Mission accomplished - and with authority! Esperance Sportive de Tunis secured their place in the CAF Champions League group stage after a convincing 3-0 victory over Rahimo FC of Burkina Faso on Sunday night at the Stade de Radès. Following their 1-0 win in Ouagadougou a week earlier, the Blood and Gold confirmed their superiority over both legs, winning 4-0 on aggregate in a display of confidence, control, and class.
From the opening whistle, Esperance showed their determination to settle the tie early. They pressed high, dominated possession, and pushed Rahimo deep into their own half. The visitors focused mainly on defending and hoping for counterattacks, but the breakthrough seemed inevitable. In the 23rd minute, Jebali sent a perfect pass to Danho, who found himself one-on-one with the keeper - but the Burkinabé goalkeeper came out quickly to snatch the ball just before the striker could shoot.
Esperance’s relentless pressure finally paid off in the 33rd minute. From a corner expertly taken by Boualia, Jelassi rose brilliantly at the near post to head home the opener. 1-0 - Radès erupted. The hosts continued to press for a second before halftime, with Tka and Boualia both creating chances, but the score remained unchanged at the break.
Barely six minutes into the second half, the Blood and Gold struck again. Jebali combined beautifully with Danho down the left, and the Franco-Ivorian forward unleashed a low, powerful strike at the near post that left the goalkeeper rooted. 2-0, and Esperance were cruising. A few minutes later, Danho almost scored a wonder goal with an audacious move, but the finish narrowly missed.
The show continued in the 72nd minute. After a brilliant individual run through the defense, Konaté unselfishly squared the ball for Jabri, who calmly slotted it into the net for Esperance’s third. Earlier, Belaïli’s delightful backheel had nearly set up Konaté for another goal, but Rahimo’s keeper once again intervened.
Even with a comfortable lead, Esperance stayed focused. Ben Saïd made a sharp reflex save in the 75th minute to preserve his clean sheet, while Ogbelu came close with a thunderous shot from 35 meters that skimmed the crossbar. The closing stages were all about calm control - no risks, no fatigue, just professional game management.
With a comprehensive 3-0 win and 4-0 on aggregate, Esperance de Tunis booked their ticket for yet another CAF Champions League group stage. The team showed the efficiency and collective spirit that define great campaigns. The draw for the group stage will take place on November 3, and all eyes in Radès are already looking forward to it.
EST Line-up: Ben Saïd, Keita, Ben Hamida, Jelassi (Laifi 78'), Meriah(c), Ogbelu, Tka (Rached 78'), Jebali (Belaïli 62'), Boualia (Maâcha 78'), Konaté and Danho (Jabri 62').
Booking: Jabri, Maâcha, Belaïli.