Espérance made a disappointing start to their CAF Champions League campaign, losing 1-0 to Libya’s Swehly SC at Misurata Stadium on Sunday evening. The Blood and Gold were beaten by a controversial penalty awarded to the hosts just after the hour mark. With only one goal separating the sides, Pablo Franco’s men will have to turn things around in the return leg in Radès if they are to keep their continental campaign alive.
The opening minutes proved difficult for Espérance. Just two minutes into the game, a moment of hesitation in the Blood and Gold defence allowed Lameck Banda to get a shot away, but Béchir Ben Saïd was on hand to make the save on his goal line. Nine minutes later, the hosts came close again when a free-kick struck the post, leaving Ben Saïd beaten but fortunate to see the ball stay out.
Swehly looked the more threatening side during the opening half, putting the Espérance defence under pressure on several occasions. In the 25th minute, Ghanaian midfielder Kwasi Sibo rose to meet a cross with a header, forcing Ben Saïd into an excellent save to keep his side in the game.
Espérance gradually tried to push forward but struggled to impose their usual attacking game. It was not until the 37th minute that the visitors won their first corner, following an attempt by Mohamed Dräger. Youcef Belaïli took the set piece, but nothing came of it. A minute later, Imad Faraj and Dräger combined in a promising move, only for Faraj’s shot to miss the target.
The contest remained fairly even after that, although the game was repeatedly broken up by fouls and the referee’s frequent stoppages. Both teams went into the break at 0-0, with Swehly having created the more dangerous chances in the first half.
The pattern remained much the same after the restart. In the 53rd minute, Kwasi Sibo tried his luck from distance, sending his effort over Ben Saïd’s crossbar. Espérance, meanwhile, continued to struggle to find a way through the Libyan defence.
The decisive moment came in the 60th minute. As Nidhal Elaifi cleared the ball inside the penalty area, the referee pointed to the spot, judging that a foul had been committed. It was an extremely harsh decision, as the Espérance defender appeared to be playing the ball, with the contact looking entirely natural in the circumstances. The penalty call left the Blood and Gold bench bewildered.
Three minutes later, Ayoub Ayed stepped up and sent Ben Saïd the wrong way to put Swehly ahead, making it 1-0 with half an hour left to play.
The goal forced Espérance to change their approach. Swehly continued to threaten, and Ben Saïd was called into action again in the 79th minute, producing another save from a Kwasi Sibo effort. But the Blood and Gold were not ready to give up. In the 85th minute, Moez Hadj-Ali tried his luck with an outside-of-the-foot effort, only to see his shot go narrowly wide. The equaliser was there for the taking.
Espérance threw more men forward in the closing minutes and began to create greater pressure on the home side. However, rushed decisions and a lack of composure in the final third prevented Pablo Franco’s men from finding a way back into the game.
The final whistle confirmed a bitter defeat for Espérance. Swehly were the more attacking side for much of the evening, while the Blood and Gold struggled to find their rhythm and only began to push with real urgency in the closing stages. Even so, the penalty decision remains the defining moment of the match, having had a decisive impact on the outcome.
With just one goal between the sides, the tie is far from over. But Espérance will need to show a different side of their game in the return leg in Radès, rediscover their attacking edge and put their opponents under much greater pressure. The backing of the Blood and Gold faithful could also prove crucial as the team looks to overturn the deficit.
The qualification battle now moves to Radès. The Blood and Gold must rise to the occasion if they are to keep their African campaign alive.
EST Lineup: Ben Saïd, Dräger, Elaifi, Jelassi, Chikhaoui, Belhadj-Mahmoud (Konaté 77'), Rafia (Hadj-Ali 84'), Castillo, Faraj (Monyebe 84'), Belaïli(c) and Mastouri (Danho 84').
Booked: Jelassi, Mastouri, Belaïli(2).
Sent off: Belaïli 90'+5.