Étoile du Zarzis claimed their 1st victory of the season with a narrow 1-0 success over Olympique Béja in the opening fixture of Ligue 1. The match remained tense until the dying moments, when H. Labidi stepped in to settle the contest. It was a gritty result for the hosts, who had struggled to break down a resilient defence. To be fair, the visitors made it difficult for themselves by holding onto possession without creating much.
The early stages saw discipline tested as R. Hammami picked up a booking at 12'. By the 20' mark, the pattern was set, with Zarzis controlling the space. He was replaced shortly after, with the change coming at 28'. By then, the hosts were already pinning the visitors back with their passing game.
Opportunities for Béja were few and far between, though P. Diuof did manage to pick up a yellow card at 56'. That same period saw M. Marzouki brought on for Zarzis. A. Oluwaseun followed at 61', adding fresh legs to the midfield. The visitors were left flat-footed as the hosts increased the pressure.
The decisive moment arrived at 90+8', with Labidi finding the net. It was a moment of clarity in a game defined by caution.
The statistics reflected the one-sided nature of the encounter. Zarzis enjoyed 68% possession and launched 102 attacks compared to the visitors' 74. They registered 5 shots on target and 7 off, while Béja managed only 2 on target. The disparity in attacks highlighted the gulf in control between the two teams.
The result lifts Étoile du Zarzis to 8th place with 3 points from 2 games. Olympique Béja remain winless at the bottom of the table, sitting in 15th position with 0 points. It was a harsh start for Béja, who will need to regroup quickly.