Kabylie improved as the first half progressed, forcing three corners and causing a few scares among a Tonnerre defence that looked much tighter with the return from suspension of Liberian Ben Teekloh.

The standard of play never scaled great heights due to poor playing conditions and constant stoppages for injuries to Algerians, some of which appeared genuine and others highly suspicious.

There was even less to excite the 30,000 crowd, which included Cameroon Prime Minister Peter Musonge, during the second half and fans began heading for home with 20 minutes left.

Musonge presented a trophy named after the late Nigerian politician Moshood Abiola to Kabylie captain Brahim Zafour and the club from the east Algerian town of Tizi-Ouzou will retain it permanently.

Apart from three CAF Cup titles, the Canaries won the African Champions Cup (now League) in 1981 and 1990 and the African Cup Winners Cup in 1995. Esperance of Tunisia are the only other club to win the three major CAF titles.