Tonight, at a Radès Stadium where the pitch was already showing signs of wear after hosting three matches in one weekend, Espérance Sportive de Tunis secured the essential in the first leg of the CAF Champions League preliminary round. Against the Somali side Dekedaha SC, the Blood and Gold triumphed 4-1, though the performance could have been even more dazzling.
From the very start, Espérance took control of the game. The midfield, led by Youcef Belaïli, immediately put pressure on the Somali defense. In the 20th minute, Yan Sasse had a golden opportunity to open the scoring, but his one-on-one with the opposing goalkeeper ended in a frustrating miss, a clear sign of rushing.
Seven minutes later, Sasse redeemed himself. Following a perfectly executed free kick by Belaïli, the Brazilian found himself unmarked at the penalty spot and, this time, did not hesitate. His powerful shot gave the Dekedaha goalkeeper no chance, finally putting Espérance ahead (27’). At that point, everything seemed to be going smoothly for the Blood and Gold. However, a lapse in concentration proved costly. Just before halftime (45'+2), an error by goalkeeper Memmiche allowed Dekedaha striker Adepoju to equalize against the run of play. A harsh blow that could have been avoided.
The first half ended with the score level at 1-1. Despite their dominance, Espérance paid the price for a lack of concentration and technical mistakes, compounded by underestimating their opponent.
Returning from the break, Miguel Cardoso’s men seemed to have learned from their errors. In the 50th minute, Belaïli, always dangerous on set pieces, restored the lead with a direct free kick that once again outwitted the Somali goalkeeper. Espérance now led 2-1, and the Radès crowd began to breathe a sigh of relief.
Despite their dominance, the Blood and Gold struggled to find the back of the net again. It wasn't until the 67th minute that captain Yassine Meriah extended the lead. Once again, Belaïli was the provider. From a free kick, he delivered a cross that Aholou narrowly missed. Fortunately, Meriah, well-positioned, collected the ball and scored the third Tunisian goal (3-1).
The momentum was now fully in Espérance’s favor, and they continued to create chances. In the 73rd minute, Mokwana missed an opportunity to score his first goal in Blood and Gold colors, but he made up for it shortly after with an assist to Belaïli, who capped off his night with an unstoppable header in the 77th minute, bringing the score to 4-1.
In the dying minutes of the match, Espérance could have further increased the lead, but missed chances by Ben Ali and Sowe left the fans wanting more. The final whistle blew with a reassuring 4-1 victory for the Tunisian champions. A solid performance that puts Espérance in a strong position for the return leg next Saturday, again at Radès.
However, it wasn’t a flawless display from the Blood and Gold. Moments of complacency and rushed decisions prevented the score from being even more emphatic. Focus will be key to avoiding any surprises in the upcoming matches. But with such a result, fans can already glimpse qualification for the group stage.
Congratulations to Espérance for this reassuring victory, but the best is yet to come.
EST Lineup: Memmiche, Bouchniba (Ben Ali 83'), Ben Hamida, Meriah(c), Tougaï, Aholou, Tka (Mokwana 69'), Derbali (Ogbelu 46'), Sasse (Konaté 83'), Belaïli and Abdelli (Sowe 59').
Booking: Aholou.