Hearts Qualify for Championship League Finals

Ghanaian champions Hearts of Oak have booked their place in the final of this year's African Champions League after drawing 1-1 with El Ahly of Egypt in Cairo on Friday night.

Hearts last played in the final of the former version of the champions cup 21 years ago, losing to Cameroonian side, Union Douala after a penalty shoot-out.


Two years earlier, Hearts were losers for the first time to Guinea's Hafia FC, who won the trophy for the third time for keeps.


The Ghanaian side will be in search of their first African title when the Phobians play the winner of Group one in December. Hearts still have one match to play in group two against Jeanne d'Arc of Senegal on November 12.


The final will be played in two legs in the weekend of December 1 and on December 17 in Accra for the return match.


El Ahly's next match is against Lobi Stars of Nigeria in Makurdi, but the match will be academic as both sides are already eliminated.


Hearts of Oak are the only undefeated side since the start of the Champions League in August, however, their 100 percent record ended last night after the 1-1 draw. The Accra giants won all their previous matches in the group.

Playing under new German coach, Heinz Dobner, El Ahly were the first to concede a goal early in the match after Emmanuel Kuffour scored the opener for Hearts after 18 minutes.


It was a rare home draw for Ahly, who are due to approach Hearts striker Ishmael Addo for his signature after the departure of Hossam Hassan to arch-rivals, Zamalek in August.


Ibrahim Saeed equalised for the hosts five minutes before half-time, but the visitors held on after the interval to deny Ahly another goal, which would have kept them in the running before the last day.


Hearts have won the Ghanaian championship for the fourth consecutive season and are playing their third Champions League in a row.


At their first appearance, the Ghanaians missed out for a place in the final despite winning 1-0 in an away match in Harare against Dynamos, who lost to ASEC Mimosas in 1998.


The Phobians failed to make the same impact last year after drawing 0-0 with eventual champions Raja Casablanca in a crucial group match in Accra.

With group one still open, Hearts may have to wait until November 11 to know their opponents in the final.


This weekend though, Esperance of Tunisia play against Sable Batie of Cameroon in Yaounde tomorrow, hoping to win and catch up with Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa at the top of the group.


Sundowns clash with Ivorian side, Africa Sports next weekend, but the match has been postponed by CAF due to the political unrest in Ivory Coast.


Africa Sports are a point behind Sundowns, who need at least four points from their last two matches to qualify for the final.