In an electrifying Radès stadium, Espérance Sportive de Tunis convincingly defeated Étoile Sportive du Sahel 3-0 in a highly anticipated clash for matchday 22 of Ligue 1. The Blood and Gold delivered a comprehensive performance, asserting their dominance from start to finish, despite challenging weather conditions and a rain-soaked pitch.

Espérance dominates the first half

The match kicked off at a frenetic pace, with an early scare for the Blood and Gold in the 6th minute: left unmarked in the box, Ben Choug attempted a side-footed shot that narrowly missed the target, preventing an early lead for Étoile.

However, Espérance quickly established their rhythm. In the 11th minute, Youcef Belaïli opened the scoring from the penalty spot after goalkeeper Anas Khardani fouled Jabri in the area. A deserved lead that reinforced Espérance's control.

The penalty incident came at a cost for the Blood and Gold attack, as Jabri was forced off with an injury, replaced by Jebali in the 15th minute. Undeterred, Reghecampf's men continued to press forward and were rewarded in the 29th minute with a second goal, Hamza Jelassi heading home powerfully from Jebali's pinpoint corner.

Before halftime, Belaïli almost added a third, finding himself one-on-one with Khardani, but the goalkeeper stood firm to deny him (45th minute). A perfectly executed first half by Espérance, who could have extended their lead further.

Ideal start to the second half

The Blood and Gold came out firing after the break. In the 47th minute, Bouchniba, set up by Mokwana from Belaïli's cross, scored Espérance's third goal, putting the game beyond Étoile's reach.

Étoile tried to respond and were awarded a penalty in the 53rd minute after a VAR review spotted a handball by Jelassi in the box. However, Chawat's luck was out as his attempt struck the post, leaving the score unchanged.

One-way traffic in the closing stages

The remainder of the match was entirely dominated by Espérance, who controlled the game with ease. Étoile, powerless to respond, seemed resigned to waiting for the final whistle against a confident Blood and Gold side.

Despite several opportunities, notably for Belaïli (72nd minute) and Jebali (88th minute), Espérance failed to add to their tally, squandering numerous chances to increase their advantage.

Ultimately, Espérance deservedly won 3-0, reaffirming their status as the undisputed league leaders. A comprehensive and dominant victory that highlights the Blood and Gold's superiority in this highly anticipated derby. Kudos to the players and coaching staff for a flawless performance!

EST Lineup: Memmiche, Bouchniba (Ben Mohamed 80'), Ben Hamida(c), Ben Ali, Jelassi, Ogbelu, Tka (Koudhaï 80'), Konaté, Mokwana (Sasse 64'), Belaïli, and Jabri (Jebali 15').
Booked: Belaïli.