Morocco/Tunisia: Tight Tussle Expected in Afcon North African Battle

Barry Aldworth/BackpagePix
Aymen Mathlouthi of Tunisia makes a save in the game against Morocco.
22 January 2012
allAfrica.com
By Mark Gleeson

Libreville, Gabon — Morocco have not been coy about their ambitions at the African Nations Cup finals, with coach Eric Gerets loudly proclaiming their hopes of a first title in 36 years and a return to a prominent place in continental football.

But they are thrown into a heady test first off in their bid to emerge as the top team in Group C when they face Tunisia in Libreville.

It is the second successive meeting between past winners on consecutive days after Sunday's meeting between Cote d'Ivoire, the 1992 champions, and Sudan, who were victors in 1970, in Group B in Malabo.

Morocco and Tunisia have also each won only once before, Morocco in 1976 and Tunisia in 2004 on home soil when they beat the Moroccans in the final.

Morocco are regarded among the favourites this time while Tunisia's performance has been wanting in recent years. Nevertheless, Tunisia do keep up a long string of finals appearances. This is their 10th consecutive trip to the Nations Cup finals.

Still, Sami Trabelsi's side are largely inexperienced and have been unconvincing over the last year, even after winning the African Nations Championships in Sudan last February.

Their recent friendly against Cote d'Ivoire in Abu Dhabi saw them produce a workmanlike performance and create a few chances but not provide any glimpse of tournament-winning potential. They lost 2-0.

Still, Gerets said he expected a tight tussle. "I think it could come down to which of us scores first," he told reporters on Saturday.

"Our preparations have gone smoothly, in fact I wish we could play tonight, we're impatient to get going."

Players like Marouane Chamakh, Mbark Boussoufa, Mehdi Carcela and Oussama Aissadi are all expected to make an impression at the tournament. The highly-rated Heerenveen midfielder Aissadi has been struggling with injury all week but is still expected to play on Monday.

"His injury is about 85 percent healed," said the coach.

Chamakh looks to the tournament for some redemption after losing his lustre at club level. He rarely plays for Arsenal and is the subject of recent transfer speculation.

Gerets, who has been in the job for only the last 14 months, insists he has the quality at his disposal to take the title back to Morocco.

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