Ligue 1 – 23rd Matchday Preview (Sunday, 7 March 2026)
1. Club Africain (Bab Jedid) vs US Ben Guerdane
Venue: US Ben Guerdane (11th place)
Club Africain heads into a crucial away fixture against US Ben Guerdane as the Tunisian champions look to keep pressure on title‑rivals Espérance de Tunis.
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What’s at stake?
- CA Bab Jedid wants to extend its winning streak to three matches and stay in the title race.
- US Ben Guerdane hopes to use home advantage and its passionate supporters to snap a run of poor results.
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Key absences:
- Firas Chaouat, the league’s top scorer (12 goals), is suspended after accumulating yellow cards.
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Defensive strength:
- Despite Chaouat’s loss, Club Africain boasts a rock‑solid back line that has conceded only one goal in the last ten games (the lone goal came away at CS Sfaxien).
- The central trio Hamza Ben Abda, Taoufik Cherifi, and Yassine Bouabid have kept the defence tight, even after the winter‑transfer departure of Libyan defender Ali Youssef to FC Nantes.
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Recent head‑to‑head:
- Since a 1‑0 win on 13 January 2023, US Ben Guerdane have failed to beat Club Africain in nine straight meetings (5 defeats, 4 draws).
- The “Sudistes” will be eager to break this negative streak and earn a much‑needed boost.
2. Stade Tunisien (Bardo) vs Étoile du Sahel
Venue: Stade Enneifer, Bardo (Stade Tunisien 4th, 41 pts; Étoile du Sahel 6th, 33 pts)
A classic showdown pits Stade Tunisien against Étoile du Sahel.
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Stade Tunisien’s situation:
- Recently penalised by the Ligue Nationale de Football Professionnel for fielding five foreign players against O. Béja (21st matchday). The sanction stripped the club of three points, dropping them to fourth place.
- Apart from this setback, the team remains unbeaten at home this season (7 wins, 3 draws).
- Defensively, they share the best‑conceded‑goals record with Espérance, allowing only seven goals so far.
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Étoile du Sahel’s momentum:
- Riding a three‑match winning run, the club enters the game with high morale.
- Goalkeeper Sabri Ben Hassan and his teammates are looking to continue their climb up the table.
3. JS Kairouan vs CA Bizertin
Venue: Stade Hamda Laouani (JS Kairouan 13th, 21 pts; CA Bizertin 11th, 25 pts)
Both sides are fighting to stay clear of the relegation zone.
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JS Kairouan’s challenges:
- Only one point collected from the last two fixtures (a home loss to Étoile du Sahel and an away draw with ES de Zarzis).
- Currently possess the most porous defence in the league, having conceded 33 goals.
- Will rely on Malian striker Abdoulaye Kanou, who has netted five times this season, to find the back of the net.
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CA Bizertin’s objectives:
- Aim to avoid defeat and preserve the four‑point gap over JS Kairouan.
- Their defence has been impeccable over the last three matchdays, keeping clean sheets.
- Looking to secure an away win, which has eluded them since the league’s fifth round.
📖 Further Reading
Ligue 1 – 23rd Matchday – Advanced Fixtures: L’ASS Keeps Hope Alive
Keywords: Ligue 1, Club Africain, US Ben Guerdane, Stade Tunisien, Étoile du Sahel, JS Kairouan, CA Bizertin, match preview, 2026 Tunisian football, title race, relegation battle.
