25th title for Espérance!

The Blood and Gold win a 25th national title

Espérance de Tunis won their 25th Tunisian champions’ title when they outclassed Club Africain 3-2 on Wednesday, in the 29th and second-last week of the championship.

So the Blood and Gold saw themselves receive a fourth consecutive crown at the end of the match against their great rivals, as they are now too far ahead to be caught by second-placed CA Bizertin at a week before the end of the 2012 edition of the national championship.

Ihab Msakni opened the score for Espérance in the 10th minute, and added a second towards the end of the first half, to give back the lead to the locals after a 15th minute equaliser by Zitouni for Club Africain.

Cameroonian international Yannick N’Djeng complicated matters in the 58th minute, thus sealing the Taraji victory, despite Jaziri’s goal during added time.

Espérance Sportive de Tunis was founded in 1919 under the impetus of Abdelhamid Zaouch and Mohamed Zouaoui, and won its first champions’ title in 1942, before adding 23 more national crowns to its name since the country’s independence in 1956, which makes them the most titled team of the country by far.

On the continental scene, Bab Souika’s club has won a CAF Super Cup (1995), a Confederation Cup (1997), an African Cup Winners’ Cup (1998) and two Champions Leagues (1994 and 2011).

Coach Nabil Maâloul’s protégés can now concentrate on their Champions League semi-final against TP Mazembe of which the first leg will take place on Sunday 7 October in Lubumbashi.