In a fervent Sousse stadium, Espérance de Tunis secured a crucial 2-0 victory over Étoile du Sahel on the 7th matchday of the Tunisian League. This clash between two giants of Tunisian football, both seeking redemption after a mediocre start to the season, promised to be tense and it delivered.
A physical and fierce match from the kick-off
From the first moments, the tension was palpable on the pitch. Étoile du Sahel, determined to mark their territory, opted for an aggressive approach, often on the edge of the rules. The first 14 minutes saw a game concentrated in the midfield, where fouls and intense duels largely dominated. The Blood and Gold players, particularly Yan Sasse, suffered numerous rough challenges, which disrupted the fluidity of their play.
The first half was marked by excessive caution on both sides. In the 39th minute, Étoile's first real chance of the game was saved by goalkeeper Memmiche in a world-class save, preventing the opening goal. It was only one of the few noteworthy actions before half-time, which ended with a goalless draw.
The opener thanks to an unexpected counter
The second half started without any changes in the line-ups or the dynamics of the game. However, in the 63rd minute, Espérance took advantage of a lucky break to take the lead. Youcef Belaïli, on a foray down the left wing, crossed a ball into the box, which was unfortunately deflected into his own net by Étoile defender Boughattas. This own goal gave the Blood and Gold a 1-0 lead and changed the face of the match.
Mokwana seals the victory with brilliance
After this goal, Espérance tightened up, determined to preserve their lead. Étoile's pressure intensified, but the solid and organized Blood and Gold players resisted the opponents' assaults. In the 89th minute, Elias Mokwana sealed the fate of the match by scoring a magnificent second goal. Cutting through two defenders before sliding the ball past the opposing goalkeeper, Mokwana signed a true individual masterpiece, making it 2-0 in favor of Espérance.
A reassuring victory but an unchanged ranking
This victory in Sousse allows Espérance de Tunis to take a breath of fresh air in this difficult start to the championship. However, despite this performance, the Blood and Gold remain in 6th place in the standings, with a 5-point gap to make up on the leader, Olympique de Béja. Nevertheless, this success could well be the expected trigger to revive the season and inspire more confidence within the group.
EST Lineup: Memmiche, Bouchniba, Ben Hamida, Meriah (c), Jelassi, Aholou (Ogbelu 74'), Ayeb (Derbali 83'), Tka, Sasse (Mokwana 83'), Belaïli (Bouguerra 74') and Rodrigues (Abdelli 90'+4).
Yellow card: Memmiche.