Espérance de Tunis secured a vital 1-0 victory saturday afternoon against eternal rivals CS Sfaxien in the much-anticipated Classico, maintaining their stronghold at the top of the Ligue 1 table.
From the first whistle, the Blood and Gold took control of the match, dictating the tempo and pushing high into Sfaxien’s half. The first real threat came in the 16th minute when Youcef Belaïli tried his luck with a powerful shot that skimmed just wide of Dahmane’s post.
One minute later, the breakthrough arrived. Belaïli played a clever through ball into the path of Mohamed-Amine Ben Hamida, who broke into the box and delivered a cross. Yan Sasse, perfectly positioned on the penalty spot, met the ball with a first-time strike that left the goalkeeper with no chance. A textbook finish and a 1-0 lead for Espérance in the 17th minute.
The rest of the first half was one-way traffic. The CSS backline struggled to cope with Espérance’s dynamic movement, especially the sharp interplay between Belaïli and Sasse. Despite some occasional counters from Sfaxien, the Sang et Or defence — led with composure and grit — held firm. A superb sliding tackle from Ben Ali at the 25th minute denied Kristou a one-on-one chance with Ben Saïd, showcasing the team’s defensive awareness.
By half-time, Espérance had total control. Though the scoreline remained tight, the hosts could have widened the gap with more clinical finishing.
After the break, CS Sfaxien showed signs of resurgence. At the 48th minute, Kristou came inches away from equalising, his low shot drifting just past the post. But Espérance immediately replied, with Sasse again testing the opposition defence.
The clearest chance of the second half came in the 51st minute when Belaïli delivered a golden ball to Rodrigues. Alone in front of goal, the striker failed to beat Dahmane, who made a crucial save. Moments later, another chaotic sequence in the Sfaxien box saw Jebali fire a shot that the goalkeeper managed to smother.
In the final stretch, the tempo slowed. Espérance seemed content with their narrow lead, while Sfaxien’s hopes faded further after Mohamed Absi received a second yellow card for a foul on Ben Hamida in the 80th minute.
Still, drama lingered. In the 87th minute, Ajjal nearly stole a point for CSS with a close-range attempt that hit the side netting. A real scare, but luck — and discipline — remained on Espérance’s side.
As the final whistle blew, Espérance de Tunis could celebrate a well-deserved win. Commanding in possession, tactically disciplined, and inspired in attack, the team proved once again why they are the frontrunners in this year’s title race.
EST Line-up: Ben Saïd, Ben Ali, Ben Hamida(c), Jelassi, Guennichi, Ogbelu (Tougaï 90'+3), Jebali (Tka 67'), Derbali, Sasse (Mokwana 67'), Belaïli (Bouzaïène 90'+4) and Rodrigues (Jabri 58').
Booked: Derbali, Ben Hamida, Belaïli, Tougaï.