A Bitter Defeat and a Hard Lesson for Nidhal Khiari and His Team
The defeat at home of the USBG against the CAB, following a goal conceded in the last seconds of extra time (90' + 10), can only be painful and leave a bitter taste. It will leave more than just simple scars, but a deep wound that will take time to heal.
The anger of the "Yellow and Black" fans of Ben Guerdane after this defeat is legitimate, but focusing on a disputed refereeing decision to explain the team's poor performance would only mask the real reasons. One can blame the central referee, Houssem Boulaâres, who cancelled the penalty awarded after an intervention by the VAR chamber referee, Dorsaf Ganouati.
This penalty could have been the decisive factor for Ghazi Abderrazak and his teammates, who failed to find a weakness in the solid and well-organized Bizertine defense in front of goalkeeper Wassim Bougatfa.
Poor Tactical Management
It must be recognized that Nidhal Khiari had a very poor approach to this match, not using his full offensive potential from the start. A five-man defense (Yeken, Touis, Abcha, Harrsbi, and Abserrazak), a four-man midfield (Maâouani, Bida, Abdi, and Amri), and a single attacking point (Hadj Khlifa) in a home match against an opponent still seeking to find its full strength, seems bizarre.
On the substitutes' bench, there were Idriss Mhirsi and Borhane Hakimi, who could have given more weight and verve to the front line, but Nidhal Khiari only called upon them in the second half, when the CAB of Chokri Béjaoui was able to weather the storm. The result was a very average volume of play, few clear scoring opportunities, and a logical scoreline for a team that took too long to get into the game.
This was a gift to the opponent, not only to save the point of a draw but also to believe in a possible victory more than ever within reach. With another opportunity that the Cabistes would not let slip away: a free red card to Idriss Mhirisi, which would reduce his team to ten men at a crucial moment in the match. With another boost that proved fatal.
That of leaving a formidable attacker like Ahmed Amri unmarked and giving him the opportunity to find the path to Lassaâd Hammami's goal when referee Houssem Boulaâres was about to announce the end of the match. A fatal scenario for the Ben Guerdane team, which will be left to regret not putting all its weight into the balance in the first half.
