35 Minutes to Turn the Tide: Tunisia’s Coach Bets on a Late Comeback

Match Reflections

Sami Al-Trablsi, Tunisia’s head coach, was satisfied with his team’s display despite a 2-3 defeat on Saturday night in the second Group C game at AFCON 2025 in Morocco.

Al-Trablsi spoke to BeIN Sports after the match in Fez: 'We faced a stubborn, powerful opponent, whose players possess technical and physical quality, and speed as well'.

He added, 'We tried to obtain a positive result, but the opponent outmuscled us in midfield duels, and we lost many battles on both ends—defense and attack—especially in the opening 30 minutes'.

Looking Ahead

He continued, 'The first half was forgettable, but the tournament is long, and we will try to make use of our level in the last 35 minutes; we proved we can contend with a big, strong side like Nigeria'.

He noted, 'We held out for 40 minutes, but we conceded just before the break, and in the second half we tried to alter the plan, yet Nigeria’s timing of goals made things tougher'.

He closed, 'A loss can affect players psychologically, but I spoke with them and stressed that Tanzania is the next match, and I hope our response is as strong as in the second half against Nigeria'.

Tunisia will face Tanzania on Tuesday evening, while Nigeria meet Uganda at the same time.

Nigeria are through to the knockout stage, while Tunisia only need a win to secure qualification without complex calculations.

Sniper punchline 1: Tunisia’s plan was patient; time simply ran out.

Sniper punchline 2: Nigeria found the net; Tunisia found a stopwatch.