Arab Champions' Cup: “ES Sétif eager to salvage their season…Espérance of Tunis knock on Cup final's door”

The Algerian squad of ES Sétif are bracing for a decisive second-leg semi – final match on Sunday at 15h 30mn at Radès stadium versus the local team of Espérance of Tunis as part of the Arab Champions' cup competition with the firm will to salvage their season after a series of setbacks suffered over the past few weeks.

• The Sétif players want eagerly to make amends in the eyes of their disappointed supporters who have not yet swallowed their team’s surprising one-nil defeat at home against Espérance of Tunis and more recently ES Sétif’s bitter elimination from the Algeria cup contest versus CABBA Bordj Bou Arreridj.
• These setbacks have had a devastating impact on the morale of the club’s managing staff and the players as well.
• On account of a tight schedule, the Sétif players will have only a single training session on the pitch of the Radès stadium at exactly 15h 30mn in the afternoon, that is at the same hour of Sunday’s semi-final versus Espérance of Tunis.
• The services of the Algerian Embassy in Tunis have organized a reception in honour of the delegation and the players of ES Sétif in a bid to galvanize and encourage them to triumph in Radès and to clinch the much-coveted ticket for the Arab cup final despite the huge difficulty of the task.
• 24 players, including seasoned midfielder Khaled Lamouchi have traveled to Tunis and Coach Azzedine Aït Djoudi has enough elbow – room to choose his line – up and to map – out a tactical scheme likely to lead his squad to success in the face of the indomitable Tunisian side.
• It should be noted that between 2 and 3 thousand supporters of ES Sétif are already in Tunis to back their team in Sunday’s semi – final.
• Several key players like Benchadi, Slimane Raho and figurehead striker Hadj Aïssa, who sustained slight injuries in previous matches, are now ready to take up again with the competition, thus lifting the spirits of their teammates and the outfit’s supporters ahead of the Radès confrontation.
• Dismayed by his team’s recent mishaps, notably the bitter elimination from the Algeria cup contest by the Bordj Bou Areridj side, ES Sétif Coach Azzedine Aït Djoudi has refused to make any statement to the press fearing a new disillusionment in Tunis.
• Aït Djoudi is now heartily banking on a feat by his team at Radès stadium this Sunday in the hope of salvaging his post.
• According to Espérance Coach, the Sétif players can tilt the balance in their favour at any moment given their unalloyed footballing potential.
• He thus warned his players to be extremely vigilant versus the Sétif squad who are imbued, he said, with a great will to salvage their season.
• However, he asserted that the Espérance players would have a slight moral leeway as they will play in their home ground with the full backing of their numerous supporters.