Etoile Sportive du Sahel claimed a hard-fought 3–2 victory over EO Gafsa in a replayed fixture of the 2024–2025 Tunisian Ligue 1, maintaining their pursuit of the league title.
The result moves Etoile to 57 points—just two behind joint-leaders US Monastir and Espérance Tunis—while Gafsa stay in deep trouble in 15th place with 21 points.
The match was ordered to be replayed by the National Appeals Committee of the Tunisian Football Federation after the original December fixture, which ended 1–1, was nullified due to a case involving Gafsa’s player Kaly Bangoura.
The decision gave both clubs another shot at three valuable points in their respective battles at opposite ends of the table.
Both clubs approached the rescheduled tie with attacking intent.
Gafsa earned an early penalty, but Anouar Jouini squandered the opportunity in the 13th minute.
Etoile responded with pressure of their own, as Firas Chaouat missed a close-range chance minutes later.
The game’s dynamic shifted significantly in the 33rd minute when Gafsa defender Seddik Al-Majri received a straight red card, leaving the hosts with ten men.
Etoile capitalised swiftly, with Ghufran Al-Mawali curling home a free-kick just two minutes later to open the scoring.
Despite their numerical disadvantage, Gafsa pressed forward early in the second half but failed to convert key chances.
Ali Ajmi missed an open goal, and Etoile responded clinically. Raqi Al-Awani doubled their lead in the 56th minute, and Chaouat made it 3–0 eleven minutes later.
To their credit, Gafsa mounted a late surge. Amir Al-Omrani struck in the 78th minute to pull one back, and in stoppage time, Haitham Mubarak converted a penalty to reduce the deficit to a single goal.
But Etoile held firm in the final moments to secure three crucial points in a fiercely contested encounter. The result keeps the title race alive and intensifies the pressure at the bottom end of the table.
