Egyptian news media trigger fiery campaign against Tunisia and CAF Confederation after Al Ahly's semi-final setback versus Espérance of Tunis

The Egyptian news media have embarked once again in a fiery and spiteful campaign against Tunisia and the CAF Confederation in the aftermath of the elimination on Sunday of Egypt's Al Ahly team by Espérance of Tunis in a semi-final second-leg qualifier as part of the African Champions League football competition.

• These Egyptian news outlets heavily lambasted the Ghanaian referee Joseph Lamptey for having validated a controversial goal for the benefit of Espérance of Tunis in the early minutes of the tempestuous semi-final fixture played on Sunday in Radès stadium.
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• Some fiery Egyptian sports commentators didn’t waver in asserting that the young Ghanaian referee had been “bribed” by the Tunisian side to allow Espérance of Tunis to win the match and to qualify for the final, as they lamely claimed.
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• They also accused the CAF Confederation of listing incompetent African referees for regional and continental football fixtures showing once again that they are “bad losers unable to accept defeat even if it is unpalatable”.
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• However, these spiteful Egyptian critics seem to forget that the referee is a human being and as everybody knows, all human beings are liable to make mistakes and this is the rule of the game in all sports including football.
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• Tunisia’s Esperance reached the African Champions League final for the first time in a decade after scoring a controversial goal to overcome the Egyptian squad of Al Ahly.
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• Esperance, whose 1-0 home win ensured victory on away goals in the two-legged semi-final, will face defending champions TP Mazembe Englebert of the Democratic Republic of Congo in the final.
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• Esperance’s goal came after just 50 seconds but was clearly punched into the net by their Nigerian striker Michael Eneramo, using his forearm to steer the ball goalward as he dived in at the back post.
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• But Ghanaian referee Joseph Lamptey surprisingly let it stand and Ahly’s frustration boiled over just 20 minutes later when Mohamed Barakat punched an opponent and was sent off.
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• The Cairo club were unable to conjure up a fightback and having held a 2-1 lead from an equally tempestuous first leg went out on the away goals rule.
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• Al-Ahly’s technical coach Hossam el-Badri said that his side didn’t deserve to lose against the Tunisian rivals, putting the blame on the referee.
• However, Esperance coach Faouzi Benzarti said his side’s progress to the final was a validation his young players’ ability. “We prepared a tactic of pressuring our opponent in front of their goal, and we got an early strike,” he said.
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•  “We had chances to score a second goal, but unfortunately they did not come. However, we prevented Ahly from playing their game, and, for that, I congratulate my young players on their efforts.”
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• Outgoing champions TP Mazembe will host the first leg of the African champions’ league final in Lubumbashi on October 31 with the return in Tunis on November 13.
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