A Late Comeback Secures Victory for CSS
The CSS team needed a fierce surge in the last minutes to overturn the momentum in their favor and secure the three points against USBG in a hard-fought match.
A Poor Start to the Match
For the second time, coach Mohamed Kouki and his team had a very poor start to the match, conceding a goal in the first half before managing to rectify the situation and get back on track in the second half. Unlike their previous match against CA, where they managed to snatch a draw, the CSS team succeeded in winning against their hosts, USBG, thanks to two penalties obtained in the final minutes of the match, both converted by specialist Hichem Baccar (80' and 90'+8).
A Narrow Victory
This narrow victory was a huge relief after all the scares and thrills experienced by both the crowd in the stands and the staff on the bench. The team's composition at the start of the match surprised many, as it was expected that the good performance of the Sfaxiens in the second half against Club Africain would have given coach Mohamed Kouki the right solutions for a better offensive animation and indicated the best formulas in midfield and attack.
Questionable Team Composition
However, the duo Amine Aydi-Emmanuel Ogbole was maintained as the team's attacking force, while the duo Willy Onana-Omar Ben Ali was kept on the bench. In midfield, Ammar Tayfour was preferred to Hasamadou Ouédraogo at the defensive midfielder position. The result was a wasted first half with virtually no scoring opportunities and a conceded goal before the team retreated to the locker room.
Half-Time Corrections
Coach Mohamed Kouki was forced to correct his mistakes at half-time by substituting the trio Tayfour-Aydi-Ogbole with Hasamadou, Onana, and Ben Ali. These three substitutions, combined with the replacement of Firas Sakkouhi (too defensive) with Mohamed Absi (creative midfielder), helped to revive the Sfaxiens from their torpor and poor play. The three lines became more compact, the block was advanced to besiege the opponent's area, and a high press was applied, which ultimately paid off with two penalties being awarded.
A Crucial Win
Hichem Baccar's penalties liberated his teammates and saved the CSS from a potential slip-up that would have had negative repercussions on a team still searching for its identity and trying to regain its winning form. The victory was a crucial one, as it helped the CSS team to stay on track and maintain their momentum in the league.
