FIFA Club World Cup: Youcef Belaili scores in Esperance's 1-0 victory over LAFC
Yousef Belaili scored in the 70th minute, and Espérance Sportive de Tunis beat LAFC 1-0 on Friday night in the Club World Cup to remain in contention to advance and eliminate the California MLS team.
LAFC had one final chance to tie it in the 99th minute on Dénis Bouanaga's right-footed shot off a penalty kick just in front, but goalkeeper Béchir Ben Säid smothered it.
Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban were in the crowd of 13,651 at 30,000-seat GEODIS Park on a steamy late afternoon.
After a back-and-forth pace, Belaili came through with a right-footed shot from the left side of the box to the bottom left corner through goalkeeper Hugo Lloris' legs.
READ: FIFA Club World Cup: Benfica cruises past Auckland in weather-delayed encounter
Esperance will finish the round Tuesday night against Chelsea, with second place in Group D and a spot in the round of 16 on the line.
Not only was LAFC eliminated, but it has also been shut out in both of its matches. LAFC had two goals wiped out by offsides in the first half.
LAFC coach Steve Cherundolo said, 'Overall, I didn't think we played well enough tonight to win.'
'Gave us the feeling that we can keep playing,' said Esperance coach Maher Kanzari.
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