Esperance defeat Wydad Casablanca at home

2009-05-11

Although WAC lost the game, the team is optimistic. In their next game with EST later this month, they believe they have a chance. EST fans disagree.

By Naoufel Cherkaoui for Magharebia in Rabat – 11/05/09

[Naoufel Cherkaoui] Esperance coach Faouzi Benzarti was restless throughout Saturday's Arab Champions League final against Wydad.

Moroccan football fans suffered a defeat at home on Saturday (May 9th), when Tunisia's Esperance beat Wydad Casablanca 1-0 before 60,000 fans in the first leg of the Arab Champions League finals.

Wydad didn't play up to their usual level, with their performance wavering despite a solid defensive deployment on the pitch. The home loss will make the second-leg match much tougher for the Moroccans.

Esperance maintained the upper hand throughout most of the game, which helped them to launch several attacks. After several missed chances, Michael Eneramo fired in the lone goal in the 30th minute when key Wydad defender Hicham Louissi failed to keep control of the ball.

Eneramo seized the opportunity and manoeuvred around his opponent to score, shocking the assembled crowd in Casablanca.

Wydad came close on more than one occasion to changing the results in their favour. The closest attempt came at the start of the second half, when a shot from striker Hicham Jouiaa struck the post and went wide.

Jouiaa tried again minutes later, and was joined by Mustapha Bidodane, but Esperance defender Hicham Shamam cleared both attempts.

"Esperance are a key team who took advantage of our mediocre performance," said Wydad coach Badou Zaki. "Our team, too, offered many easy opportunities. We had to lose because our defensive errors were indeed grave... we handed victory to Esperance on a silver platter."

Zaki was still hopeful about his team's championship chances, however. "I assure everyone that the chance is still standing. We should beat them on their turf, just as they did on ours. The mission may be a tough one, but is surely not impossible.”

It is hard to watch a favourite team lose, but it's even harder to watch it happen at home, disappointed fans said.

"I am upset about the poor level of Wydad," said Hicham. "The coach should have made the changes earlier. Menkari gave a good performance, though."

Esperance returned home to Tunisia on Sunday. In anticipation of the next match on May 21st, coach Faouzi Benzarti said: "We will take our opponents in Radès very seriously. The home encounter is not going to be easy."