New African Kings ES Tunis Hit by Yacooub’s Injury

Tunisia league giants and newly crowned kings of African football Esperance are sweating over the injury of a key player.

Mohamed Ali Yacooubi, a rock and a crucial cog in the North African side’s successful title campaign, picked up the injury during a training session.

The 28-year-old sustained the knock this week as Esperance prepares for the league engagement against bottom-placed Monastri tomorrow.

Club doctors have already assessed the extent of the abrasion, with the defender now expected to be sidelined for three weeks.

Yacooubi has started five of the capital-based outfit’s six games as ES Tunis sit at fourth-place, playing fewer games than table-toppers CS Sfxaien, Bizertin and third-placed Etoile du Sahel.

The development comes as a blow, considering the ace only switched to the club from second-tier French club Quievilly Rouen in August on a free transfer.

ES gaffer Moin Chaabani will now have to secure a quick replacement or scour the market for a player available on a baseman transfer fee.