Club World Cup 2025: The winners and losers from Esperance against Flamengo

Espérance de Tunis fell 2-0 to Flamengo in their opening match of the 2025 Club World Cup.

Paralyzed by the stakes, the “Blood and Gold” completely missed the mark in the first half, before putting on a much-improved display after the break.

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Here are the winners and losers from Esperance de Tunis in their Club World Cup opener against Flamengo.

Yassine Meriah and Onuche Ogbelu stand out from the rest

Returning to competition after a lengthy layoff, the “Carthage Eagles” captain was nearly flawless against the Brazilian giants. The former Olympiacos man brought much-needed stability to Esperance’s backline with his athleticism and technical ability. Meanwhile, the Nigerian midfielder proved invaluable with his relentless work rate and sharp tactical awareness.

Sassi and Rodrigues underwhelm

The two Brazilians failed to make an impact against their compatriots. Sassi was virtually invisible down the right flank, while Rodrigues couldn’t trouble the opposition’s defense.

Imed Ben Amara |

Editorar, fr

Imed Ben Amara - bilingual sports writer and web editor with experience in football content creation. Since 2021, he has contributed to Foot Africa, providing news coverage and analysis.