In heavy rain that set the tone for a tough and demanding evening, Espérance de Tunis secured a vital 1–0 victory over Tanzania’s Simba SC on Saturday night at the Radès Stadium, in Matchday 3 of the CAF Champions League group stage. A hard-fought success that allows the Blood and Gold to remain temporarily on top of Group D with five points.

Despite difficult weather conditions, head coach Maher Kanzari made some bold choices in his starting lineup, most notably handing Jack Diarra his first CAF Champions League start on the left wing, while fielding an unusual central defensive pairing with Jelassi and Ben Hamida. Decisions that quickly proved to be well inspired.

The match began at a frenetic pace. After just one minute, goalkeeper Ben Saïd was already called into action, producing a fine save to deny Simba’s first attacking move. There was no feeling-out period, as both sides went straight into the heart of the contest. Simba applied high pressing early on, disrupting Espérance’s build-up play and limiting their forward runs during the opening stages.

Espérance responded with intent. In the 7th minute, Jack Diarra unleashed a powerful, curling effort that forced the Simba goalkeeper into an excellent save, pushing the ball out for a corner at full stretch. Confidence gradually grew, and the breakthrough soon followed.

In the 21st minute, Radès erupted. Released down the left flank, Diarra used his pace to beat his marker before calmly sliding the ball under the advancing goalkeeper to open the scoring. A crucial goal that rewarded Espérance’s positive start and gave the Blood and Gold a noticeable boost.

With the lead secured, Espérance pushed on. In the 27th minute, Diakité found himself one-on-one with the goalkeeper, managed to get past him, but lost control of the ball and missed a golden opportunity to double the advantage. Diarra, the standout performer of the first half, went close again in the 31st minute, his powerful strike sailing just over the crossbar.

Simba’s early intensity faded as the half progressed, although the Tanzanian side tried their luck with a daring but poorly executed technical move in the 41st minute that could have caused problems. At half-time, Espérance led 1–0, a solid first-half performance, even if a second goal was still needed to fully put the game to bed.

The second half saw a gradual drop in tempo. The match remained competitive, but fatigue and tactical discipline took precedence over attacking flair. Clear-cut chances became scarce, as defensive solidity dominated proceedings.

Espérance came close again in the 77th minute when Jelassi, in a promising position, sent his effort over the bar. Four minutes later, a well-worked attacking move involving Sasse, Boualia and Danho raised hopes in the stands, but Danho hesitated just long enough to allow a defender to recover and block his attempt.

The closing minutes were marked by numerous fouls and a very fragmented rhythm. In stoppage time (90’+4), Hamza Rafia was inches away from sealing the win, but his shot was diverted for a corner by the Simba goalkeeper. Moments later, under relentless rain, the final whistle confirmed Espérance’s narrow but crucial victory.

Without being spectacular, the Blood and Gold showed maturity and resilience to claim three invaluable points. With five points on the board, Espérance remain temporarily at the top of Group D. The job, however, is only half done, with a crucial confirmation expected next week against the same opponent on Matchday 4. Well done to the Blood and Gold.

EST Lineup: Ben Saïd, Keita, Laifi, Jelassi, Ben Hamida(c), Ogbelu, Tka, Konaté (Boualia 63'), Sasse (Rafia 89'), Diarra (Jebali 78') and Diakité (Danho 64').

Groupe D Standings