2024-01-05 07:02:16
Qualified, at least, for the quarter-finals of the last four African Cups of Nations, Tunisia is aiming to make it to five in Ivory Coast. The dream of course remains to repeat the 2004 campaign, when the Tunisians won the first title in their history at home. But the task promises to be complicated for this team without an international star.
The anecdote
To try to relive the joys of a title, Tunisia relied on a former winner in its staff: Selim Benachour. Having turned professional at Paris Saint-Germain, the former attacking midfielder won the CAN in 2004 at just 22 years old. Then passing through Portugal, Russia, Kuwait, Cyprus and India, he had 44 selections in total with the Carthage Eagles.
Shape of Tunisia
The Tunisians are not at their best level. Even if they remain on two victories, during the qualifiers for the next World Cup against the modest Malawi (1-0) and Sao Tome and Principe (4-0), the Carthage Eagles were in more difficulty against to stronger teams. In October, they lost to Japan (2-0) and South Korea (4-0). However, the qualifications for this CAN went off without a hitch, with 13 points in six matches and a first place ahead of Equatorial Guinea. In major competition, the Tunisians still have a victory against France in the last group match (without stakes for the Blues already qualified) of the Qatari World Cup (1-0). A match on which they must undoubtedly base themselves.
Tunisia’s match schedule
The list
Gardiens: Aymen Dahmen, Bechin Ben Said, Mouez Hassen
Defenders: Wadji Kechrida, Yan Valery (Anger), Montassar Talbi (Lorient), Yassine Meriah, Hamza Jelassi, Alaa Ghram, Oussama Haddadi, Ali Maaloul, Ali Abdi (Caen)
Terrain Milieux: Ellyes Skhiri, Aissa Laidouni, Houssem Tka, Anis Slimane, Ben Romdhane, Hadj Mahmoud, Hamza Rafia
Attaquants: Youssef Msakni, Elias Achouri, Haythem Jouini, Taha Yassine Khenissi, Mortadha Ben Ouanes, Sayf Ltaief, Bassem Srarfi, Naim Sliti
The player to watch: Ellyes Skhiri
Ellyes Skhiri leads her Frankfurt team masterfully. Photo Icon sport DeFodi Images / Icon Sport
The midfielder, trained and revealed at the highest level in Montpellier, is the centerpiece of the Tunisian squad. Now at Eintracht Frankfurt, where he signed this summer after four seasons in Cologne, Ellyes Skhiri (28) has directly become a potential starter, whether in the Bundesliga or the Conference League. Arriving in the national team in 2018, the Franco-Tunisian already has 60 caps and three goals. At the CAN, his role will be to liven up the midfield and fuel an attack which sometimes struggles to find the path to goal.
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