CAF Champions League: ES Tunis stun JS Kabylie 1-0 to hold quarter finals first leg advantage
ES Tunis defeated Algerian outfit JS Kabylie in the first leg of the CAF Champions League quarter finals on Friday night.
A very intense and nice game could not provide a goal in the first half but a second half strike from Ali Ben Hammouda gave ES Tunis a deserving slim victory in Algeria as the visitors hold quarter finals first leg advantage heading into the return leg in Tunis a week time.
A well played match from Esperance saw the Tunisian side held onto victory from early second half goal.
From a popular opinion, the clash was one of the best games in the CAF Champions League over decades now. The on-the-pitch passion was there from both ends seeing that connect with the passionate fan base at the Stade du 5 Juliet in Algeria though the stadium was not heavily packed.
In attempt of who break the deadlock right from start, both JSK and ES Tunis played very well with some decent transitional plays but Esperance de Tunis were the better side for most parts of the clash. JS Kabylie nearly opened the scores first half midway after Boumechra latched onto Guenina vertical effort but shot-stopper Ben Cherifia produced a stunning effort to save ES Tunis from going down.
Some moments later, ES Tunis broke on the left flank as Elhouni’s low cross across was block before it could fully trouble the home side.
The resilience of both sides continued to grow but JS Kabylie was closely trapped in their own half in attempt to build from the back. ES Tunis’ pressing behind JSK’s box didn’t necessarily give the visitors the advantage in possession. As they could not win ball from their high pressing approach, it only slowed down JSK’s play through the middle.
The eagerness of JSK in early second half was marvelous multiplying in numbers at the back of Esperance box with a final pass finding yellow shirted man who struck over the bar.
So usual of ES Tunis in away games of the CAF Champions League, a side not so likely to lose at the opposing venue, they took the lead in wake of JSK’s dominance.
Esperance’s goal may have come as a huge surprise for JSK, and in two folds. First will be that the Algerian side never expected to concede in their long spell of dominance, and second, the nature in which ES Tunis scored; in a session of quick throw-in that found Mohamed Ali Ben Hammouda ghosting into the box and fired a low curler to the far posts.
Few minutes later, JSK opened ES Tunis defense with a through ball finding Boaulia on the left side who seemed to have a one-on-one situation with Esperance goal-keeper Ben Cherifia but the forward’s delivery was in a place where no JSK player was there to connect.
The intensity reduced for ES Tunis after the goal but JSK pushed for the equalizer. Their attack was blunt to seize down Esperance. JSK fought for a penalty claim after Nechat Djabri’s delivery hit the hands of Esperance player in the box but the referee waved play-on.
In the moment was a corner kick for JSK but Esperance cleared the resultant delivery. Another potential penalty incident at the right edge following a push one JSK attacker was sent in but wasn’t strong enough to win the Algerians a penalty.
JSK nearly equalized in stoppage time when Mustapha Alili dazzled through Esperance’s defense positioning him at a tight angle before firing low at the near posts but Ben Cherifia saved with legs to a corner. That was the last chance JSK could produce the leveler but failed.
Esperance have now won two of the 3 meetings with JSK. ES Tunis will host the Algerian side for the return leg at Stade olympique de Radès in Tunis next weekend.
