Esperance de Tunis secured a valuable victory this afternoon against Stade Tunisien, winning 1-0 at the Hédi Ennifer stadium in the derby counting for the 18th day of Ligue 1. A success that allows the Blood and Gold to consolidate their position at the top of the standings.
From the start of the match, Raghecampf's men imposed their rhythm and quickly created chances. In the 6th minute, Mokwana showed his liveliness by stealing the ball from an opposing defender before serving Jabri, whose shot was repelled by goalkeeper Sami Helal.
In the 22nd minute, Jabri found himself alone in front of the goalkeeper but hesitated and attempted a poorly adjusted pass, allowing the Stade defenders to fall back and cancel the action. Three minutes later, an intense offensive sequence from Esperance put the Stade Tunisien defense to the test, but the defense resisted and managed to keep their goal inviolate.
The Blood and Gold's domination continued until halftime, with almost complete control of the game in midfield and some interesting incursions. However, offensive efficiency was lacking, and the two teams went into the locker room with a scoreless draw.
After the break, Esperance returned with the same intentions. In the 55th minute, Belaïli was jostled in the penalty area, but the referee did not flinch despite the protests. Three minutes later, the turning point of the match finally arrived: a powerful shot from Tka was pushed away with difficulty by Helal, but Tougaï, on the lookout, threw himself forward to get ahead of the defense and push the ball into the back of the net. 1-0 for Esperance!
The goal released the Blood and Gold, who tried to drive the nail in. In the 68th minute, Belaïli, well launched, found himself alone in front of Helal and attempted a lob, but the ball went just wide. A golden opportunity missed! In the 76th minute, the Algerian international had another chance in two stages, but his shot still lacked precision.
Stade Tunisien timidly tried to react at the end of the match and created their first real opportunity in the 83rd minute on a scramble in the Esperance box, but the defense kept a close eye on the situation and cleared the danger. In stoppage time, Boubacar Diakité attempted a final shot on target, but Helal diverted it and preserved the gap.
At the final whistle, Esperance could savor a logical and deserved success. Superior in all areas of the game, the Blood and Gold managed the match with seriousness and application. This victory allows them to strengthen their position as leaders and approach the next deadlines with confidence.
Congratulations to the players and staff for this great performance!
EST lineup: Memmiche, Ben Ali, Ben Hamida(c), Jelassi, Tougaï, Guennichi (Smiri 87'), Tka, Konaté (Sasse 69'), Mokwana (Diakité 69'), Belaïli (Mouhli 84') and Jabri (Jebali 69').
Booked: Jelassi, Mokwana, Belaïli.