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Espérance de Tunis thought they had secured a hard-fought but valuable victory this afternoon at the Chedly Zouiten stadium against JS Omrane, for the 25th matchday of Ligue 1. Unfortunately, a goal conceded in the dying seconds of the game deprived the Blood and Gold of the three points, forcing them to settle for a bitter 2-2 draw.
A disappointing first half
The match started at an intense pace with clear dominance from Espérance. Against a JS Omrane side that sat deep from the outset, the Blood and Gold tried to impose their technical and physical superiority. However, their attacking efforts went unrewarded. In the 4th minute, Kada and Mokwana were victims of a double foul in the box, but the referee waved play on.
Despite several dangerous attempts, offensive efficiency was lacking. Mokwana, perfectly served by Belaïli in the 11th minute, saw his shot brilliantly saved by Montassar Essid. Then, in the 38th minute, Jelassi and Sasse each missed a golden opportunity with headers, lacking sharpness in front of goal. To make matters worse, Ben Ali was injured and had to be replaced by Smiri, forcing Ben Hamida to revert to his left-back position.
The first half ended with a goalless draw.
An emotionally charged second half
The scenario remained unchanged after the break. Espérance maintained their grip on the match and created another chance in the 48th minute, but Belaïli's side-footed effort was once again repelled by the tireless Essid.
The match finally turned in the 70th minute. Ben Hamida, making incisive runs, was brought down illegally in the box, forcing the referee to award a penalty. Belaïli took responsibility for the spot-kick, but his shot was saved by Essid. However, the Algerian forward didn't give up and, with a splendid acrobatic bicycle kick, sent the ball into the net to open the scoring (0-1).
The Espérance euphoria was short-lived, however. Five minutes later, in a controversial move where a foul on Sasse was ignored, JS Omrane took advantage of defensive hesitation to equalize. Omar Zouaghi broke through and beat Memmiche with an unstoppable shot (1-1, 75th minute).
Espérance quickly responded and thought they had done the hard work in the 83rd minute. Following a fine team move initiated by Belaïli and Ben Hamida, Sasse finished from close range to restore his side's advantage (1-2). Victory seemed assured.
A cruel twist in added time
But once again, the Blood and Gold fell victim to their defensive lapses and end-of-game complacency. In the dying seconds of added time (90+8 minutes), JS Omrane earned a last-gasp cross into the box. Haythem Khemissi emerged from behind and took advantage of a complete lack of marking to head home the equalizer, snatching an unlikely draw (2-2).
A break to address shortcomings
The final whistle left a bitter taste in the mouths of the Blood and Gold players and fans. This scenario, where the team dominates but ends up dropping points in the closing stages, has been repeated too often this season. Attacking efficiency and defensive concentration are crucial aspects that need improvement. The upcoming break must be used to rectify these shortcomings and allow Espérance to return stronger for the Champions League and the final stretch of the championship.
EST Lineup: Memmiche, Bouchniba, Ben Ali (Smiri 39'), Ben Hamida(c), Jelassi, Ogbelu, Jebali, Konaté (Tka 60'), Mokwana (Sasse 46'), Kada (Diakité 60') and Belaïli.
Booked: Sasse.