Stade Tunisien Aims to Validate its Position against OB Béja
The Stade Tunisien remains unbeaten after the 5th round and its impressive performance against the title holder. Now, they must confirm this upward trend, starting this afternoon, against OB Béja. With three wins and two draws in five games, the Bardolais are in good health and boast remarkable statistics, including a well-deserved second place in the standings.
Today, in Béja, against the Cigognes, Chokri Khatoui's team expects strong opposition from the L1's bottom team, which is already under pressure at this stage of the competition. Having lost to the ASS in the previous round, the Béjaois are cornered and forced to validate their position to avoid sinking further.
The ST is well aware of this and will need to take all necessary measures to achieve a third consecutive victory, a performance that would allow Noureddine Farhati's teammates to stay on the heels of the Zarzis leader, or even catch up with them or surpass them in the standings.
Maintaining the Same Team
In football, you don't change a winning team (two consecutive wins against ESM and EST). Therefore, the technical staff will likely opt for continuity, with one or two nuances, considering the intense physical demands of the derby. In defense, the Marouen Sahraoui-Skander Sghaier axis will be retained, while Hedi Khalfa and Aziz Saihi will occupy the right and left flanks for added security.
Notably, three new recruits have secured their place in defense: Farhati, Sghaier, and Saihi. This demonstrates rapid adaptation and, earlier, a judicious choice in the transfer market. Khatoui can also rotate part of his squad against OB to avoid injuries due to a busy schedule. For example, in defense, Khatoui can also count on right-back Iyadh Riahi.
Midfield and Attack
Higher up, in the heart of the game, alongside piston Yusssuf Touré and attacking midfielder Amath Ndaw, Wael Ouerghemi has adequately fulfilled his role as a sentinel against Espérance, even if, in the second half, the coach changed his approach, launching pivot Mahamat Thiam and relay runner Smaali to further densify the midfield.
With a 4-3-3 orientation advocated by Khatoui, the ST has won, if not entirely convinced, against the title holder at Ennaifer. However, with regained efficiency and a productive realism, right winger Youssef Saafi, left winger Amine Khemissi, and striker Amado Ndiaye are set to start the match. During the game, Haboubi can also make a difference by bringing freshness and, above all, the offensive lucidity that was lacking in the Stade's early season. The ST is launched, and it's essential to maintain the dynamics and take the matches with the same determination.
