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Re : EST vs. ESZ: (3 - 1) Esperance soar past Zarzis despite scorching heat

EST vs. ESZ: (3 - 1) Esperance soar past Zarzis despite scorching heat

Yan Sasse celebrates after his goal against CS Sfaxien at Rades stadium. (Photo est.org.tn)
 
Despite the oppressive heat this afternoon at the Radès stadium, Esperance Tunis perfectly controlled their Tunisian Cup quarter-final, securing a 3-1 victory over Espérance Sportive de Zarzis. It was an intense match, effectively decided in the first half, which propels the Blood and Gold into the competition's final four.

Kick-off was at 2:30 PM under a blazing sun. The suffocating temperatures forced players and referees into several water breaks, making physical management as crucial as the tactical approach. However, this did not prevent Esperance from starting the match strongly.

In the 5th minute, a first warning sign from Youcef Belaïli could have turned into a goal if a Zarzis defender hadn't intervened at the last moment. One minute later, the dazzling Algerian forward tried again, this time successfully. Played through on the counter-attack by Jebali, Belaïli outpaced the opposing defense before beating the goalkeeper with an unstoppable shot to make it 1-0.

Maher Kanzari's men did not stop there. Although there was a slight lull around the 30-minute mark – a period during which the referee logically interrupted play to allow both teams to cool down – Esperance continued their attacking display.

In the 33rd minute, Chiheb Jebali produced a moment of brilliance: weaving through a sluggish Zarzis defense, he even rounded the goalkeeper before... shooting over the empty net. A golden opportunity missed, but the Blood and Gold had plenty in reserve.

The end of the first half was a model of efficiency. In the 41st minute, Achref Jabri slipped a subtle pass between two defenders for Yan Sasse, who delicately chipped the ball over the goalkeeper to make it 2-0. Two minutes later, the roles were reversed: this time, Sasse provided the assist, and Jabri finished with an unstoppable angled shot to extend the score to 3-0. Three goals in 43 minutes, and a perfectly controlled first half by the Tunisian champions.

After the break, Esperance took their foot off the gas without losing control of the match. In the 46th minute, Sasse created a good opportunity for himself, but his shot was unfortunately off-target. In the 52nd minute, Jebali thought he had scored the fourth goal, but VAR indicated a handball in the build-up, and the referee rightly disallowed the goal.

Despite fatigue and the heat, the Blood and Gold continued to dictate the tempo, comfortably passing the ball around. Belaïli (70th) and Bouzaïène (88th) could have increased the score, but their efforts were unsuccessful.

Zarzis, on the other hand, took advantage of a defensive lapse to grab a consolation goal in the 74th minute. An error by Hamza Jelassi presented Youssef Snana with an ideal opportunity, which he converted with a powerful shot past Ben Saïd to make it 3-1.

The score remained unchanged. Esperance secured a logical victory and reaffirmed their status as favorites in this Tunisian Cup. The semi-final draw will take place this evening, and the Blood and Gold can now look forward with ambition to another national final.

Despite the extreme weather conditions, Sasse's teammates demonstrated their collective mastery, offensive efficiency, and impressive solidarity in managing the second half. This bodes well for their future endeavors.

EST Line-up: Ben Saïd, Ben Ali, Ben Hamida(c), Jelassi, Tougaï (Rordrigues 57'), Guennichi, Ogbelu, Jebali (Bouzaïène 72'), Sasse (Dhaou 72'), Belaïli (Tka 87') and Jabri (Derbali 57').

Booked: Rodrigues.

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