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Step 3: Tunisia vs. Nigeria Preview

June 18th, 2009 | By: Rami | 52 Comments »

It’s two days before the match and things are already heating up for our potentially decisive encounter versus the Super Eagles of Nigeria. Ever since the draw was announced the two matches circled on the calendar were the home and away ties between the two African powerhouses.

A lot has happened since then and Nigeria’s misstep in Maputo has given us the advantage that we really shouldn’t relinquish if we want to be sure of making it to South Africa 2010 next summer. It’s true that mathematically nothing will be decided whether we win, lose, or draw this game but everyone knows that a victory which puts us five points clear of our West African rivals with only three games left to play is too good an opportunity to pass up.

We don’t want to be headed to Abuja in search of a result. That match is not going to be a pleasant affair and you can be sure that everything will be done to destabilize us once we arrive. Nigerians are desperate not to miss out on their second World Cup in a row and are convinced that we are not worthy to go in their place.

The lack of respect being shown to our team on various websites is absolutely astounding to me but I won’t stoop to that level as it embarrasses all of us. We’ll just stay humble and concentrated, that’s what got us here in the first place…

Well here is our chance to prove that three successive qualifications are not earned by accident. We are on the verge of a historic accomplishment. Only Cameroon has gone five times total and we can tie that. ~~Better still, no African team has ever gone four times in a row.~~ (I stand corrected, Cameroon has) Everyone that follows Tunisian football knows that we have the players and the mindset to pull this off.

The good news for us is that Rades is quite a fortress. Even in the years it’s gone empty our only really big disappointment was the loss against Burkina but those were truly special circumstances and our recovery proves as much. It’s true we didn’t play our best match against Mozambique but we have a reputation of rising to the occasion in big encounters, especially in Africa.

Anyways, I’ll refrain from making this a big rallying call for support etc. It’s getting old and great efforts are underway in Tunis to make sure the stadium is rocking at the kickoff. Not sure what the latest news on ticket sales is but I trust that Tunisians, who are after all knowledgeable when it comes to this sport, can tell that for this match in particular we need to come in numbers to show our support and motivate our players.

The State Of the Carthage Eagles

I have to say that the thing that has been most impressive to me about this side is the level of solidarity between the players and technical staff. Even when choices made were questionable you never heard anyone complaining or making a fuss. Plus we’ve been spared of the discussion of locals versus expats thanks to Coelho’s selection policy which has been a massive improvement over that of Lemerre’s.

Yes we’re missing Jemaa, Nouioui, and Mikari (not to mention Chikhaoui) but none of those losses are fatal and we have more than enough talent to replace them. The latest news out of Tunis has this as the probable starting lineup (heard on Mosaique FM).

Possible lineup: Kasraoui, Jemal, Haggui, Ghezal, Souissi, Ragued, Korbi, Darragi, Ben Khalfallah, Allagui, Zitouni.

The fact that Darragi is likely to start is a good thing but everyone will be wondering why Chermiti doesn’t make the starting lineup. I think he should be in there but perhaps he’s being saved for the second half when things slow down and he can leave people in the dust.

Not so sure about that tactic but his injury might also have something to do with it. I won’t debate this too vigorously though as nothing is confirmed and these are just educated guesses on the part of Tunisian journalists. Ghezal in the place of Jaidi makes sense to me but it’s also a risk since we’re dropping our captain who has started in all the games thus far.

I’ll be updating this post as the match approaches and things get clearer but I wanted to launch the discussion earlier than usual this time to get a handle on your thoughts and get us in the mood. Also, who’s going to Rades? For now the only person here who indicated they were is Yassine. Will he be the only TN WCB ambassador?

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Comments

Displaying the most recent 25 comments from a total of 52 comments.

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By Feedi | June 20th, 2009 at 12:36 pm

Enyeama – Taiwo, Yobo, Adeleye, Adefemi – Olofinjana, Mikel, Kalu Uche – Ikechukwu uche, Osaze Odemwingie, Michael Eneramo
That is the line-up of nigiria.

Posted from Netherlands

By Tahar | June 20th, 2009 at 1:02 pm

HEY GOOD NEWS. NTA (279 for comcast) is showing the game. I think its a free channel. You can tell the feed is from the net though. Good stuff Nigerian Television authorities!!!

Posted from United States

By Bayyouman | June 20th, 2009 at 1:18 pm

Its going to be a great game,Tunisia Vs Nigeria,any day. Anticipation,emotions and expectations are high on the sides of the players,fans,and even puhdits alike. There can only be one result out of three outcomes for this match after 90mins.Either Tunisia wins,which will pivot their quest of reaching the Finals in South Africa; a draw will leave Tinisia still leading the group but with their destiny in their own hands or the Tunisians can lose in Rades-considered as a fortress-in which case, to decide which National Team goes to South Africa in this Group B,could go down to the game in Abuja.The match today,however,is too close to call: but what could and could not be a deciding factor in a game like this? The could will be are : 1. the desire to excell and the zeal to win on the part of each player fielded on both sides.2. the tactical/technical decisions or the lack of it made by the coaching crew on both sides.3. the input of the officiating men.4. the nature of the pitch where the match will be played and lastly the “good mother nature smiling luck” or what i call the God factor cant be ruled out! While the could not will be : 1. the crowd,this is so cos the Nigerian team are more than used to playing in front of huge footy supporters/fans.2. in this particular case,weather. Putting all factors together may the best team on this day win.

Posted from United Kingdom

By thamer | June 20th, 2009 at 2:02 pm

not bad, both teams are playing well. im looking for the inclusion of chermiti and ben jhalfallah in the second half. possibly belaid as well.

Posted from United States

By Moni | June 20th, 2009 at 2:02 pm

BULLSHIT LINEUP and by the way ITs not 3-5-2
Its 5-2-1-2 , please bring back lemerre !!! Tunisia Sucks , Lemerre was worse, wel this guy is more worse , its now halftime 0-0

Posted from Netherlands

By Skander | June 20th, 2009 at 2:10 pm

we really miss chikhaoiui, jemaa, chermiti and ghariani. THEY ARE SOO SLOOW! darragi is the only one wo’s playing well and ragued. It looks like they are so scared.

Posted from Sweden

By Sammieo | June 20th, 2009 at 2:44 pm

Please, how can i watch this match from via internet

Posted from Germany

By Feedi | June 20th, 2009 at 3:11 pm

This was so boring!Skander,you are right!We really miss them.Zitouni played good in the first half.We missed Mikari and Khalfallah too.I hope Chikhaoui returns fast.
Inshaallah

Posted from Netherlands

By Rami | June 20th, 2009 at 3:18 pm

The only thing we can complain about is the lack of a finishing touch. Honestly our boys fought their hardest and you can’t blame them. We were playing with a new lineup and new formation and things nearly went our way. Much better match than the last one and hopefully we keep improving from here on out. We can beat Nigeria in Nigeria. I am convinced of this but I think we’re going to get a draw there in September (just a feeling). We’ll be ok.

Posted from United States

By Moni | June 20th, 2009 at 3:19 pm

Tunisia better stay home , because it would be a shame when they make it to SA2010. No ball control , no free kick specialist like Ben Saada, only Belaid could deliver these, but they put him in the end of the match, playing with 5 defenders !!!!

Posted from Netherlands

By Rami | June 20th, 2009 at 3:22 pm

I disagree. We absolutely controlled this match from start to finish. Where was this Nigeria that beat France 1-0 and was going to beat us in Tunis? The only chances they got were off individual mistakes and there weren’t even that many of those.

Posted from United States

By Moni | June 20th, 2009 at 3:24 pm

Why are tunsians always so optimistic ? even the stupid reporters only see positive things, i see no postive things, Egypt showed us against brazil and Italy how to play correct passing football, where the players where in triangels passing the bal to eachother , ore made some nice crosspassing, from the leftwing to the Right wing , and vice versa, If i see haggui just kicking the ball to nowwhere then i think its better to stay home than go to SA and for the 1998,2002,2006 SHAME and disaster and again in 2010 again . Tunisia sucks , just face it …

Posted from Netherlands

By Moni | June 20th, 2009 at 3:25 pm

and I’m not mentioning you Rami , but the reporters of TV 7

Posted from Netherlands

By Feedi | June 20th, 2009 at 3:26 pm

I dont hope that if all the good players of Tunisia returns that we still play with 5 defenders and 2 defensive midfielders.
btw Darragi played well today,I liked the action with the nutmeg.

Posted from Netherlands

By Rami | June 20th, 2009 at 3:29 pm

Moni, it’s cool your opinion stays your opinion and there’s some legitimacy in it but if you think the reporters are too optimistic I think you’re too pessimistic. We’re first in the group, we’re in control and a tie is good enough in Nigeria. I even think we can beat them there.

Zitouni impressed me today, Ghezal too. A lot of players actually.

Posted from United States

By thamer | June 20th, 2009 at 3:34 pm

i do see some of moni’s points. our defenders just kicked the ball up field like they always do, giving away countless possessions. khaled souissi HAS to go. i dotn mind him playing in central defense, but we don’t have an acceptable right back. ifa is our best option and hes only 19…thats a disgrace. korbi and ragued didnt really bring anything offensively but they did their jobs well, so no complaints there. i cant really complain about anything, nigeria is a very good team and they played well. maybe if we had mikari, chikhaoui and lassad we could have created more, but those players who did play did their best. and i agree with rami about the draw in lagos. i said on an online nigerian news article last week that i thought both “legs” would be draws…and they laughed at me. but then again those are the same ppl who predticed 3-0 in tunis…

Posted from United States

By Rachid | June 20th, 2009 at 3:40 pm

I think we just set ourselves up for a major heartbreaking disappointment in these WC qualifiers. We cannot expect miracles from players active in European second leagues. There is a reason that’s where they play. We have to have realistic expectations and stop claiming hero status for players that are mediocre at best! Chermiti: what have you done for us lately? I certainly miss the Chermiti I knew with l’Etoile. But, they say playing in a big European team will make you a better player. We’ll keep waiting for that to happen. It could be much worse, though. Morocco, with Lemerre, have 2 points from 3 games after another major disappoinment at home against Togo. Proof once again that Lmerre sucks!!!

By Nabil | June 20th, 2009 at 3:45 pm

What do people expect sans Chikaoui, Jemma, Ben Sadda and Mikari?

We’re not known for our depth esp in-terms of match winners. Passing in the final third was mediocre but overall the tactics and execution of the boys was spot on. This was 1000 times better than the gutless display against Mozambique.

Bottom line Nigeria are no mugs, this was always going to be a difficult group and odds are it will come down to the last day and whom ever can pull out a victory in Kenya and Mozambique will qualify for SA 2010.

By Sammieo | June 20th, 2009 at 3:55 pm

I did not watch the match. What is the score line please?

Posted from Germany

By Rami | June 20th, 2009 at 3:57 pm

Hey Sammieo, it was 0-0

Posted from United States

By Tahar | June 20th, 2009 at 4:03 pm

I actually watched the majority of the Morocco game and they missed a pk in the first half. Lemerre looks hopeless.
As for the Tunisia game, I’m going to say this… I don’t agree with the defensive scheme and the starting lineup, but I do believe this was done to throw off the Nigerians game plan. Keep in mind they studied our last few games where we had the same team. I think in this regard Coelho was successful because they weren’t prepared for our strategy. Ill also give Coelho this, we didn’t have all of our players but you all know those stories. With that said, I was only specifically disappointed in Souissi. I dont think putting him in central defense would change much. My honest opinion is that Felhi could have done much better. In the heat of the moment.I argued with my father that it was a risk putting Felhi out of position but he was quick to say “he’s a sahli, you can put him anywhere and he will work wonders. He grew up playing barefoot and eating olives” (mind you my dad’s an etoiliste and I am clubiste… makes more sense in tunisian). Luckily Bousaidi helped him a lot on Obina. Zitouni and Allagui had mediocre games, and for this reason I can’t say I would change them up top, but initially I would have opted for FBK instead of Zitouni. Coelho did explain after the game that he was only going to play with one “# 10″ and he chose Darragi.Can’t argue much with that. Ragued, Ghzel and Haggui were critical and we need this exact performance from them in the next leg.
Moni I also respect your argument, and youre absolutely right to say we played too defensive, but I still disagree about the ball control and the possession. You also must understand that Egypt right now has players at the peaks of their carreers (like us in 2004) so this is there moment. But the reality of things still stands, as Rami said, we are top of our group and Egypt is facing not making the WC as Algeria are in the drivers seat. This isnt to say that I agree with it, but its just the reality of things. Bet

Posted from United States

By Abdullah | June 20th, 2009 at 4:07 pm

Moni i disagree we dominated this game but our lack of attacking/finishing players was the reason we didnt win this one by 2 or 3-0, it wouldve been deserved.

I see some very positive changes , we’re still not there thoug.

Posted from Netherlands

By Razak | June 20th, 2009 at 4:14 pm

It is obvious that Tunisia will not be in South africa next year.I dont see this very team getting a draw or win against Nigeria in their home land.The Tunisian team does not have the required character to pull such a big string to a team like Nigeria when they(Nigerians) will want to fight for the maximum point in their country.Right now,i am disappointed because our chances is faint,I wonder why we couldnt get the 3 points to stay save.It will be a different ball game in Abuja ,this is the fact.

By Rami | June 20th, 2009 at 4:38 pm

Razak, you forget that our team is full of players who have have experience of big matches in hostile territory with their club teams. It’s a young team but even the youngest players have played decisive matches away from home and Tunisia’s achievements in club competitions must not be forgotten. WE CAN DO THIS. It’s only a question of whether we will or not. We dropped 2 points today but we also didn’t lose which would’ve been way way worse.

Posted from United States

By Nabil | June 20th, 2009 at 4:52 pm

Drew CIV twice and qualified and drew Morocco twice and qualified so result in Abuja is hardly an impossible task.

SE will be better than today but so can we esp if get the likes of Chika, Ben Sadda, Jemma and Mikari return. SE will go all out for a goal or two come the Abuja game as unlike today a draw will not suffice for them. We will have ample opportunities to hit them on the counter attack.

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