Tunisia eye third round with Zambia win

Tunisia will do battle with Zambia in their final 2022 Fifa World Cup qualification Group B match at the Stade Olympique de Radès in Radès on Tuesday.

Kick-off is at 9pm CAT.

The Carthage Eagles are wounded as they are coming off their first defeat in in Group B having succumbed to a surprise 1-0 loss to Equatorial Guinea away on Saturday.

Despite the defeat, Tunisia remained at the top of the group standings - level on points with second-placed Equatorial Guinea, who will face Mauritania away on Tuesday.

Mondher Kebaier, the Tunisia head coach, has stressed the importance of solidarity in his camp and also discussed the absence of Youssef Al-Maskani and Elias Al-Sakhiri.

"We are close to the end of the first stage of the qualifiers, during which we worked with great solidarity and in full communication," Kebaier told the media.

"Now we will enter a new and decisive period. Youssef is an important element in the national team and his addition is great and always decisive.

"But unfortunately the injury deprived us of his services and the same for Elias Al-Sakhiri, and we hope that the other players will compensate for their absence."

Meanwhile, Zambia boosted their slim hopes of reaching the third round of qualifying by securing an emphatic 4-0 win over Mauritania at home on Saturday.

The win over Mauritania ended Chipolopolo's three-match winless run and they are placed third on the group standings - three points behind leaders Tunisia.

Beston Chambeshi, the Zambia head coach, explained why Chipolopolo had a slow start to the World Cup qualifiers and he feels that the team is improving.

“Covid-9 played a role," Chambeshi told the local media after their big win over Mauritania.

"We missed a lot of players because of injuries and this Covid thing. but yes we are happy that the team is now intact and all players are in.

"There is no excuse, all we need is to make sure we put everything in place."

The last time Tunisia hosted Zambia was in January 2008.

The Carthage Eagles claimed a narrow 1-0 win over Chipolopolo in an international friendly match which was played at Stade Olympique de Radès.