Jendouba Sport has taken control of Group A in Ligue 2 after securing a 2-0 victory over ES Rades on Sunday in a decisive 17th-round fixture.
Late goals from Riadh Dridi (88’) and Chadi Mehamedi (90+1’) ensured the team moved to the top of the standings, surpassing CS Korba.
A hard-fought battle
The match at Jendouba Stadium was a tense affair, with both teams missing opportunities to take the lead.
The first major turning point came in the 30th minute when Bilel Aoun of Jendouba Sport missed a penalty, failing to capitalize on an early chance.
ES Rades had an opportunity to respond just before halftime, but Halim Darragi’s penalty (45+5’) was also squandered, leaving both sides scoreless at the break.
The game remained evenly poised until the closing stages, when Riadh Dridi broke the deadlock in the 88th minute, giving the hosts a much-needed advantage.
Just minutes later, Chadi Mehamedi sealed the win with a goal in added time, sending Jendouba Sport to the top of the table with 34 points from 17 matches.
Other key matches and results
Elsewhere in Group A, AS Oued Ellil and ES Hammam Sousse played out a goalless draw, while CS Msaken and AS Ariana also ended their contest without a goal.
Kalaa Sport delivered an impressive 3-1 victory over EM Mahdia, with Louay Araki scoring twice (61’ and 86’) after Rami Trabelsi had given them the lead from a penalty (44’). Mahdia’s Oussema Mallat managed a late consolation goal (90’) but had earlier missed a penalty in the 88th minute, adding to his team’s frustrations.
Malek Triki of Kalaa Sport also had a first-half penalty attempt denied by the post (13’), highlighting a match filled with missed opportunities.
Updated Ligue 2 Group A standings
- Jendouba Sport – 34 pts (17 matches)
- CS Korba – 32 pts (17 matches)
- Mégrine Sport – 31 pts (17 matches)
- AS Marsa – 30 pts (17 matches)
- ES Hammam Sousse – 27 pts (17 matches)
- AS Ariana – 27 pts (17 matches)
- EM Mahdia – 24 pts (17 matches)
- Kalaa Sport – 23 pts (17 matches)
- CS Msaken – 21 pts (17 matches)
- SC Moknine – 17 pts (17 matches)
- CS Hammam-Lif – 16 pts (17 matches)
- SA Menzel Bourguiba – 14 pts (17 matches)
- AS Oued Ellil – 12 pts (17 matches)
- ES Rades – 6 pts (17 matches)
Looking ahead
Jendouba Sport now holds a slim two-point lead over CS Korba, with Mégrine Sport and AS Marsa also in close pursuit.
The race for promotion remains highly competitive as the league approaches its final rounds.
Meanwhile, ES Rades remains rooted at the bottom of the table with just six points, facing an uphill battle to avoid relegation.
As the title race and relegation battle intensify, the upcoming fixtures promise to bring even more drama to Ligue 2.
