Etoile du Sahel beat Al-Hilal Omdurman 3-1 at Stade Olympique de Sousse on Sunday evening.
Victory gives the two-time champions some breathing space heading into the Caf Confederations Cup quarter-final second-leg against the same opponents in Omdurman next weekend.
Zied Boughattas fired the hosts in front on the half-hour mark before Yassine Chikhaoui netted his first of two goals from the penalty spot four minutes later.
The Blue Wave scored a vital away goal in the 59th minute through Athar El Tahir to make for a nervy finish.
Chikhaoui, though, restored the hosts two-goal lead in the 81st minute, completing his brace from the spot to lead the Tunisian’s to victory.
Etoile du Sahel (2) 3 (Boughattas 30′ Chikhaoui 34′ (P) 81′ (P))
Al-Hilal (0) 1 (El Tahir 59′)
Etoile du Sahel: Bediri; Jemal (Konate 27′), Boughattas, Ben Aziza, Chikhaoui (Mathnani 85′), Aouadhi, Msakni, Ben Amor (Ben Larbi 58′), Raddaoui, Hannachi, Haj Hassen.
Al-Hilal: Salim; A. Abdalla, Ibrahim, Boya, Diarra, El Tahir, Behaldeen (Ariwachukwu 45+2′), Eldin Ali, N. Abdalla, Mbombo, Bakhet Hamid (Eldai 75′).
