The Back‑and‑Forth Between EST and CA Continues at the Top of the Table – CSS Holds Firm
La Presse – The 22nd round wrapped up yesterday with matches that mostly involved the league’s front‑runners: the leading EST (Espérance Sportive de Tunis) and its close challenger CA (Club Africain).
No Change at the Summit
In the end, the standings stayed the same: EST remains on top, two points clear of CA after both clubs recorded convincing victories.
- CA demolished ES Métlaoui 5‑0, confirming the attacking surge it has enjoyed since the winter transfer window.
- EST faced a tough away fixture in Béja, where the hosts are fighting to stay up and treat every point as precious.
EST’s Hard‑Earned Win in Béja
The Béja side held out for almost the full first half, but that was largely because Danho’s midfielders looked uninspired and lacked incisiveness.
A powerful strike from Diarra – who has become increasingly important in EST’s setup since his arrival – crossed the line late in the first half, giving the visitors the lead.
In the second half, EST’s superiority was clear:
- Boualia netted twice, including a beautifully curled free‑kick.
- Jabri added another goal, sealing a match that became routine for EST after the break.
The EST‑CA duel for the championship will continue to heat up.
CSS Snags Three Valuable Points
In the third match of the round, CSS (Club Sportif Sfaxien) earned three crucial points despite a narrow win. It wasn’t until the 80th minute that Omar Ben Ali converted the decisive goal for CSS.
Mohamed Kouki’s side still holds a realistic chance of qualifying for a continental spot, pending the outcome of OB’s appeal against ST. CSS sits just two points behind ST.
The Battle at the Bottom Remains Intense
Further down the table, the relegation fight is equally dramatic.
- Who will go down? While ASS and ASG are beginning to lose ground at the lower end, there are still eight clubs separated by a mere ten points, all still in the mix.
It’s a tight, open contest for these teams, whose results are so similar that creating a clear gap is proving difficult.
Keywords: EST vs CA, Tunisian Ligue 1, CSS victory, relegation battle, football standings, transfer window impact, continental qualification.
