In a festive atmosphere befitting the occasion, Espérance Sportive de Tunis celebrated their 107th anniversary with a hard-fought 2–1 victory over AS Gabes on Thursday afternoon at the Radès Stadium, in a match counting for the 16th round of Ligue 1. Wearing a special white and burgundy anniversary kit, the Blood and Gold did just enough to secure three valuable points against a resilient opponent.
From the opening minute, Espérance showed clear attacking intent. The hosts pushed forward aggressively right from kick-off, while AS Gabes adopted a cautious approach, sitting deep and focusing on defensive solidity.
The early dominance quickly paid off. In the 8th minute, sustained pressure on the left flank forced a costly mistake from the Gabes defence. Following a cross from Laïfi, Mohamed-Amine Khadhraoui handled the ball inside the box, prompting the referee to immediately point to the penalty spot. Yan Sasse stepped up in the 10th minute and calmly converted to give Espérance the lead (1–0).
Espérance continued to dictate the tempo. In the 23rd minute, Jebali unleashed a powerful long-range effort that was pushed away by goalkeeper Chwaya. Sasse, well positioned to follow up, surprisingly sent his attempt over the bar, missing a golden chance to double the lead. The pressure persisted, with Ogbelu also trying his luck from distance in the 34th minute, his shot narrowly missing the target.
Against the run of play, AS Gabes found an equaliser. In the 36th minute, Ridouane Assane attempted an audacious long-range lob. Goalkeeper Ben Saïd, caught off guard, failed to deal cleanly with the ball and spilled it into the path of Khadhraoui, who made no mistake to level the score (1–1).
Refusing to go into the break on level terms, the Blood and Gold pushed hard in stoppage time. Their efforts were rewarded once again from the penalty spot. A cross from Jebali on the right was blocked by the arm of Moatez Bidani inside the area, leaving the referee with no hesitation. Jelassi converted the penalty in the 45+3rd minute, restoring Espérance’s lead just before half-time (2–1).
At the break, the scoreline was fully justified, with AS Gabes repeatedly forced into fouls as they struggled to contain the home side’s attacking waves.
The second half followed a similar pattern. Espérance remained on the front foot and nearly extended their advantage early on, when Boualia tested Chwaya with a powerful, on-target strike in the 48th minute, the goalkeeper gathering the ball in two attempts.
The clearest chance of the half came in the 68th minute. Boualia delivered a well-taken corner, met by Youssef Msakni’s header, which was dramatically cleared off the line by Chwaya under the crossbar. Eight minutes later, Espérance were awarded a third penalty of the match. Keita, played in down the right by Tka, burst into the box and was brought down by a Gabes defender. Msakni took responsibility, but his spot-kick was brilliantly saved by Chwaya, denying Espérance a third goal.
The final minutes saw few clear-cut chances. AS Gabes, unable to push forward without risking further damage, remained compact, while Espérance struggled to break down a well-organised defence despite its earlier lapses. The score remained unchanged until the final whistle.
Without producing a dazzling performance, Espérance showed maturity and control to secure a 2–1 victory against the league’s bottom side, fighting for survival. A symbolic and important win that allows the Blood and Gold to start the second half of the season on the right foot and continue their march at the top of the Ligue 1 standings.
EST Lineup: Ben Saïd, Keita, Laifi, Jelassi, Guenichi, Ogbelu, Tka(c) (Ouahabi 85'), Jebali (Jabri 46'), Sasse (Konaté 66'), Dhaou (Msakni 59') and Danho (Boualia 46').