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Match Report
Birkdale
Spectators: 6737 (Terracing: 5000,
Seating: 1737, VIP seats: 0) Paulo Slimane started the match with the kick off in front of an excited audience. Hamadi Baccouche showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Fatah Dhaouadi in the 8th minute of the match. Jean Mzoughi, 11 minutes into the match, dribbled the ball up the side of the field and decided to take a long shot at the goal. Unfortunately, the ball was poorly hit and landed closer to the corner than to the goal. Sadok Boumnijel showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Paulo Slimane in the 13th minute of the match. Mohamed Mzali kicked well hit freekick during the 13th minute of the match. In the 17th minute, Halesworth's goalie took a deep sigh of relief after Bahi Essebsi fired away a hard shot that went just outside the left post. Bahi Essebsi fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 23rd minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Sadok Boumnijel having to interfere. Mohamed Saidi charged in rather forcefully in the 25th minute of the match, and managed to knock his opponent down. The referee showed Mohamed Saidi the yellow card, and asked the players to shake hands before continuing play. After 25 played minutes Birkdale got a freekick which was hit by Mohamed Saidi. The supporters of Halesworth booed when Birkdale was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 27 match minutes in a wonderful position. Mohamed Saidi didn't get a good kick on the ball. Haythem Mechergui kicked well hit freekick during the 34th minute of the match. After having played for 38 minutes, Hosni Soussia managed to get in a good position for a shot on goal. Halesworth's supporters crossed their fingers, but Hosni Soussia was, after a quick turn that froze the defenders, out of balance and shot the ball just to the right of the goal. Mohamed Saidi got his second yellow card in the match during the 40th minute which meant that he had to leave the ground. A collision led to Birkdale getting a freekick after 40 minutes play. Mohamed Saidi hit a great ball. Halesworth's Haythem Mechergui got a good chance for a goal in the 42nd minute, but he totally mistimed the shot and it went over the crossbar. Bahi Essebsi scored 2-0 in the 46th match minute with a shot that went into the goal to the right of Sadok Boumnijel, who was just a little too slow in reacting to the shot.
When the second half was about to start, both teams quickly lined up and Hosni Soussia made a kick off. In the 52nd minute, Ibrahim Basli got an opportunity to score, but he didn't get a solid hit on the ball and ended up kicking it wide of the goal. Bahi Essebsi fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 55th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Sadok Boumnijel having to interfere. Sadok Boumnijel took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Paulo Slimane, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. Sadok Boumnijel came out of the goal in the 59th minute to try and stop a shot by Birkdale's Bahi Essebsi. But to his dismay, Bahi Essebsi quickly shot the ball in between his legs and into the goal making it 3-0. After 69 minutes, Jean Mzoughi mouthed his way into the referee's book. The tension between the Birkdale and the Halesworth players grew even worse after the yellow card. In the 68th minute, one of Birkdale:s players had the ball in front of the goal but got pushed and fell. The referee felt it was an obvious case and blew a penalty for Birkdale. Hosni Soussia sent away a hard shot on goal in the 75th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. The crowd rose to their feet as Halesworth's Hosni Soussia slotted home a wonderful shot that went in to the left of Hamadi Baccouche. That made the score 3-1 after 79 minutes of play. Hosni Soussia received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 91st minute. Hamadi Baccouche tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. After some fancy dribbling in the 94th minute, Bahi Essebsi managed to get in a good position for a shot. Birkdale's supporters rose to their feet, but Bahi Essebsi was a bit off balance and shot the ball just wide of the left post. Sadok Boumnijel breathed a sigh of relief and went to take the goal kick. When Abdelhamid Trabelsi fell near the penalty area in the 97th minute he thought he would be awarded a free kick. The referee ignored Halesworth's protests and gave Abdelhamid Trabelsi a yellow card for diving instead. After 98 played minutes Halesworth got a freekick which was hit by Abdelhamid Trabelsi. Birkdale's fans were exulted and cheered after their team won in a match that could easily have gone the other way.
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