World Cup Qualifying Preview: Tunisia – Kenya

Carthage Eagles So Close Yet So Far

The Tunisian national team are currently sitting at the top of Group B after picking up a monumental 2-2 draw in Abuja against Nigeria to stay two points ahead of their direct rivals for a 2010 World Cup berth.

While the result was precisely what had been demanded of them, it was the way it was achieved that filled the North African side’s supporters with pride considering their team came back twice to level the score, both times with stunning goals and perhaps should have even won the match if countless other chances hadn’t gone begging.

Now Humberto Coelho has the important task of keeping his players’ feet on the ground and to guard against overconfidence. Thankfully for him, all of his players have experience coping with such high pressure at club level.

In fact, the first thing that team captain Karim Haggui said to his team-mates on the pitch in Abuja once the match ended was that they should not get too carried away since there were still two equally important steps to be made versus Kenya in Tunis and Mozambique in Maputo.

Everyone out of the Carthage Eagles camp has been echoing that same sentiment ever since, especially since Tunisians still have their 2-1 loss to Burkina Faso in the previous round of qualifying under Roger Lemerre fresh in their minds.

The loss was a warning that no team should be underestimated and so far Coelho’s men have heeded that message. Young Boys defender Seif Ghezal’s comment that this match would be more difficult than the previous one versus Nigeria shows as much.

Harambee Stars Still Reeling From The Mamba's Bite

Prior to the start of the final phase of their World Cup qualifying campaign, Kenyans were full of hope that their team could at the very least qualify for the upcoming 2010 African Cup of Nations after missing out on the last two editions of the continental event. However, their latest away loss to Mozambique has put them one point behind the Mambas with two matches to go and has dimmed their hopes of reaching this January’s tournament in Angola.

Furthermore, the fact that the team has been mired in controversy at an administrative and coaching level hasn’t done much to give any indication to the national team’s supporters that their side will be capable of overcoming the odds and achieving a result against Tunisia at Rades stadium or Nigeria in Nairobi next month.

What has caused much of the disappointment is the fact that they no longer have any matches against Mozambique and thus must rely on a slip up from Nigeria or Tunisia later on for them to have a chance of overtaking the Southern Africans for third place.

Such a scenario is not out of the question but the signs do not currently point in that direction, especially if one considers coach Antoine Hey’s tenuous grip on the squad and Football Kenya Limited’s consistent failings to ensure a pleasant atmosphere surrounding the team prior to their important fixtures.

FORM GUIDE

Tunisia

May 28: Tunisia 4 – 0 Sudan

June 6: Tunisia 2 – 0 Mozambique

June 20: Tunisia 0 – 0 Nigeria

August 12: Tunisia 0 – 0 Cote d’Ivoire

September 6: Nigeria 2 – 2 Tunisia

Kenya

June 7: Nigeria 3 – 0 Kenya

June 20: Kenya 2 – 1 Mozambique

August 12: Malaysia 0 – 0 Kenya

August 26: Bahrain 2 – 1 Kenya

September 6: Mozambique 1 – 0 Kenya

TEAM NEWS

Tunisia Sami Allagui, Chady Hammami, and Bilel Ifa have all been dropped from the team that traveled to Nigeria. The first two are technical choices while the latter is due to a knee injury sustained by the Club Africain right-back which will necessitate at least a week’s rest.

In their place Coelho has selected Deportivo La Coruna’s Lassad Nouioui, Montpellier’s Jamel Saihi, and Esperance’s Zied Derbali. Meanwhile, CA Bizertin goalkeeper Farrouk Ben Mustapha has received his first call-up and defensive midfielder Khaled Korbi passed a fitness test even though there were some concerns about an injury to his knee. Finally, the skipper will miss out on the match due to yellow card accumulation.

Probable Starting XI: Aymen Mathlouthi – Khaled Souissi, Radhouene Felhi, Seif Ghezal, Yassine Mikari - Khaled Korbi, Houcine Ragued, Nabil Taider, Ousemma Darragi, Chaouki Ben Saada - Issam Jemaa

Kenya

From an injury standpoint all is not well in the Harambee Stars camp as Parma standout McDonald Mariga has sustained an unspecified knock that will apparently sideline him for a month. This is a tough blow for the East Africans who are heavily reliant on him. Coach Hey has called up Sweden based Patrick Osiako as a replacement.

However, the German trainer has done something unprecedented in dropping Kenya’s most ruthless striker, Dennis Oliech, due to what he has termed, his “poor form” as of late. The move has shocked many supporters who believe that Hey is letting his personal issues with the forward cloud his judgment.

Probable Starting XI: Willis Ochieng - Julius Owino, John Njoroge, George Owino, Musa Otieno - Robert Mambo, Victor Mugabe, Patrick Osiako, Austin Makacha - Patrick Oboya, Allan Wanga

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Tunisia

Chaouki Ben Saada: The playmaker is coming off of an incredible league performance versus Valenciennes where he was subbed into the match with his team trailing by two goals late in the game. The Bastia product proceeded to score his second goal of the season and then provided two assists off free kicks to give Nice the win. He played very well in Abuja versus the Super Eagles and is thrilled to be back in the team after a lengthy spell where he was exiled from the squad by coach Humberto Coelho who questioned his commitment after he skipped a trip to Ghana. No one is questioning his commitment now though. He’s an in form fan favorite who will be playing at home. That spells trouble for Kenya.

Kenya

Allan Wanga: Without Dennis Oliech and McDonald Mariga in the Harambee Stars lineup this will be the Petro Atletico striker’s opportunity to take charge and finally get the chance to replicate his sterling club form in a Kenyan national team jersey. Hey has used him sparingly up until now but the lack of offensive options in the lineup means that Wanga will shoulder much of the attacking responsibility. Given the high likelihood that Kenya will sit back and employ a counter attacking strategy, the 23-year-old forward will need to lead his front line expertly if his team is to threaten the North Africans at Rades Stadium.

PREDICTION

Rades Stadium hasn’t filled up for a national team game since late 2005 but on Sunday all Tunisians expect that it will be packed to the brim with cheering supporters anticipating a good result. It will be a pressure cooker for the Carthage Eagles who absolutely need the win to stay in first place and even potentially qualify a match early should Nigeria falter versus Mozambique.

Kenya’s poor preparations coupled with the intense motivation of a Tunisian side that has pledged to take every opponent seriously means that the locals should secure the three points considering their pedigree. Even if they don’t score early, Coelho’s players showed in Abuja they have the appropriate mentality to keep playing their brand of football with the knowledge that a goal will eventually come even in the most difficult moments.

Tunisia 2 – 0 Kenya

Rami Ayari, Goal.com