Tunisia team in best shape for AFCON 2019: Coach Giresse

Ahmed Abd El Rasoul , Tuesday 18 Jun 2019,
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Tunisia
Tunisia's head coach Alain Giresse (R) gestures during the 2019 international friendlies football match between Croatia and Tunisia in Varazdin, on June 11, 2019. (AFP)

Tunisia's national football team is in its best shape ahead of the anticipated African Cup of Nations, according to head coach Alain Giresse, who insisted that the recent friendly win over Burundi has made the team familiar with the expected difficulties at the AFCON.

"Winning our last friendly match against Burundi ahead of travelling to Egypt for the African Cup is very positive, especially on the mental level," Giresse told a Tunisian radio station on Tuesday.

"We face a stubborn opponent and the game showed us the difficulties that await us in the finals," he added.

The Nations Cup, which has been expanded to 24 teams, will take place in Egypt from 21 June to 19 July.

Tunisia defeated Burundi 2-1 Monday in their final warm-up match ahead of the prestigious tournament; almost a week after beating Croatia 2-1 in a friendly.

Tunisia were drawn in Group E alongside Mali, Mauritania and Angola. They will play their opener against Angola next Monday.

"We delivered a good game against Burundi which boosted the confidence of our players, especially after our triumph over the World Cup's runners-up Croatia last week. So we are in the best shape for the AFCON finals," explained the French tactician Giresse.

"We gave the chance for all our players in the friendly matches to test their readiness and this will allow us to choose the best ones for the opener against Angola," he concluded.

Under the helm of Giresse, the Eagles of Carthage started their preparatory camp for AFCON 2019 on 1 June.

(For more sports news and updates, follow Ahram Online Sports on Twitter at @AO_Sports and on Facebook at AhramOnlineSports.)

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Group A W D L P
Cameroon
2 1 0 7
Burkina Faso
1 1 1 4
Cape Verde
1 1 1 4
Ethiopia
0 1 2 1
Group B W D L P
Senegal
1 2 0 5
Guinea
1 1 1 4
Malawi
1 1 1 4
Zimbabwe
1 0 2 3
Group C W D L P
Morocco
2 1 0 7
Gabon
1 2 0 5
Comoros
1 0 2 3
Ghana
0 1 2 1
Group D W D L P
Nigeria
3 0 0 9
Egypt
2 0 1 6
Sudan
0 1 2 1
Guinea Bissau
0 1 2 1
Group E W D L P
Cote d Ivoire
2 1 0 7
Equatorial Guinea
2 0 1 6
Sierra Leone
0 2 1 2
Algeria
0 1 2 1
Group F W D L P
Mali
2 1 0 7
Gambia
2 1 0 7
Tunisia
1 0 2 3
Mauritania
0 0 3 0