Chermiti is hero and villain as Etoile triumph

Tunisia Etoile du Sahel's Amine Chermiti(L) celebrates with his teammate Mehdi Ben Dhifallah after he scored a goal against Tunisian CS Sfaxien in an African Supper Cup Confederation match at Rades olympic stadium in Tunis. Chermiti scored twice but was then sent off as Etoile Sahel edged fellow Tunisian club CS Sfaxien 2-1 to lift the African Super Cup Saturday.

Wonderboy Amine Chermiti scored twice but was then sent off as Etoile Sahel edged fellow Tunisian club CS Sfaxien 2-1 to lift the African Super Cup Saturday.

Chermiti, a slightly built 20-year-old striker voted footballer of the year in the North African country Friday, illustrated why he is so highly rated by scoring early in each half.

Likened to former Argentina superstar Diego Maradona by many Tunisian football supporters, Chermiti put African Champions League title holders Etoile ahead on five minutes.

The goalkeeper of African Confederation Cup title holders Sfaxien failed to hold a shot and Chermiti reacted quickest to fire the loose ball into the net at the 60,000-seat national stadium on the outskirts of the capital Tunis.

Sfaxien, two-goal losers to Etoile in the national championship this season, overcame the early setback and drew level after 28 minutes through Ghana-born Opoku Agyemang, who impressed as an attacking spearhead.

But two minutes into the second half Chermiti defied his lack of height by outjumping two defenders to power a Mehdi Meriah corner into the roof of the net and put Etoile ahead again.

Agyemang inspired a Sfaxien recovery with several dangerous raids into Sahel territory only to be thwarted by an Abdelkarim Nafkha-led barricade and the midfielder came close to scoring with a late thunderbolt.

Chermiti, who has been linked with French, German, Italian and Swiss clubs, fouled his Sfaxien 'minder' two minutes into stoppage time and was shown a red card.

It was the second Super Cup success for Etoile from the Mediterranean resort of Sousse with the other coming 10 years ago when they pipped Raja Casablanca after a penalty shootout in Morocco.

And with eight African titles, Etoile are just one behind second-placed Zamalek of Egypt among the most successful clubs. Cairo giants Al-Ahly top the list with 12 successes, including three in the Super Cup.