ES Sétif ran riot against Constantine in the third round of Ligue 1 on Saturday, seeing off their visitors 5-1 at home. By then the hosts had already shifted momentum with a penalty goal before half-time, and the visitors never really recovered. The result leaves Constantine third in the table after three games, while Sétif move up to seventh with three points.
A. Chikhi opened the scoring early, and here's the thing — it came so soon that Constantine looked rattled. Z. Benchaa missed a chance to double the lead from the spot before R. Boumechra converted his penalty at the 41st minute. The hosts had possession advantage and kept it, but Constantine still managed more attacks overall.
The second half belonged to Benchaa. He found the net twice in quick succession — first at 71 minutes, then again at 76 — and gave Sétif a cushion that looked comfortable. B. Dib picked up a red card at 77 minutes after a second booking, and Constantine were reduced to ten men. By then the game was drifting away from them.
Two more goals in stoppage time ensured there would be no late scare. R. Benayad struck at 90+1, and A. J. Yousef added a sixth for Sétif at 90+6. Constantine could only watch as their visitors put the game to bed early enough to avoid embarrassment. The hosts had nothing to do all evening after the red card.
Statistics tell a mixed story. Sétif enjoyed 56 per cent possession and registered five shots on target, but Constantine managed more total attacks despite playing with ten men for the final thirteen minutes. The visitors took three corners to the hosts' three, and there were five yellow cards between them — constantine's B. Dib among them.
The result changes the complexion of the early table. Constantine sit fifth with four points from one win, one draw and one defeat. Sétif, by contrast, have one victory from three games and now look like they could build something this season. Cup football has its own rules, but this is a league campaign — and the hosts showed they should have too much for most opposition.
