The Tunisia Cup is entering its area of truth this weekend with two semi-finals that have everything of the trap for the two ogres of national football. The Tunisian stadium, holding the title, and the Hope of Tunis, freshly crowned Champion of Ligue 1, will have to get out of two trips as dangerous as they are uncertain, in Monastir and Ben Guerdane.
In Monastir, ambition flirts with legitimacy. Second in the championship, qualified for the Champions League, the USM of Faouzi Benzarti dreams of adding a cup final to its already historic season. On her favorite lawn of Ben Jannet, where she did not tremble once this season, the team put on an iron defense (1 goal conceded in the cup) and a Harzi – Mastouri duo in full success to bring down a tough Tunisian stadium.
The Tunisian stadium is advancing covered. Less flamboyant, but devilishly effective, the Bardo club has kept its invited cage throughout its career. A defensive solidity coupled with the experience of a united group, led by executives like Hellal or Ayadi, well supported by an international environment (Mugisha, Touré, Ndao). It is a team that knows the recipe for major meetings.
Sunday in Ben Guerdane, Hope arrives with its favorite habit … but beware of the double game syndrome. Because if the “blood and gold” display an attack on fire (13 goals in 3 games), the memory of 2017 still hovers: that year, US Ben Guardane had released them at this same stage of the competition.
Invigorated by the maintenance acquired and carried by the energy found under the leadership of Afouane Gharbi, the USBG proved that it knew how to suffer, fight and punish. Two qualifications on penalties and a wrestled victory against the CSS are enough to recall that this team has the trunk. Iyed Beloufi, in a point, embodies this aggressiveness and will carry the hopes of a boiling stadium.
Between pressure giants and challengers in full ascent, these semi-finals have everything of a turning point. Will the big displacements pass the obstacle or will we witness a new dramatic stroke in a cup that is always unpredictable? Response on the ground.
PROGRAM
Saturday May 24 (3.30 p.m.)
US Monastirian – Tunisian stadium (Watania 1, Al Kass 4)
Central referee: Houssem Boulaares
Assistant referees: Jamel Dorai and Wassim Hannachi
Replacement referee: Montassar Belarbi
Var referees: oussema ben ishak and fayçal mannai
Sunday May 25 (3.30 p.m.)
US Ben Guerdane – Hope St (Watania 1, Al Kass 4)
Central referee: Fraj Abdellaoui
Assistant referees: Khalil Hassani and Ahmed Dhouioui
Replacement referee: Mohamed Ali Karouia
Var referees: Naim Hosni and Wael Hannachi
