Tunisia Ligue 1: Espérance settles for a point at home

After finishing as winners of Group D in the CAF Champions League last weekend, Tunisian giants Espérance ST returned to domestic league play in disappointing fashion with Wednesday’s 1-1 draw against Olympique Béja.

EST coach Laurențiu Reghecampf attempted to rotate his squad on Wednesday but the Romanian tactician was left disappointed by a sluggish performance. After an uneventful first half, OB seized the lead in stoppage time when Bahaa Cherni headed in from a free kick.

Reghecampf made a statement by introducing four substitutions at halftime but hosts EST struggled to get back into the match. It was a fourth substitute, 17-year-old starlet Koussay Maacha, who found the long-awaited equalizer in the 69th minute. One of the halftime changes, Elias Mokwana, dashed down the left wing to send in a cross that found Maacha for a powerful header.

The goal did not spark a resurgence for EST. The Blood and Gold created some danger for the OB defense but outside of a couple of weak penalty claims, the visitors held out for a point without too much trouble. EST are seven points back of Stade Tunisien with two less matches played than the league leaders.

In the other match played on Wednesday, CS Sfaxien came back to earn a point in their 1-1 draw at CA Bizertin. Hazem Haj Hassen scored in the final moments to salvage a result for CSS who were previously on a three-match losing streak in Ligue 1 matches.

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