BBC SPORT | AFRICA | Tunisia's derby showdown

Tunisia's top two sides, Esperance Sportive and Club Africain will clash on Sunday in a crucial league match in Tunis.

The two Tunis clubs need a win to claim top spot in the league from Etoile Sportive Sahel.

Esperance are three points adrift in third place while, but have a game in hand, while Club Africain are separated by a single point from Etoile.

Title contendors

1. Etoile du Sahel P16 Pts30

2. Club Africain P15 Pts29

3. Esperance P15 Pts27

4. Sfaxien P16 Pts 25

There are then six rounds of the league left to go.

Sunday's encounter is the 93rd derby between the two clubs.

Esperance, the defending champions, hold the advantage with 35 victories and they have not lost to their arch-rivals since 1997.

Club Africain have enjoyed 21 wins in their meetings.

Impressive line-up

Esperance's French coach, Michel Decastel will line up seven internationals including naturalized Tunisian defender, Jose Clayton from Brazil.

Club Africain's banner
Club Africain have been second best to Esperance
There is goalkeeper Chokri El Ouaer and the experienced defenders Tarek Thabet, Khaled Badra and Walid Azaiez, all of whom played in a 0-0 draw against South Korea on Wednesday.

In attack Ivorian international Kandia Traore will combine with another Tunisian international Skander Souayah.

Club Africain also have a French coach, Rene Exbrayat who has a wealth of experience in Tunisian top-flight football.

Exbrayat will rely heavily on the sharp-shooting skills of Moroccan striker, Abdeljalil Hadda 'Camacho' - the league's top scorer with seven goals.

Club Africain have won the league title nine times, a record that is overshadowed by the 17 championships that Esperance can boast.


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