C1 – First round leg (400 PM in Rades) – USM‑EAST END LIONS FC (SIERRA LEONE) In the skin of a favorite

Posted by Llama 3.3 70b on 21 September 2025

The Blues to Take on East End Lions at Radès with a Full Slate of Players

The Press — Nothing is more stimulating than starting a continental campaign after a beautiful win in Ligue 1. USM has therefore defeated ESZ at home just before switching to Champions League mode. And today, against East End Lions at Radès, Montassar Louhichi's team must necessarily validate their chances in anticipation of the return leg in Sierra Leone.

This afternoon, the Blues will take to the field with almost all their assets, knowing that striker Youssef Abdelli, injured in Zarzis, will be absent. To replace him in the USM attack, the staff is counting on the star recruit, Brahim Souissi, who joined the Monastirian team this summer.

In football, you don't usually change a winning team. And with that in mind, Louhichi will be counting on the same players who emerged victorious from the duel against ES Zarzis. The expected starting lineup includes:

  • Abdessalam Hlaoui in goal
  • The pair Fabrice Zeguei-Raed Chikhaoui in the axis
  • Youssef Herch on the left flank and Rayan Azouz on the right side
  • Osmane Diane and Yassine Dridi as midfielders
  • Moez Haj Ali to serve the game
  • Aymen Harzi on the left wing and Yassine Amri on the opposite wing
  • Souissi as the striker

This is the expected starting lineup, a composition that "wins approval" while awaiting the truth of the field. Of course, depending on the twists and turns of the match, the technical staff is not short of resources, with axial Dhiaeddine Jouini, left-back Seif Saber, Ivorian pivot Alpha Stéphane Sidibé, and left winger and former Béjaois Aziz Abid available to respond to any urgent situation.

Other News from the Club

Meanwhile, regarding the offensive compartment, Malian Ibrahim Gadiaga and Algerian Samy Bouali are not yet qualified, while midfielder Chaim Jebali is still in a period of muscular reinforcement awaiting integration into group training.

As for the resumption of activities, new recruits, and outgoing players, axial Malek Miladi and lateral Mahmoud Ghorbal have rejoined the group of players. Young midfielder Anes Kordi (ex-Hanovre) has opted for the Blues after an unsuccessful test at CA. Pivot Mustapha Samb has been loaned to USBG, and the contract of Nigerian striker Victor Musa, a transfer from AS Soliman, has been terminated amicably. Now it's time to focus on hosting the Sierra Leonean representative in the C1 preliminary round, hoping that the planets will align for the Blues.