Al Ahly head coach Pitso Mosimane shared his thoughts as his side managed to secure a vital 1-0 win over Esperance, despite the match almost being called off.
Just 30 minutes ahead of kick off, Mosimane's Al Ahly players were forced to leave the pitch at the Hammadi Agrabi Stadium as they were not able to breathe after the Tunisian police fired gas bombs in clashes with the 5000 Esperance fans allowed into the stadum during the warm-up.
Both sets of players were unable to continue with the warm-up and headed for the dressing room, until matters were brought under control.
The match eventually kicked off and the defending champions managed a vital victory thanks to a sensational second half goal by Mohamed Sherif.
Speaking to the media after the match, Mosimane hailed both teams for their experience that allowed the match to continue without any further disruptions.
"We understand these things, and they do happen, but Al Ahly and Esperance have the experience needed to deal with these situations. We had an obligation towards our players as we have to keep them calm because they are the ones who will play," Mosimane told the media.
"The most difficult thing is that we had a plan for the match, and then everything went down. El Shenawy, Saad, and Captain Sayed kept the team's spirit up and told the players that we must not lose concentration. It is not all about me."
"For me, I am not chasing glory and records. You must focus on the process and Al Ahly is a big team. There are big coaches who have done more than me with the club like Manuel Jose."
"Al Ahly's character was present in the game and our players managed to achieve the victory tonight," he added.
Click through the gallery to see all the drama that unfolded in Ahly's win
