Esperance clinch Tunisian Cup

Esperance have clinched the Tunisian Cup for the tenth time in their history after a nail-biting win over rivals Club Africain after a 5-4 penalty shootout in the game that ended in a 2-2 draw.

كتب : Amro Hassan

السبت، 13 مايو 2006 - 22:23

Tunis - Mourad El-Teyeb: Esperance have clinched the Tunisian Cup for the tenth time in their history after a nail-biting win over rivals Club Africain after a 5-4 penalty shootout in the game that ended in a 2-2 draw.

Esperance, who won the League last week, are now crowned Tunisian double champions for the fourth time in their history after the 1989, 1991 and 1999 seasons.

Borhane Ghannem scored for Club Africain in the 24th minute to cancel out Mikael Eneramo's early goal, and following the second half kick off Kamel Zaiem took the lead for Esperance with a long range shot before Anis Ayari equalized for Sfaxien in the 72nd minute.

Neither side could break the dead lock in extra-time despite Esperance playing without Mikael Eneramo, to go to the penalty shootout.

Mourad Melki, Kamel Zaiem, Taoufik Hemmami, Obinna Nwaneri and Wissam El Bekri scored for Esperance while Oussama Sellami, Walid Ben Yehia, Chokri Zalaani, Mohamed Ali scored for Sfaxien before Lassaad Ouertani wasted their fifth spot kick.

The cup final, attended by over 50 thousand fans among them the Tunisian president, was refereed by a Swiss official.