In a Flaming Hamadi‑Agrebi Stadium, Faouzi Benzarti’s Team Re‑ignited Their Offensive Firepower, Showcased Impressive Technical Midfield, and Delivered an Impeccable Defense When Called Upon
La Presse — Revenge was boiling in Radès for a hungry Club Africain (CA) after having lost the first leg against Étoile Sportive de Métlaoui. The result did not take long to arrive, with the Clubists firing on all cylinders from the kickoff and sealing the match with a five‑goal advantage on the scoreboard.
Last Sunday, CA seemed to have a message for the competition: Benzarti’s eleven is on the rise, and this will translate on the pitch into a markedly higher output. When a victory is accompanied by a display of that magnitude, one can confidently say the team is well‑positioned to defend its chances all the way to the final whistle.
It was a Sunday afternoon start unlike any other: a lightning‑quick goal from Khadhraoui served as a mouth‑watering appetizer, followed by a frenetic first fifteen minutes of play on both ends, mirroring the intensity of the debates, with a dynamic possession game from the Clubists. In hindsight, even though the “theme” of the match shifted toward correction—CA remained pugnacious and extremely determined—the game was effectively decided by halftime.
But, as rarely seen this season (the only exception being the match against JSO), Benzarti’s players kept pressing the accelerator, piling on goals right up to stoppage time.
A quarter‑hour before the final whistle, Ghaith Zaâlouni rushed to retrieve a ball that had gone out six metres, playing it quickly and sparking a genuine feeling of euphoria in the stands of Radès, never satisfied.
The Depth of the Club’s Bench
In an incandescent Hamadi‑Agrebi stadium, the Clubists left almost nothing to the minnows. Guided by a “tailor‑made” Hamza Khadhraoui, wing‑backs who flew and scored such as Shili and Zaâlouni, a cerebral presence in Aymen Harzi, an attacking recruit who pierced defenses, Oussema Bouguerra—a relentless serial scorer—alongside Firas Chawat (suspended for the next match due to a tally of warnings), always‑alert central players, the Ben Abda‑Bouabid pair, and, above all, a bench with abundant depth.
In football, “who wants to go far must take care of his mount,” and CA can afford to be cautious with these players, not over‑stretching the rope. Facing an ESM defense that completely fell apart, CA flaunted its superiority in an ostentatious fashion. Even so, the tally could have been far saltier.
While it would be unfair to accuse them of inefficiency given the result, the Clubists could easily have padded the score even more. Nevertheless, this one‑sided win gives CA great confidence heading into their away fixture in Ben Guerdane against USBG next Sunday. After regaining fluidity in play, employing a more refined press, and finishing with precision, CA now needs to raise its level of demand when facing an ever‑tough USBG on its home turf.
