Esperance Tunis claimed their first victory at the FIFA Club World Cup with a 1-0 win over LAFC, marking the first win for an Arab team in the tournament so far.
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In a historic night for the Tunisian side, Esperance secured only their second ever win in Club World Cup history, almost six years after beating Qatari side Al Sadd in 2019. The victory also represented Africa’s second in this edition after Mamelodi Sundowns’ earlier triumph over Ulsan Hyundai.
Esperance started strong, with Belaili testing Hugo Lloris early in the 4th minute, followed by a Rodrigo Rodriguez strike minutes later.
Olivier Giroud found the net in the 15th minute, but the goal was chalked off for offside. Both sides continued to trade chances, with the standout moment of the first half arriving when VAR overturned a penalty initially awarded to Belaili, instead booking the Algerian for simulation.
Belaili would eventually have the last word, firing home in the 72nd minute to break the deadlock.
LAFC pushed for an equalizer and were handed a golden chance deep into stoppage time after being awarded a penalty in the 99th minute. But Esperance goalkeeper Bechir Ben Said rose to the occasion, saving Denis Bouanga’s effort in the 101st.
The result lifts Esperance to three points, level with Chelsea in Group C. Flamengo lead the group with six points after beating both sides, while LAFC remain bottom without a point.