Tunisia manage narrow win over Libya

Tunisia managed a lone goal victory over Libya in their first leg clash on Saturday on Tunis. Esperance forward Anice Badri scored the only goal to put the noses of the Carthage Eagles in front ahead of the return leg next month.

The homers took control of the game from the start and Ala Marzouki brought out the best in goalie Ahmed Azzaqah with a header which the latter stretched his fullest to save.

Just before the break, Zied Boughattas fired a close distance shot but Motassem Sabbou deflected it away from target.

Nine minutes after recess, Badri broke the deadlock heading home from close range leaving Azzaqah hapless.

On 65 minutes, Taha Yassine Khenissi nearly doubled the lead for the homers, but Azzaqah was up to the task with a save to deny him.

The return leg will take place next month with Tunisia, champions in 2011, eyeing a return to the finals after missing out on the last edition in Morocco in 2018, at the expense of Libya, winners in 2014.

Reactions

Mondher Kebaier (Head Coach, Tunisia)

We were hoping for a bigger result at home, but we have to be realistic. Our players are coming from a high pace of games and fatigue had a toll on them. Besides, games against Libya are always intense and high paced. The important thing is that we won and didn’t concede any goal. We’re expecting a tougher game in three weeks. We can get by with a draw but we will be setting off for a win.

Ala Marzouki (Forward, Tunisia)

There’s always huge rivalry in a Tunisia-Libya derby. We won but 1-0 wasn’t the result we were hoping for. We didn’t concede, and that’s a plus. We will play the second leg with more determination to bring back the victory.

Jalel Al Damja (Head coach, Libya)

We played a good game today. We were concerned about the pace but our players were in good shape and handled themselves well. Tunisia has players in big teams like Esperance and Etoile du Sahel competing in big tournaments, unlike our players. We still have the second leg in Morocco to know our fate.

Fixtures

Central Zone

22.09.2019 Bangui Central Africa vs DR Congo

22.09.2019 Malabo Equatorial Guinea vs Congo

Central-East Zone

21.09.2019 Bujumbura Burundi 0-3 Uganda

22.09.2019 Mekelle Ethiopia vs Rwanda

22.09.2019 Dar es Salaam Tanzania vs Sudan

South Zone

22.09.2019 Manzini Eswatini vs Zambia

22.09.2019 Antananarivo Madagascar vs Namibia

22.09.2019 Harare Zimbabwe vs Lesotho

North Zone

21.09.2019 Blida Algeria 0-0 Morocco

21.09.2019 Tunis Tunisia 1-0 Libya

West A Zone

21.09.2019 Nouakchott Mauritania 0-0 Mali

21.09.2019 Thies Senegal 1-0 Guinea

West B Zone

22.09.2019 Lome Togo vs Nigeria

22.09.2019 Niamey Niger vs Cote d’Ivoire

22.09.2019 Kumasi Ghana vs Burkina Faso