Libyan midfielder, Hamdou Elhouni, has claimed the Tunisian League trophy with Espérance Sportive de Tunis following their 1-1 draw with CS Chebba. The team has won the title for the fourth time in a row, and 30th time overall.
The feat was achieved following a 1-1 draw at home to CS Chebba on Sunday, leaving them 9 points clear of second placed Club Sportif Sfaxien. Since returning from the enforced break caused by COVID-19, Espérance initially struggled, having won just one of their last six matches, and drawn five.
Despite clearly dominating proceedings, the Espérance team was stunned in the 59th minute, when a rapid counter attack was finished by Jilani Abdessalem. However, Algerian defender Abdelkader Badrane, equalized just six minutes later from a corner by teammate Abderraouf Benguit.
A period of sustained pressure followed, but try as they could, Moine Chaabani’s players could not gain the three points. They were able to celebrate their fourth title in a row at the end of the match. Still falling three short of the seven in a row they won, between 1998 and 2004.
Over the past 20 years, the Blood and Gold team has won 14 Tunisian championships, six Tunisian Cups, two Tunisian Super Cups, three African Champions Leagues, and three African Super Cups. Notably, Elhouni joined Tunisian club Espérance Sportive de Tunis in January 2019. He previously played for Primeira Liga club’s Victória Setúbal, Santa Clara, Benfica, Chaves, and Aves.