Tunis Derby: Esperance lose two key players in Club Africain draw

There were plenty of fireworks but no goals in the latest edition of the Tunis Derby as league leaders Esperance (EST) and Club Africain (CA) played to a stalemate on Sunday in Tunisia’s Ligue 1 Professionnelle.

Esperance remain three points ahead at the top of the table following the result, which ended a fiercely fought battle at the Stade Hammadi Agrebi. However, the Blood and Gold paid a serious cost with Brazilian playmaker Yan Sasse and Algerian attacker Youcef Belaïli forced off in the first half due to injuries, less than two weeks before they begin play in the CAF Champions League group stage.

EST had an excellent opportunity to seize control early in the second half when a handball in the CA penalty area led to a spot kick opportunity. But CA goalkeeper Abdelmouhib Chamakh did excellently to keep out Florian Danho’s shot.

With injuries to two important foreign players and a strong performance from the CA defense led by the efforts of Chamakh and Libyan defender Ali Youssef, the draw appeared to be a fair result. A late surge from CA saw a potential handball appeal in second half stoppage time but it appeared that the late shot attempt was fairly blocked by the EST defense.

Neither club lost ground, with CA remaining second after Stade Tunisien fell 0-1 to US Ben Guerdane in another match from Sunday. ES Metlaoui and ES Zarzis played to a 0-0 draw in the other match of the day.