New broom for Tunisia ahead of Cameroon friendly

by Staff Reporter

Friday Oct 04, 2019. 14:00

New Tunisia coach Mondher Kebaier is looking for something a fresh start after retaining only 15 players from his 2019 Africa Cup of Nations squad for the friendly international with Cameroon on October 12, but had delivered a recall to Aymen Abdennour.

Kebaier had dropped a bunch for last month’s friendlies with Mauritania and Ivory Coast, and has resisted the urge to recall the likes of experienced midfielders Wahbi Khazri and Anice Badri.

Retained are captain Youssef Msakni, midfielder Naim Sliti and goalkeeper Farouk Ben Moustapha, while there is also a return after two years of Abdennour.

Tunisia, who finished fourth at the recent Nations Cup finals in Egypt, are preparing for the start of the 2021 qualifiers, where they will face Libya, Tanzania and Equatorial Guinea in what should be a simple enough pool to negotiate.

Kebaier was appointed in August after French coach Alain Giresse left his post despite a good showing for the side in Egypt.

Tunisia squad:

Goalkeepers: Farouk Ben Moustapha, Moez Ben Cherifia, Ayman Dahmen and Atif Dkhili.

Defenders: Aymen Abdennour, Malik Baayou, Adel Baltaib, Ayman Ben Mohamed, Mortada Ben Wannas, Dylan Bronn, Mohammed Drager, Osama Al Haddadi, Ali Maaloul, Yassine Meriah and Hamdi Nagguez,

Midfielders: Ghailene Chaalali, Amor Layouni, Youssef Msakni, Ferjani Sassi, Ellyes Skhiri, Naim Sliti, Bassem Srarfi, Saîf-Eddine Khaoui, Marc Lamti and Hamza Rafia.

Forwards: Firas Chaouat and Taha Yassine Khenissi.