The rainy afternoon did nothing to dampen the spirits of the Blood and Gold. Quite the opposite. At the Radès stadium, Espérance Tunis delivered a commanding performance against a valiant AS Kasserine side, sweeping them aside with a resounding 6-0 victory in the round of 32 of the Tunisian Cup 2025. A clear qualification, an attacking masterclass, and positive takeaways ahead of Sunday's derby.

The first warning sign of the match, however, came from the visitors. In the 10th minute, from a cross on the left, Achouri almost caught Koudhaï off guard, forcing him to concede a corner. A minute later, Espérance responded immediately: Jabri, well played through, unleashed a shot on target that goalkeeper Ghanmi authoritatively tipped wide for a corner.

As the minutes ticked by, Kanzari's men grew into the game. Azouni stood out with a moment of brilliance in the 19th minute: a controlled turn followed by an instant shot that Ghanmi once again brilliantly saved. It was déjà vu in the 23rd minute when a Hamrouni missile was narrowly pushed away by the ASK goalkeeper, who was clearly in fine form despite the unfolding events.

The Blood and Gold's dominance eventually paid off. In the 28th minute, Hamrouni played in Derbali, who intelligently let the ball run for Azouni. The latter unleashed a crisp and precise strike that finally beat Ghanmi: 1-0.

The deadlock broken, Espérance began to play with fluency. In the 32nd minute, Ben Ali threaded a ball behind the defense for Jabri, whose looping finish found the net: 2-0. Then, in the 41st minute, Jebali weaved through the Kasserine defense with composure and teed up Jabri again, who was well-placed to grab his second: 3-0.

At halftime, the outcome of the match already seemed decided. Espérance, focused but not excessive, comfortably controlled proceedings.

After the break, Hamrouni tried his luck early on, but his shot didn't trouble Ghanmi this time. Two minutes later, the Espérance machine restarted at full throttle. From a pinpoint cross by Bouzaïène, Azouni rose at the near post to head home an unstoppable effort: 4-0 (52nd minute). Barely a moment later, Wajdi Issaoui, also set up by Bouzaïène, fired a powerful shot into the back of the net: 5-0 (53rd minute). In the space of a minute, the score ballooned, and the spectacle continued.

At the hour mark, both managers made a series of substitutions, confirming that the result was beyond doubt. A sixth goal by Koudhaï was disallowed in the 69th minute for a somewhat soft foul on the opposing goalkeeper.

The final quarter of an hour was more about game management and caution. Kasserine, sitting deep, tried to limit the damage. Espérance, meanwhile, circulated the ball without seeking to humiliate their opponents. In the 85th minute, Bouzaïène almost scored with a header from a Bouchniba cross. But it was ultimately Derbali who completed the scoring in the 86th minute, heading home a superb cross from Maâcha: 6-0.

The match ended on a slightly sour note with the sending-off of Nidhal Dalhoumi (89th minute) for a rash challenge on Issaoui.

With this emphatic victory, Espérance confidently secured their place in the round of 16, where they will face CS Hammam-Lif in about ten days. In the meantime, the coaching staff can be pleased with the excellent performance of their players, who combined seriousness, efficiency, and entertainment despite the challenging weather conditions.

Well done to all, and may the Cup journey continue!

EST Lineup: Memmiche, Ben Ali (Bouchniba 59'), Ben Mohamed (Bouzaïène 46'), Koudhaï, Ben Hamida(c) (Guennichi 59'), Azouni, Jebali (Maâcha 46'), Derbali, Hamrouni, Mouhli, and Jabri (Issaoui 46').