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Ssterile offensively, Tunisia put themselves in a very delicate situation at the World Cup by losing 1-0 against Australia on Saturday, but they want to believe in the feat against France in the third match, Wednesday, to go into round of 16. A victory against the reigning world champions is imperative, but not sufficient. The Carthage Eagles will need favorable conditions in the other match between Australia and Denmark. For the “Socceroos”, the situation is clearer since a victory against Denmark would open the doors to the knockout phase.
“We are well aware that the next match will be against a very strong opponent, but there are sometimes surprises”, launched, after the match, the coach Jalel Kardi, who considered that his team had “not deserved to lose “. But he admitted that she could only blame herself. “We will have to give the best of ourselves, hope to realize our chances and correct our mistakes from previous matches. »
READ ALSO2022 World Cup: Tunisian pragmatism put to the test
A timidly dangerous Tunisia
After twenty soporific first minutes, where Australia monopolized the ball but never put the danger towards Aymen Dahmen’s goal, the Tunisians were surprised on the first opposing chance.
On a counter, Mitchell Duke victoriously headed a deflected cross from Craig Goodwin, the man who had scored the only Australian goal against France (4-1). “This match, we lost it especially in the first period, especially in the first 30 minutes,” complained midfielder Naïm Sliti.
This goal did not really wake up the Tunisians, present in the physical engagement but long devoid of offensive inspiration. We had to wait for the 38e minute to see the first interesting Tunisian action, when captain Youssef Msakni tried to infiltrate the opposing defense, in vain.
The Tunisians, who had shown other qualities when they started the competition against Denmark (0-0), again suffered from the same problem: a crippling lack of realism.
They created two clear chances just before the break, Mohamed Dräger, at the conclusion of a counter, first forcing the Australian goalkeeper Mathew Ryan to a good save (41e), before Msakni, again, missed the target in an ideal position in front of goal, receiving a cross from Issam Jebali (45e + 3).
READ ALSOCAN 2022: Tunisia, discreetly but surely
Australian defense did not bow to Tunisian pressure
The Tunisians returned after the break with much better intentions, supported by more than 20,000 supporters.
Possession, attempted percussion, use of corridors. Everything was there, except the efficiency which fled the North Africans: Jebali got stuck in the defense (52e), Msakni failed on Ryan, just before attempting a long shot still captured by the Australian goalkeeper (72e). Neither Msakni, who at 32 is coming back from injury and has played little for his Qatari club throughout the month of October, nor Montpellier’s Wahbi Khazri, who entered late in the game to try to save his team, have managed to make forget the absence during this World Cup of a real Tunisian scorer.
More masters of their destiny, the Tunisians refuse to admit defeat in advance against the Blues who, if they beat Denmark in the evening, will already be qualified. “There have been exploits in football, now we are going to play France, we have to win, and if we win we may have a chance to qualify,” summed up Sliti. France, “is the great nation of the group, so we will have to do something, but we are capable of it. In the big meetings we are there. We are going to study our mistakes today to come back stronger, ”he promised. “Maybe people don’t believe it, but I do, until the last minute I will believe it. We have a dream and it continues, ”he concluded.
READ ALSOWorld Cup: Tunisia did not let themselves be counted against Denmark
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