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Espérance de Tunis secured a hard-fought 2-1 victory over AS Gabès at the Stade de Radès on Saturday, under torrential rain. The win, though labored, lifted the Blood and Gold to fifth place in the league table.
From the first whistle, the inclement weather made for a challenging match. Despite the conditions, Espérance started brightly. Rodrigues tested the Gabès keeper in the fourth minute, but his effort was off target. Thirteen minutes later, a slick move involving Belaïli and Ben Hamida forced Abdelkader Chouaya into a smart save. The pressure eventually told as Espérance broke the deadlock in the 19th minute. Rodrigues, off target with his clumsy shot, allowed Tka to find Bouchniba, who fired home a powerful shot, 1-0.
Maâcha, making his first start, came close to doubling the lead but Gabès capitalized on a rare error from Memmiche. Camara made no mistake from close range to level the scores, 2-2.
Just before the break, Maâcha restored Espérance's advantage. After cutting inside from the right, he unleashed a fierce drive that gave Chouaya no chance. Espérance took a 2-1 lead into the interval.
The second half saw Espérance dominate possession and create numerous chances. Sasse headed narrowly wide from Ogbelu's cross, while Belaïli's acrobatic effort was brilliantly saved by Chouaya. Despite their dominance, the Blood and Gold were unable to add to their tally.
The 2-1 victory was a welcome boost for Espérance ahead of the international break. New coach Laurențiu Reghecampf, watching from the stands, will have noted areas for improvement, particularly in terms of clinical finishing.
A positive result for The Blood and Gold, who, while celebrating this victory, know that they must address certain technical aspects to be even more competitive in upcoming matches. Well done for this performance. See you after the international break!
EST lineup: Memmiche, Bouchniba, Ben Hamida, Meriah (c), Jelassi, Ogbelu, Tka, Sasse (Ayeb 84'), Maâcha (Bouguerra 62'), Belaïli (Mokwana 89'), Rodrigues (Kada 84').
Booked: Maâcha.