In a boiling Rades stadium, Espérance Sportive de Tunis secured a valuable 1–0 victory against Al Ahly SC tonight in the first leg of the quarter-finals of the CAF Champions League. Driven by an extraordinary crowd and thanks to a decisive penalty converted by Mohamed-Amine Tougaï, the Blood and Gold take a narrow but deserved advantage ahead of the return leg in Cairo.
From the opening whistle, the atmosphere was electric in a Rades stadium in full voice. On the pitch, the two African giants immediately engaged in a fierce battle, with intensity and commitment on both sides setting the tone for a high-level continental clash.
The first real opportunity came in the 11th minute when Florian Danho found himself in a promising position, but goalkeeper Mustafa Shoubir produced a crucial save to deny the Esperance forward. Ten minutes later, Al Ahly responded through Mahmoud Trezeguet, whose powerful attempt forced a fine stop from Blood and Gold goalkeeper Béchir Ben Saïd.
Esperance continued to push forward and in first-half stoppage time Danho threatened again, but Shoubir once more reacted well to keep the score level (45’+2). The first half ended 0–0, with a few promising moments for the Blood and Gold, leaving the feeling that a breakthrough could come with a little more impact after the break.
At halftime, the coaching staff made two changes as Keita and Konaté replaced Dräger and Hadj-Ali in an effort to inject fresh energy into the team. The pace of the match briefly slowed early in the second half, with both sides struggling to maintain the intensity seen earlier.
In the stands, however, the atmosphere never dropped. From the very first minute, the Rades crowd had been singing relentlessly, turning the stadium into a deafening fortress behind their team.
In the 58th minute, Yan Sasse intercepted the ball and drove toward goal but opted to shoot instead of passing to better-positioned teammates. His effort ended safely in Shoubir’s hands, much to the frustration of the supporters.
Moments later, Al Ahly came dangerously close to scoring, but Ben Saïd rose to the occasion with two outstanding saves in quick succession in the 65th minute, drawing thunderous applause from the stands.
The decisive moment arrived in the 69th minute. Inside the penalty area, Mohamed Hani handled the ball, and after a VAR review the referee pointed to the penalty spot for Esperance.
Four minutes later, Mohamed-Amine Tougaï stepped up and calmly sent Shoubir the wrong way to give the Blood and Gold the lead (73’). The stadium erupted in celebration as Esperance finally broke the deadlock.
The home side nearly doubled their advantage in the 81st minute when Sasse found himself just six meters from goal, but his shot flew over the crossbar, wasting a golden opportunity.
In the closing minutes, Al Ahly attempted a few efforts from distance but lacked precision. Deep into stoppage time, Kouceila Boualia finished a promising move with a shot that sailed well over the bar (90’+2).
After eight minutes of added time, the final whistle confirmed a hard-fought and valuable 1–0 victory for Espérance Sportive de Tunis, powered by an indefatigable crowd that served as a true source of energy throughout the match.
However, the job is far from done. The scoreline could have been wider given the chances created by the Blood and Gold. The decisive second leg will take place next Saturday in Cairo, at the home of Al Ahly SC, where Esperance will need another strong performance to secure qualification.
For now, congratulations to the players for winning the first battle. The mission continues.
EST Lineup: Ben Saïd, Dräger (Keita 46'), Ben Hamida(c), Jelassi (Ben Ali 77'), Tougaï, Ogbelu, Tka, Hadj-Ali (Konaté 46'), Sasse (Msakni 83'), Diarra (Boualia 63') and Danho.
Booking: Ogbelu.