Two Goals from Bouslama and Aouani Give Etoile Three Precious Points
The page has been turned on the CAF tournament, and it's time to dive back into the joys of the championship.
The Press
A single championship win was all it took to get the Etoile machine rolling again, after a brief moment of uncertainty. ESS secured a precious and well-deserved victory against ASM, following their elimination from the CAF Cup. It seems that the players have been galvanized since the end of their African adventure and are now free from the pressure that was weighing on them.
This is what captain Zied Boughattas wanted to convey, as he returned to action to support his teammates during this difficult phase of the season, mentally speaking. He expressed his relief: "After the disappointment in the CAF Cup, we reacted to get the three points. We sought this victory to reduce the pressure on the team, hoping to progress further in the upcoming matches. We must overcome this critical period and gradually return to form, reducing the pressure. We must all be united."
As a reminder, the victory at the Stade Abdelaziz Chtioui was achieved thanks to the two goals scored by Bouslama, who has been distinguishing himself in every match, and Aouani, who was found to be more energetic and inspired than in his previous failure against Nairobi United last Sunday.
However, this is above all a collective victory, where every player contributed to pulling the team up.
Turning the Page on Africa
As Mohamed Ali Nafkha pointed out, the bitterness of the elimination against the Kenyans is still palpable. But it's time to turn the page on the African campaign, which has undoubtedly brought more problems than solutions to ESS's march.
"We needed these 3 points. Hopefully, this victory will inspire us to win the upcoming matches. We're trying to correct ourselves. This is a very important victory, but it's not enough," he admitted in the mixed zone. The changes made by the Etoile coach were paying off, particularly the incorporation of Bouslama.
For ESS, the stakes were high, with a need to relaunch quickly and gain important places in the standings. Although Etoile is still in the second half of the table, having not beaten any team that surpasses them and still having a long way to go to establish themselves durably at the top of the standings, they have the advantage of having finished with the big teams and the league leaders, maximizing points in the last matches of the first phase, with two shocks that are not so uneven against CSS and ESZ.
That being said, the essential thing to remember is the clear victory. Thanks to these three points snatched away, ESS is moving away from the red zone. Coach Mohamed Ali Nafkha can be satisfied with the performance of his players, who have shown realism and solidity. This needs to be confirmed as soon as possible, against ESM tomorrow.
