CAF CL: "At home, we will be able to qualify," Maher Kanzari

On April 1, 2025, at Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Pretoria, Espérance Sportive de Tunis (EST) suffered a 1-0 defeat against Mamelodi Sundowns in the first leg of the CAF Champions League quarterfinal.

​From the kickoff, ES Tunis employed a defensive approach, ceding initiative to the South Africans. This strategy resulted in a ball possession of less than 25% by the hour mark.

The Sundowns eventually broke through in the 54th minute. On a cross from Lucas Ribeiro, Jayden Adams headed it to Peter Shalulile, who scored with a precise shot. The "Brazilians" secured a 1-0 home victory and took a strong position for the return leg.

Despite this setback, ES Tunis coach Maher Kanzari remains confident in his team's chances of overturning the situation in the return match scheduled for April 8 in Radès. He highlighted his team's tactical performance and expressed his confidence for the return leg.

"We played a very good tactical match. My players were focused. Apart from the goal due to a small error by our defense, Mamelodi Sundowns didn't create any chances. I'm optimistic. We will play the return leg at home in front of our fans. We will be able to qualify for the semifinals. It's within our reach."

The showdown is set for April 8 at the Olympic Stadium in Radès, where EST will attempt to turn the tables against Mamelodi Sundowns FC, who are equally determined to secure their semifinal spot.

Lydiane N'Po |

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Sports journalist specializing in African football, covering football news, exclusive stories and digital content for passionate fans of the game.