In a tightly contested encounter at the Stade Olympique de Rades, Esperance Tunis secured a crucial 1-0 victory over Mamelodi Sundowns in the first leg of their TotalEnergies CAF Champions League semi-final clash on Saturday night.
The decisive moment of the match arrived just before half-time when Brazilian forward Yan Sasse capitalized on a clever through ball from Rodrigo Rodrigues.
Sasse skillfully rounded Sundowns’ goalkeeper, Ronwen Williams, before calmly slotting the ball into an empty net, giving Esperance the lead they would hold onto.
Despite Sundowns’ efforts to find an equalizer in the second half, the Tunisian side’s defense held firm, denying the South African outfit any breakthroughs. Sasse had an opportunity to extend Esperance’s lead in the 63rd minute but hesitated at a crucial moment, missing a chance to double the advantage.
Sundowns, determined to level the score, thought they had found the back of the net midway through the first half through Aubrey Modiba, only for the goal to be disallowed for offside.
After the break, Sundowns continued to push forward with Peter Shalulile and Themba Zwane both coming close to scoring. However, Esperance’s goalkeeper, Amanallah Memmich, produced a brilliant save to deny Zwane’s fierce drive, keeping the Tunisian side in the lead.
As the match drew to a close, Memmich was called into action once again, tipping Thapelo Morena’s powerful strike over the bar as Sundowns pressed for an important away goal.
Ultimately, Esperance Tunis, seeking their fifth CAF Champions League title, managed to withstand Sundowns’ attacking efforts and will carry a narrow advantage into the second leg in Pretoria next week.
The outcome sets up an intriguing return fixture, with both teams vying for a spot in the final of Africa’s premier club competition.
PHOTO: CAF Online
