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Espérance de Tunis made a successful return to competitive action with a 3-1 win over Olympique de Béja at the Radès Stadium on Saturday, in the fifth round of the Ligue 1 season. In his first match in charge, Pablo Franco saw his side take an early lead and control most of the game, with Hazem Mastouri grabbing a hat-trick. It was a welcome victory ahead of the Blood and Gold’s upcoming CAF Champions League campaign.
Playing behind closed doors following a league-imposed sanction, Espérance wasted little time making their mark. In the second minute, Imad Faraj was sent clear down the right by an excellent pass from Jesús Castillo. He drove forward before delivering a cross for Hazem Mastouri, who headed home to open the scoring and give his side the perfect start.
Espérance kept up the pressure. In the eighth minute, a neat move involving Mohamed Dräger, Lucas Ribeiro Costa and Youcef Belaïli nearly produced a second goal, but the Algerian’s effort narrowly missed the top corner. Two minutes later, Dräger picked out Faraj in front of the Béja goal, but the winger failed to hit the target.
The second goal was not far away, though. In the 13th minute, Faraj laid the ball back to Mastouri just outside the penalty area. The striker unleashed a powerful, well-placed shot that left the opposing goalkeeper with no chance. Espérance had established a two-goal lead inside 13 minutes and could approach the remainder of the game with greater confidence.
The pace dropped somewhat after the second goal. Pablo Franco’s men continued to move the ball around and look for space, while Olympique de Béja struggled to respond. In the 34th minute, Castillo played Ribeiro Costa through, but his attempted lob sailed over the crossbar. Four minutes later, another move involving Faraj, Belaïli and Mastouri ended with the striker trying his luck with a lob, which also went over. Despite creating several chances, Espérance could not add to their lead before half-time.
Béja returned from the break with greater intent, but Espérance quickly dampened any hopes of a comeback. In the 48th minute, Youcef Belaïli delivered an excellent cross that Mastouri met with a header to complete his hat-trick. It was a fitting reward for the striker’s performance and gave the Blood and Gold a comfortable three-goal cushion.
The game looked to be firmly under control, but Olympique de Béja pulled one back in the 59th minute. Following a corner, the ball fell to Mohamed-Amine Ammar, whose shot struck the post. It was then headed across to Hamza Mabrouk, who finished with an acrobatic overhead kick, taking advantage of a passive Espérance defence. The goal gave Béja a lift and encouraged them to push forward more in the minutes that followed.
A few minutes later, Rabii Homri threatened down the left flank. Espérance’s defence had to scramble to clear the danger, conceding a corner in the process as they worked to protect their lead. Béja’s spell of pressure, however, did little to alter the overall balance of the game.
As the minutes passed, the tempo dropped once again. Espérance managed their advantage but could not find a fourth goal. In the 80th minute, Mohamed Dräger set up a good chance for Mohamed Belhadj-Mahmoud, whose powerful shot went wide.
The score remained unchanged until the final whistle. Pablo Franco therefore began his tenure at Espérance with a convincing win, built on a strong start and a hat-trick from Hazem Mastouri. Despite playing without their supporters, the Blood and Gold got the job done and returned to winning ways in the league.
The victory gives Espérance a welcome confidence boost ahead of their next challenge. Domestic duties can now take a back seat, with the focus shifting to the CAF Champions League and their upcoming meeting with Swehly SC. The aim will be to carry this momentum into the continental competition.
EST lineup: Ben Saïd, Dräger, Jelassi, Chikhaoui, Elaifi, Castillo, Ribeiro (Konaté 67'), Rafia (Belhadj-Mahmoud 67'), Faraj (Becha 87'), Belaïli(c) (Hadj-Ali 87') and Mastouri.
Booked: Jelassi, Hadj-Ali.