BIZERTE, Tunisia (Interstat) — CA Bizertin used a 12th-minute opener and a decisive second-half strike to secure a 3-1 home victory over ES Hammam Sousse at Stade du 15 Octobre, keeping the visitors winless in the competition. The home side led early through Wassim Chihi, absorbed an equalizer from Amine Jarraya Mohamed and reclaimed control when Wahid Timi scored in the 47th minute. Alaeddine Dridi also scored for CA Bizertin as the home side finished with three goals and handed ES Hammam Sousse its third loss in the competition.

Chihi put CA Bizertin ahead in the 12th minute, finishing a move that gave the home side the earliest lead of the match. ES Hammam Sousse settled after conceding and found its response in the 32nd minute when Jarraya Mohamed scored. The equalizer briefly changed the match’s shape, but CA Bizertin regained the advantage early in the second half when Timi struck in the 47th minute. Dridi was also credited with a goal for CA Bizertin, and his contribution helped the home side complete a three-goal performance. Jarraya Mohamed’s goal was the only scoring for ES Hammam Sousse, which could not find a second equalizer after the break. CA Bizertin’s ability to answer around halftime proved central to the result, with Chihi and Timi both finding the net before they were replaced in the 69th minute. Chihi and Timi each played 69 minutes and scored, while Dridi and Jarraya Mohamed were on the field for the entire match and scored for their respective sides. ES Hammam Sousse pressed for another goal after Timi’s strike but could not break through before the closing stages.

The match grew more physical after the break. ES Hammam Sousse’s O. Tenguiano was booked in the 39th minute. CA Bizertin received a yellow card in the 77th, and M. Doukali was booked in the 86th. N. El Beji was sent off in the 90th minute for ES Hammam Sousse, leaving the visitors to finish with 10 players. CA Bizertin made a halftime substitution with M. Traore and another in the 53rd minute with R. Rehimi. ES Hammam Sousse turned to its bench in the 56th minute with R. Ouni and T. Ben Zitoun, in the 64th with Figo and A. Hssine, and in the 84th with I. Houli. CA Bizertin withdrew Timi and Chihi in the 69th minute and brought on O. Faty in the 87th. The late changes helped CA Bizertin protect its advantage while ES Hammam Sousse pushed for a response that did not come before the final whistle. The bookings added to the match’s tension after the interval.

The result left ES Hammam Sousse at 0-3 in the competition and 0-3 across all competitions. CA Bizertin moved to 1-0-1 in the competition and 1-0-1 overall. ES Hammam Sousse had entered after losses to Ben Guerdane and Zarzis, while CA Bizertin had opened with a draw against US Monastir. CA Bizertin’s win came after it had been held scoreless in its previous competition match, and the home side converted its chances at key moments around the interval. The victory gave CA Bizertin its first win of the young campaign and extended ES Hammam Sousse’s difficult start. ES Hammam Sousse, meanwhile, remained without a win in three competition matches and three overall matches.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of ES Hammam Sousse 1, CA Bizertin 0. Interstat’s ELO system had given CA Bizertin a 67.9 percent probability to win. CA Bizertin entered as a pregame favorite with a spread of -0.5, and the total score of 4 went under the over/under line of 1.75.