An unforgettable day at the Radès Olympic Stadium: the Tunisian Cup final

_{Taken By My Own Smartphone}

Hello steemians,

Today, I would like to share with you an unforgettable experience that will remain forever etched in my memory, my trip to the Radès Olympic Stadium for the long-awaited Tunisian Cup final, which saw my favorite team, Esperance Sportive de Tunis, face off against the valiant Stade Tunisien, in a context of celebration but also protest, after Esperance had won the championship just two weeks earlier, thus confirming its hegemony over Tunisian football.

It all started well before the match, the day before, when I decided to buy my ticket on the website "Teskerti.tn", a site whose popularity continues to grow but which, unfortunately, was the victim of a cyberattack from abroad, making the task particularly difficult and frustrating, it took me several attempts, patience and a great deal of perseverance to obtain the precious ticket at the price of 20 Tunisian dinars, the equivalent of 40 Steem, a small sum considering the importance of the event.

On D-Day, fueled by growing excitement and accompanied by my friend Boubaker, a loyal supporter as passionate as I am about our team's exploits, we decided to leave very early, around midday, in order to get ahead of the huge crowd expected around the sports arena, a wise choice since we were able to avoid the traffic jams and long queues that were already stretching around the stadium half an hour before kick-off, while many groups of supporters were still waiting outside.

Once we arrived in front of the imposing stadium gates, the sight of the still-empty stands and the pitch impeccably prepared to host this historic clash immediately plunged us into an atmosphere of solemnity and anticipation, reinforced by the first timid chants that began to rise from both sides of the stands, signs announcing the fervor that would soon engulf the stadium.

The stands quickly began to fill up, bringing this monument of Tunisian sport to life, and it was at that moment that I fully appreciated how exceptional this day would be, on the one hand, the Stade Tunisien supporters, far fewer in number than those of Esperance, were able to compensate for their numerical inferiority with a grandiose and frightening tifo representing the character of The Boogeyman, symbol of their ambition to defend the cup that had smiled on them the previous season, accompanied by the provocative message "You can't kill the Boogeyman" which resonated like a challenge to our colors.

For our part, despite the absence of official choreography, a boycott decision by Espérance supporters in reaction to what they consider to be injustices and shenanigans by the Tunisian Football Federation against our club throughout the season, a few young ultras, true to their reputation as artists of the stands, had nevertheless taken the initiative to decorate certain areas of the stands to breathe a breath of passion and color into this extraordinary event.

The kick-off took place in an atmosphere that was both tense and electric, where every action on the pitch made hearts beat faster and chants resound, and if Stade Tunisien showed solidity and courage, sometimes thwarting our attacks and taking advantage of the slightest weakness to try to cause danger, it was finally in the middle of the second half that deliverance came, our Nigerian player, Onuche Ogbelu, unleashed a masterful shot from more than 40 meters which found its way into the opponent's net, a goal from elsewhere which instantly ignited the stands and unleashed the smoke bombs, in an explosion of pure joy and collective pride.

From then on, the match became an exercise in resilience and composure for our players, who held firm despite the pressure and were able to repel the last opposing attacks to keep this unique goal, synonymous with consecration and glory, thus winning the sixteenth Tunisian Cup in the history of the club, a record which further strengthens Esperance Sportive de Tunis at the top of national football.

The trophy presentation ceremony at the end of the match was an unparalleled moment of communion, the players, their eyes filled with gratitude and pride, raised the coveted cup and presented it to the fans to share this historic victory, thus sealing a silent but powerful pact between the team and its faithful.

As the sun set and the golden light of dusk bathed the surroundings of the stadium, we left the stands with hearts filled with joy and gratitude, proud of what our team had achieved at the end of a season strewn with pitfalls and injustices, but crowned by a double that will remain forever etched in history and in our hearts.

It was much more than just a football match, it was a day that combined passion, courage, resistance and unconditional love for our colours, a day that will forever remain a symbol of pride and loyalty to our dear Esperance!

Best Regards,
@kouba01