Full-time: Tunisia 1-0 Egypt
Lineups:
Tunisia:
Moez Ben Cherifia - Ali Maaloul, Yassine Meriah, Syam Ben Youssef, Rami Bédoui - Mohamed Amine Ben Amor, Ghailane Chaalali, Ferjani Sassi - Fakhreddine Ben Youssef, Youssef Msakni (Sliti), et Taha Yassine Khenissi (Haraboui).
Subs : Rami Jeridi, Hamza Mathlouthi, Khalil Chammam, Wael Belarbi, Maher Bessghaier, Naim Sliti, Hamdi Harbaoui.
Egypt:
Sherif Ekrami - Ahmed Fathi, Ali Gabr, Ahmed Hegazi, Mohamed Abdel-Shafi - Tarek Hamed, Mohamed Elneny - Mohamed Salah, Abdallah El-Said (Amr Gamal), Ramadan Sobhi (Mostafa Fathi), Mahmoud Kahraba (Amr Warda).
Sub: Ahmed El-Shennawi, Ahmed Elmohamady, Saad Samir, Sam Morsy, Amr Warda, Amr Gamal, Mostafa Fathi.
90+3 The referee blows the final whistle! It's Tunisia 1-0 Egypt.
90+1 Msakni makes way for Sliti.
90' The ref gives a three-minute stoppage-time.
87' Amr Warda comes in for the exhausted Kahraba.
84' What initially seemed a promising counter attack by Egypt was foiled with Mostafa Fathi attempting to take on his challengers instead of passing to a teammate!
77' Nabil Maaloul makes his first change, introducing Harbaoui in the place of Khhenissi.
76' Ahmed Hegazy booked following a foul Fakhreddine.
73' Amr Gamal replaces Abdalleh El-Said, with Mostafa Fathi also coming for Ramadan Sobhi.
64' Egypt are surviving a Tunisia onslaught these minutes, with the hosts attempting to capitalize on the space behind the visitors' full-backs.
59' A fierce challenge from Sassi on Hamed as the former escapes a yellow card.
55' Kahraba intercepts an ill-fated pass from the Tunisian defense before eventually seeing his effort go narrowly wide!!
54' Kahraba seems to be leaving the pitch after sustaining an injury, as Amr Gamal is warming up to replace him.
50' Tarek Hamed goes into the ref's book for a tackle from behind.
48' Khenissi latches onto Msakni's through ball behind the Egypt defense before slotting past the advancing keeper Ekramy!!
48' GOOAALL!!! Tunisia take the lead!
The second half begins.
The ref blows the half-time whistle!!
44' A dangerous header from point-blank range from Ben Youssef narrowly misses the target!!
38' The Tunisians still dictating play, winning another corner now..
34' A shot from Chaalali from long range goes high over..
32' A great defensive display from Egypt's defence and midfield duo tonight.
30' A fine team-move from Egypt ends up with Kahraba slicing his attempted curiing effort!
28' A strong spell of pressure from the Tunisians...
26' A feint from Msakni gives him space before striking from outside the area but Ali Gabr intercepts.
24' Egypt are playing extremely deep on the edge of the box, with Tunisia searching for a breakthrough.
19' The first corner for Egypt comes in the 19th minute.
15' Cuper is clearly relying on long balls towards Kahraba and Salah when Egypt get the ball.
13' What a chance!! Beny Youssef sees a header following a corner hit the woodwork!!
10' Abdel-Shafi wins a foul inside his own half, as Egypt play their usual reactive game.
5' The first corner of the game goes to the hosts.
3' A through from Abdel-Shafy towards Kahraba but the Tunisia keeper inteceptes the ball, out for throw-in.
2' As expected, Egypt give Tunisia the time on the ball from the outset...
The match gets underway!
23:30 Veteran keeper Essam El-Hadary has been left out of the 18-man squad, as Zamalek keeper Ahmed El-Shennawi is there on the bench.
23:15 Egypt players arrive in the stadium. Captain El Hadary checks the pitch ahead of the game.
Egypt players arrived in Rades stadium ahead of Tunisia match (Photo: EFA's official website)
23:00 It remains to be seen whether Mahmoud Kahraba would start as an out-and-out striker or a false nine.
22:00 Coach Cuper has dropped veteran keeper Essam El-Hadary from his 18-man list. He also decided to play with winger Kahraba as a striker keeping natural-striker Amr Gamal on the bench. (Read: Tactical view (Egypt v Tunisia): A classic or false 9 for the Pharaohs)
21:50 Egypt unveil their starting eleven:
Sherif Ekrami - Ahmed Fathi, Ali Gabr, Ahmed Hegazi, Mohamed Abdel-Shafi - Tarek Hamed, Mohamed Elneny - Mohamed Salah, Abdallah El-Said, Ramadan Sobhi, Mahmoud Kahraba.
Sub: Ahmed El-Shennawi, Ahmed Elmohamady, Saad Samir, Sam Morsy, Amr Warda, Amr Gamal, Mostafa Fathi.
21:00 Tunisia are missing some key players ahead of this crucial clash. Captain and goalkeeper Aymen Mathlouthi has been ruled out due to injury, Sunderland midfielder Wahbi Khazri has been dropped for personal reasons, star striker Ahmed Akaichi has been excluded as a disciplinary measure and defender Aymen Abdennour has also been left out due to a recent dip in form.
20:15 It is a big suprise if coach Nabil Maaloul drops Naim Sliti from his starting eleven.
20:10 The starting eleven has been announced on the Tunisia FA website:
Tunisia starting lineup:
Moez Ben Cherifia - Ali Maaloul, Yassine Meriah, Syam Ben Youssef, Rami Bédoui - Mohamed Amine Ben Amor, Ghailane Chaalali, Ferjani Sassi - Fakhreddine Ben Youssef, Youssef Msakni, et Taha Yassine Khenissi.
Subs : Rami Jeridi, Hamza Mathlouthi, Khalil Chammam, Wael Belarbi, Maher Bessghaier, Naim Sliti, Hamdi Harbaoui
19:30 It also remains unclear whether Cuper will start veteran 44-year-old goalkeeper Essam El-Hadary, Ahly’s Sherif Ekramy or Zamalek’s Ahmed El-Shennawi.
18:30 Midfield workhorse Mahmoud Trezeguet is out due to injury, with Stoke City's Ramadan Sobhi expected to replace him on the left wing.
18:00 Cuper still has an attacking dilemma to solve, with Egypt still lacking a reliable natural striker. Amr Gamal is the only out-and-out frontman in the team’s roster but he has recently struggled for first-team football at Egyptian champions Ahly.
17:30 But the 61-year-old refused to get carried away, warning his side against being complacent.
“We do not have the feeling that we are better than any team in our group. In any football game, teams are on equal terms even if, for instance, we have a better history than our opponents,” Cuper told a news conference previewing the Tunisia clash.
17:00 Cuper had the upper hand the only time he met Tunisia, with Egypt claiming a late 1-0 friendly victory in January, a few days before the Nations Cup got underway.
But the 61-year-old refused to get carried away, warning his side against being complacent.
“We do not have the feeling that we are better than any team in our group. In any football game, teams are on equal terms even if, for instance, we have a better history than our opponents,” Cuper told a news conference previewing the Tunisia clash.
16:30 “Egypt is one of the best teams in Africa. They missed out on three straight Nations Cups but they came back stronger, boosted by discipline, experience and the work of Hector Cuper,” Tunisia coach Nabil Maaloul said in an interview with Ahram Online.
“They are not just about individual skills but also a structured attacking and defensive unit. However, their key players are still Mohamed Salah, Ramadan Sobhi and Mahmoud Trezeguet.”
16:00 Egypt are deadly in breakaways and Tunisia will be aware of that threat when they meet them at Rades Stadium in the capital Tunis.
15:30 The former Valencia and Inter Milan boss, known for his tactical nous, put extra emphasis on tightening Egypt’s rearguard and the outcome was a solid side that leak a few goals, albeit without any entertaining play.
15:00 Despite losing 2-1 to Cameroon in the final, Egypt were still praised by pundits back home, with Argentinean coach Hector Cuper given much credit for turning around their fortunes after years of underachievement.
14:00 Egypt were largely porous the last time they met Tunisia in a competitive game, throwing away their lead to lose 2-1 away from home in November 2014 and miss out on a Nations Cup place for the third time running.
They also lost to the Carthage Eagles 1-0 at home in the same campaign but look in a much better shape this time around as they aim to build on a surprising run to the Nations Cup final earlier this year.
13:40 Egypt's probable lineup: Sherif Ekramy; Ahmed Fathi, Ali Gabr, Ahmed Hegazy, Mohamed Abdel-Shafi, Mohamed Elneny, Tarek Hamed, Mohamed Salah, Abdallah El-Saied, Ramad Sobhi, Kahraba
13:00 “Egypt is one of the best teams in Africa. They missed out on three straight Nations Cups but they came back stronger, boosted by discipline, experience and the work of Hector Cuper,” Tunisia coach Nabil Maaloul said in an interview with Ahram Online.
“They are not just about individual skills but also a structured attacking and defensive unit. However, their key players are still Mohamed Salah, Ramadan Sobhi and Mahmoud Trezeguet.”
12:30 Tunisia and Egypt are expected to battle it out for the top spot, which earns direct qualification for the Cameroon finals. The best three runners-up in the 12 groups will also go through.
12:00 Egypt open their 2019 Nations Cup qualifying campaign away to Tunisia on Sunday in what could be a vital game in the race to finish on top of Group J, which also includes minnows Swaziland and Niger.
Referee: Bouchaib El Ahrach (Morocco)
Venue: Rades (Tunis)
(For more sports news and updates, follow Ahram Online Sports on Twitter at @AO_Sports and on Facebook at AhramOnlineSports.)
Short link: