The Tunisian national team, champions in 2004, officially secured their place in the Round of 16 of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations currently being held in Morocco, following a 1-1 draw against Tanzania. The match took place on Tuesday evening at the Olympic Stadium in Rabat, in front of 15,205 spectators, as part of the third and final round of Group C matches.
Match details and qualification scenario
The match was highly competitive, with Tunisia opening the scoring through Ismail Gharbi in the 43rd minute from a penalty awarded after a VAR review following a foul on Elias Achouri. At the start of the second half, Tanzania surprised everyone with an equalizer, scored by Faisal Salloum in the 48th minute with a powerful shot that caught goalkeeper Aymen Dahmen off guard. This draw was enough for Tunisia to secure second place in the group with 4 points, while Tanzania achieved a historic feat by claiming the fourth and best third-placed spot with just 2 points, ahead of Angola on goal difference.
Historical context and challenges of the "Eagles of Carthage"
This qualification restores balance to the Tunisian national team, which is striving to erase the lackluster image it presented in the previous edition in Ivory Coast, where it exited the tournament in the first round. Despite qualifying, the team's overall performance has raised questions among fans and analysts, especially after the loss in the second round against Nigeria. Historically, Tunisia always aspires to repeat its 2004 achievement, but the path in this edition appears fraught with difficulties, as the team will face the strong Malian national team, runners-up in Group A, in a highly anticipated classic match next Saturday at the Mohammed V Stadium in Casablanca.
Tanzanian achievement and Nigerian path
On the other hand, Tanzania made history by qualifying for the second round for the first time, a scenario reminiscent of Benin's feat in the 2019 edition when they reached the quarterfinals without a single win. The Tanzanian team will face a very tough test against Morocco, the host nation and top team in Group A. Meanwhile, Nigeria confirmed their dominance in Group C with a perfect record (9 points) after their third consecutive victory, a 3-1 win over Uganda, placing them among the top contenders for the title.
Post-match statements
Commenting on the performance, Tunisian national team coach Sami Trabelsi admitted to a lackluster showing, saying, "We are not satisfied with our performance, and today's result did not reflect the number of chances we created, but the most important thing is that we qualified." Trabelsi added that the next stage requires a higher level of play, praising the strength of the Malian team they will face. For his part, Ismail Gharbi, winner of the Man of the Match award, expressed his delight at qualifying, affirming the players' readiness for the upcoming crucial match against Mali.
