Weekly Sports Roundup: Tunisia's Esperance Routs Kaizer Chiefs in Africa's Champions League
2005-04-12
The last elimination round of the African Champions League tournament took place 9-10 April. Experts around the continent were most focused on the showdown between African club giants Esperance of Tunisia and South Africa's Kaizer Chiefs.
 [File] Esperance moves downfield |
The two teams are symbolic of the continent's new wave in football and are extremely popular beyond the boundaries of their respective countries. Both clubs serve as role models for many African clubs in terms of developing young talent and top quality facilities.
Esperance and the Kaizer Chiefs are generally considered on par with Europe's best clubs. The fact is reflected in the players' earnings, which are very competitive even with high-end European clubs.
The dominating force in Tunisian football, Esperance has won seven consecutive national titles. The club has also played six times in the quarterfinals of the African Champions League. The Kaizer Chiefs' record in continental events is much less illustrious, probably because it did not compete until fairly recently. The club did win the African Cup Winner's Cup in 2001.
The showdown between the two giants offered viewers plenty of thrills, ending in a highly unexpected 4-0 victory for Esperance. The first 20 minutes of the game already saw the Tunisians taking a 3-0 lead, with penalty shot goals coming from both Kamel Zaiem and Brazilian Pereira dos Santos. Jaouhar Mnari made the score 4-0 in the 82nd minute. Esperance has practically ensured itself a berth in the next stage of the tournament.
The second round of the African Champions League matches will be played on 22-24 April. The eight winners will form two groups in the final phase of the tournament. They will also split a purse of around $3m from television broadcasts and advertising revenue. The teams that do not make it to the finals will join the African Confederation (CAF) Cup tournament.
 [File] FIFA President Joseph Blatter |
FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter, FIFA and CAF Executive Committee member Amadou Diakité of Mali and FIFA Secretary-General Jérôme Champagne are continuing their tour of Africa with visits to Chad, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Rwanda. They are promoting FIFA's Goal Programme, which is aimed at helping the development of football and the building of facilities around the world.
African players featured prominently in the French championship last week. Leader Lyon, which fielded a substitute-laden team, had to settle for a draw in its away match with Nantes. Pierre-Alan Frau opened the scoring for Lyon in the 36th minute, but Mauro Cetto tied the score near the end of the first half. In the 64th minute, Mamadou Diallo of Mali fooled the Lyon defence by letting a ball pass by him to reach his countryman M. Bagayoko for a goal. Frau tied the score with seven minutes left in the game.
Istres gained three points by beating Sochaux 2-0 at home, with one of the goals being scored by Ivorian Ibrahima Bakayoko. Mamadou Niang of Senegal hammered in the only goal in Strasbourg's narrow victory over Marseille.
Europe's most interesting game last weekend took place at Madrid's Santiago Bernabeu Stadium where Real routed Barcelona 4-2. The Catalonian side now has a six-point lead over its archrival in the overall standings. Unfortunately, its joy may be tempered by Samuel Eto'o suffering a right knee injury that may keep him out three to eight weeks.
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ahmed Posted 2007-03-30
Esperance is a state in itself.
أمير Posted 2007-04-11
I ask the staff of the site to send me (via my email) all the news about the Esperance of Tunisia and all information about it, hope you'll do that
رضـــــــــــــــــا Posted 2007-05-16
Only Esperance.
salem Posted 2007-09-03
We love Esperance and will give my life for its sake...
bassem Posted 2007-09-06
Esperance is my life.
مختار الطرابلسي Posted 2007-10-15
Esperance oh State of ......
غاني Posted 2007-11-26
I love you to death, Esperance.
رضوان Posted 2007-12-09
I love Esperance and will sacrifice my life for it. I'll never forget it, the red, yellow, the high.
hammoudaamri Posted 2007-12-21
Why doesn't Esperance become again as it used to be. They should form a strong team capable of beating Etoile or namely Africaine which we beat and as they say they surpass us.
HELA Posted 2008-01-04
Esperance is my love and fairness.
esperentist Posted 2008-01-10
I love Esperance and will sacrifice my life for it. I will never forget it. Red and yellow cards cause us inuries, oh Lord grant us success in our play with the fans of Al Aattara.
mohame ben sidhom Posted 2008-01-16
I hope that you will bring Fakhereddine Kalbi who plays in Mounastir to reinforce the forward line of the red and yellow.
mnasri ragheb Posted 2008-02-17
Esperance is my entire life, my liiiiiiiiiiiiife!
باسم مبارك Posted 2008-05-11
Esperance is an old team which has accumulated many titles. But this season, the performance of the team has declined relatively. What is the cause?
agglotfi Posted 2008-05-16
Tunisia's Esperance won’t be defeated by Etoile du Sahel because Sahel is arrogant with its victory while Esperance deserves more and merits victory because it is ambitious and has weight in changing the direction of the league.
belgacem Posted 2008-07-01
Esperance is a great and old team. Even if time passes, it will be victorious and unbeatable. God willing, it will defeat Etoile.
bougassas abdellatif Posted 2008-07-18
Esperance is a veteran Tunisian team. It has a wide reputation in the Arab World and in the African Continent. I love this association so much, to the point that I follow its news from Algeria. I share their joys and sorrows. I wish success to them and all Tunisian teams.
الياس البريني Posted 25 days ago
We love Esperance to death.
DHEKRA Posted 3 days ago
Long live Esperance, Esperance oh country, oh games, oh Esperance, it will be nice, God willing.
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