Hearts crowned African champions after chaotic final

Three late goals from Hearts of Oak earned the Ghana club their first African Champions League title as they beat Esperance of Tunisia 3-1 in an extraordinary, incident-packed match on Sunday.



The second-leg victory gave Hearts a 5-2 aggregate triumph but the game was held up for 20 minutes after rioting broke out and police fired teargas.

Esperance later protested to the Confederation of African Football (CAF), seeking to have the result annulled. Esperance goalkeeper Chokri El Ouaer cut himself above the eye in a bizarre attempt to get the game abandoned but officials saw what he was up to and took no action.



The Tunisian club claimed in their protest that El Ouaer had been hit by a flying object thrown from the crowd. Their protest will be examined on Tuesday, CAF spokesman Viken Djizmedjian said, and an urgent meeting called to discuss the matter if necessary.

Esperance could be fined and El Ouaer could be banned for a lengthy period if it was found he had inflicted the wound on himself, officials said.

They added it was unlikely, however, that the club would be kicked out of next year's African Champions League, for wich they are entered.

LINESMAN PELTED

Rioting broke out 15 minutes from time with Esperance leading 1-0 and going all out for the second goal they needed. The crowd pelted the linesman from South Africa with an assortment of objects.

Teargas was then fired into the crowd, one cannister landing in the VIP box, which forced all the dignitaries, including CAF president Issa Hayatou, onto the athletics track surrounding the field.

A small group of travelling Tunisian fans also scaled the fences to seek refuge. During the melee one supporter ran onto the pitch and handed an object to El Ouaer, with which he cut a gash on the side of his face.

The goalkeeper, who played at the World Cup finals in France two years ago, ran to the centre of the field with blood streaming from the wound, collapsing at the halfway line. But referee Robin Williams and linesman Achmat Sallie, as well as officials and journalists on the side of the pitch, saw the incident and the only result was that he had to leave the pitch injured.

It took 18 minutes for authorities to clam down incensed officials from both sides, with police chasing players and spectators from the field.

When the game restarted, Esperance inexplicably brought on an outfield player and put midfielder Hassen Gabsi in goal, leaving reserve goalkeeper Mohamed Zouabi on the bench.

THREE QUICK GOALS

Hearts then quickly scored three goals to secure the continent's flagship club trophy. Captain Emmanuel Osei Kuffour equalised with seven minutes remaining and then toyed with the stand-in goalkeeper to score a second a minute from time.

The two goals saw Osei Kuffour increase his tally in the Champions League to a record 11 for the year. Ishmael Addo add had an equally easy tap-in from close range, added the third in stoppage time.



In between, Esperance had winger Walid Azaiez sent off for a butt a Hearts defender and it took three minutes for the furious player to leave the pitch. He then punched a policeman as he left the ground.

Esperance has been in control of the game before the bizarre turn of events, scoring early in the first half with a flying header by Gabsi and controlling the game after halftime with Brazilian import Adailton imperious in the middle. They looked strong contenders for a second goal, which would have put them ahead on aggregate and given them a second African Champions League title.

Hearts' win means they now play in the World Club Championship in Spain next year.