Dominant Most of the Time Against ASM, ST Quickly Broke the Banlieue Lock Before Managing with Mastery
The Press — Receiving the promoted Marsa team at Hedi Ennaïfer, Stade Tunisien acquired the score at halftime thanks to a realization by new recruit Aziz Saïhi, the neo-lateral of the Bardolais. And now, the Stade Tunisien leader has a length advantage over its Zarzisian runner-up. Enough to savor what has been accomplished recently while waiting to confirm the Stade Tunisien's rise in power, in C3, this Saturday, in the test of the AS Snim of Mauritania at the Nouadhibou stadium, and then next Wednesday, in the revelation of the Etoile Sportive du Sahel at the Olimpico de Sousse.
Effective and Incisive Victory
Effective and incisive, even if the victory is narrow, ST validated against ASM, signing its 5th success of the season while remaining unbeaten so far. Clearly, at Bardo, in terms of possession and control, with authority, Stade made short work of ASM. Unlike the Marsa team, who were visibly not yet at their best, Stade perfectly managed their encounter and especially made their task easier by opening the score very early.
Ideal Start
It was an ideal start that dictated the physiognomy of the match. The "hunt" lasted about six minutes, the time to touch the goal and force the visitors to change their strategy to make up for their delay. It was almost enough for Stade to increase the score on a lightning counter-attack in the first half. Then, subsequently, the locals alternated between verticality, placed attacks, and even direct play at times. As a result, upon returning from the locker rooms, the scenario resumed without a hitch with Stade mastering the ball, inspired in depth without making the nets tremble again.
Need for Rotation
What approach was advocated by Chokri Khatoui, and which players were used against ASM? There were no notable changes in defense with Sghaïer and Sahraoui in the axis alongside Aziz Saïhi on the left flank, except for Iyadh Riahi who replaced Hedi Khalfa on the right side. In midfield, however, the technical staff gave Touré and Ouerghemi a break, starting Amath Ndaw, Mahamat Thiam, and Rayan Smaâli instead. This meant a return to 4-3-3 and the abandonment of the 4-2-3-1 adopted against AS Snim recently.
Attack and Rotation
In attack, finally, the need for rotation also dictated Khatoui's choices, who started Firas Aifia, Amanallah Haboubi, and Moncef Gharbi, leaving players like Saâfi and Ndiaye in reserve. These choices were fruitful, and the overall production says a lot about the Stade Tunisien's potential. Now, it's time for the preparations for the Stade Tunisien expedition to the Mauritanian peninsula of Nouâdhibou.
