Espérance de Tunis Secures First Win of African Champions League Season Amid Group Battles
Espérance de Tunis finally opened their account in the CAF Champions League this season with a hard-fought 2-1 home victory over rivals CS Sfaxien on Sunday. The Tunisian side, coached by Frenchman Sebastien Desabre in his debut following Ruud Krol’s dismissal, showed renewed spirit as they rallied to overturn an early deficit.
CS Sfaxien took the lead through Hannachi, but Espérance responded decisively with goals from Darragi and Mhirsi, securing all three points for the Blood and Gold. Despite the win, Espérance remains bottom of Group B with three points after three matches, highlighting the competitiveness of the group.
Elsewhere in Group B, Entente Sétif confirmed their position at the top of the standings with a 1-1 draw against Al Ahli Benghazi on Saturday, maintaining their unbeaten run and leading the group with five points.
In Group A, TP Mazembe asserted themselves at the summit following a narrow 1-0 victory over Egyptian giants Zamalek. The Congolese club now leads the group with six points. Meanwhile, Al Hilal Omdurman and Vita Club played out a 1-1 draw, leaving both sides closely bunched in the standings.
Current Standings:
Group A
TP Mazembe: 6 points
Vita Club: 4 points
Al Hilal Omdurman: 4 points
Zamalek: 3 points
Group B
Entente Sétif: 5 points
CS Sfaxien: 4 points
Al Ahli Benghazi: 4 points
Espérance de Tunis: 3 points
With the group stages intensifying, Espérance de Tunis will be eager to build on their first win under Desabre’s leadership, while the other contenders battle for qualification to the knockout rounds.
