There’s a certain egalitarianism to championships that depend on just one game: On the condition that some semblance of equality exists between the two teams, like the underdog having just as much chance of winning as the favorite, making the game intriguing because of its unpredictability.
Such question marks do not usually hover over a season-long tournament. Over the long haul, the team which ultimately finishes first is the one with the best players, or at least the best chemistry and the deepest reserve bench to offset injuries and suspensions. They have the stamina to persevere day in day out, are the most emotionally capable of shaking off losses, and have players that perform at a high level consistently.
A schedule of, for example, 30 games, produces not just the winner but the team that deserves to win. But anybody can win a one-game, one-off playoff. A lucky bounce of the ball, a play missed by the referee or a momentary lapse of concentration – and it’s goodbye, good night, lights out.
So in Sunday’s 15th African Super Cup, Al-Ahly of Egypt could win and so too can Tunisia’s Etoile Sahel. Al-Ahly could win because they are the champions of the African Champions League, third in the World Club Championship in Japan and the 26th best club in the world.
But Etoile could win because they are the winners of the Confederation Cup, adding to previous success in the African Cup Winners Cup in 1997 and 2003 and the CAF Cup in 1995 and 1999.
If being better was to determine tomorrow’s Super Cup outcome, then Al-Ahly are the super men. They have won five African Champions League titles and Etoile not one. But Etoile were losing finalists in 2004 and 2005. Because the Super Cup is composed of teams which have won their respective leagues, the Champions League is more challenging and its winner a better football team than the holder of the Confederation Cup, which is made up of a motley crew of national cup winners, third-placed league teams and third-round losers from the Champions League.
But like we said, anything can happen in one game.
Motivation will not give any team the edge, but both have plenty of incentive. Al-Ahly would love to win the cup for the third time to equal the number of times it has been captured by Egyptian rival Zamalek. And Al-Ahly, currently celebrating their 100th anniversary, would love to add to their 98 football trophies with two more pieces of silverware, let’s say the African Super Cup and the domestic league which they lead by 11 points with just nine games to play. ‘One hundred titles in 100 years’ does sound catchy enough to be the title of a hit song.
Etoile have never won the African Super Cup, but what really upsets them is the 2005 African Champions League final with Al-Ahly. They tied 0-0 in Sousse before Al-Ahly ran Etoile ragged in Cairo 3-0. A win for Etoile tomorrow would help heal old wounds.
Al-Ahly is also the worst nightmare of another Tunisian outfit, CS Sfaxien, specifically in the Champions League final in December. Sfaxien were considered champions after forcing a 1-1 away draw in the first leg against Al-Ahly but Al-Ahly’s Mohamed Aboutrika’s sizzler snatched the now famous stoppage-time winner. Like any red-blooded compatriot, Etoile are out to avenge Sfaxien’s stunning failure.
Etoile might just pull it off, if only because Al-Ahly has been forced to concede home advantage. The match will be played in Addis Ababa, a break with the tradition of allowing the African Champions League winners to host the annual match against the Confederation Cup winners. The African Football Federation wants the Super Cup to form part of its 50th anniversary celebrations in Ethiopia, one of the four founder members of the organization.
Guess all you want but nothing is certain about tomorrow’s clash except its uncertainty.
