Esperance coach: Right tactics helped us eliminate Mazembe

by Graeme Jackson

Monday May 06, 2019. 12:00

Esperance de Tunis coach Moine Chaabani has praised his team’s discipline and implementation of tactics after eliminating TP Mazembe in the semifinals of the CAF Champions League.

The Tunisian giants held the DR Congo side to a 0-0 draw in the return leg of their semifinal clash in Lubumbashi this past weekend, securing a narrow 1-0 aggregate triumph.

This sees the competition title holders advance into the final, where they will come up against Morocco’s Wydad Casablanca (who defeated South African side Mamelodi Sundowns 2-1 on aggregate).

"The team prepared well for this match and thoroughly studied their opponent's strengths, which allowed us to to put the proper tactics of play that saved us from conceding goals,” explained Chaabani after the clash.

"We managed the match and made the necessary changes at the right time by including Mohamed Ali Yacoubi and Junior Lokosa to strengthen the defence," he added.

Regarding the final against Wydad, Chaabani said: "The match will be a football party between two prestigious North African teams, and a face-to-face meeting with their coach, Faouzi Benzarti, with whom I worked and I maintain good relations.”

He added, "I hope that the match will live up to its promise and I congratulate Benzarti for qualifying with his team in the final.”

Esperance and Wydad will meet over two legs later this month, the provisional dates are 24 and 31 May.