Dominant Hearts face big test in Champions final

Ghanaian club Hearts of Oak's dominant form faces a severe test on Saturday when they play Esperance of Tunisia in the first leg of the African Champions League final. Hearts, from the Ghanaian capital Accra, have swept all before them this season, winning a fourth successive domestic championship, completing the double last month with a win in the Cup final and coming close to an unprecedented 100 percent record in their African Champions League group.

The dominance of the west African side has also seen their coach Jones Attaquayefio appointed as the new coach of Ghana's national team, the Black Stars.

But Hearts face arguably their toughest assignment of the season against the fabled Tunisian club at the El Menzah stadium in Tunis, where Esperance last season narrowly lost out in the Champions League final.

"Hearts are a well balanced and high performance ensemble," said Esperance coach Youssef Zouaoui this week. "Plus, they play a very direct style of football with incredible athletic quality."

Hearts of Oak are, however, playing in their first Champions League final and seeking to become the first Ghanaian side in 17 years to win the continent's top club prize.

It is this inexperience that Zouaoui says he wants to use to the benefit of the Tunisian team, who have amassed a remarkable record in African club competition over the last decade. They are the only side to have won all four African club titles -- the Champions League, the African Cup Winners' Cup, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Cup and the Super Cup -- and many of their line-up on Saturday have been in each of those winning teams.

Last year, however, they were beaten in the final by Raja Casablanca of Morocco. The two-leg tie was decided on a penalty shoot-out after both sides failed to score in 180 minutes of football.

This time, Esperance are expected to play an attacking game in search of a healthy lead to take to the second leg in Accra on December 17.

Coach Zouaoui has hinted at starting with Brazilian teenage sensation Reinaldo and Tunisian international Ali Zitouni in attack, leaving Nigerian Olympian Julius Aghahowa on the bench. A suspension for Walid Azaiez, who picked up a second yellow card in their last group match, and injury to Bilal Lahmar are the only setbacks for Esperance. But wingback Tarek Thabet and central defender Raidi Jaidi, who has scored many vital goals at set pieces for Esperance, are both back after missing last week's league game against JS Kairouan through injury.

The winner of the Champions League title qualifies for the World Club Championship in Spain next year.