AFCON 2020 Match 11: Guinea Begins AFCON Campaign with Three Points over Tunisia

The following article provides an oversight for matches and tournaments taking place in 2020.

AFCON 2020 Match 11: Guinea v Tunisia

Guinea Begins AFCON Campaign with Three Points over Tunisia

June 18, 2020

Guinea 2 Tunisia 1

 

Guinea opened their African Cup of Nations quest with a 2-1 victory over Tunisia in the final group of the tournament.

 

The west Africans, one of the favourites to take the title, started well on the front foot, while Tunisia wanted to ruffle feathers and gain the ascendency in the group.

 

Tunisia’s Anice Badri and Wahbi Khazri combined for the first shot of the game early, with Badri crossing from the left wing and Khazri gaining purchase on the ball with his diving header.

 

Though it was easy pickings for Ali Keita, the Guinean goalkeeper, it was he who nearly gifted a goal to the north Africans minutes later as he dribbled out of the 18-yard box.

 

In the seventeenth minute, Guinea’s Naby Keïta had a chance from twenty yards out, but with the pressure of his marking man, he punted the ball over the crossbar.

 

Ali Keita then saved Youssef Msakni’s shot in the 25th minute with his legs as the Tunisian worked down the left of the goalkeeping box.

 

Mohamed Yattara, down the other end, brought Tunisian goalkeeper Farouk Ben Mustapha into the fray with a choice save. Ben Mustapha also needed to make two punching clearances as both sides employed tactics mainly down the left wing; Tunisia also tried long, switching balls to the opposite wing to open up play, but to no avail.

 

In the second half, it was Guinea who switched from left to the right wing. In doing so, the Tunisian defence left minor gaps, leading to Yattara reaching a through ball first. He snapped the ball beyond Ben Mustapha to open the scoring.

 

Khazri nearly equalised when he was found alone in the box; his left footer flew across the face of goal.

 

The tactics came to fruition for the Guineans, instead, as their coach substituted on José Kanté. The talisman passed from the right wing a long through ball. Yattara reached it first, again, and though Oussama Haddadi got part of his leg on the shot, the sheer force ruffled the back of the net.

 

Forced to step up a notch, Msakni immediately replied in the 66th minute with a long-range shot, too powerful as well for anyone to halt.

 

The match, now balanced to a single goal separating the two sides, brought more Guinean attacks, where both Keïta and Yattara had wild shots stopped. Keïta had a header knocked back as he was offside after Kanté’s cross from the right wing.

 

Msakni searched in vain for his brace deep in the second half, but any shot he could find was blocked by a steely Guinean defence, and soon after the final whistle sent the west Africans into jubilation.

 

Important aspects of the match

Yattara’s goals in the 49th and 64th minutes.

Msakni’s 66th-minute goal.

            Both sides had six shots apiece.

            Guinea had 80% passing accuracy compared with Tunisia’s 74%.

 

            Guinean Player of the Match Mohamed Mady Camara in central midfield with most tackles overall and four intercepts.

            Guinea’s best afield: Kanté and Amadou Diawara with assists; Diawara with equal most passes for the match

            Ibrahima Traoré with most dribbles for Guinea.

            Simon Falette and Ernest Seka Boca with four intercepts and two clearances.

 

Tunisia’s best: Msakni with the goal, three shots on goal and equal most passes, as well as most dribble attempts overall; Ayman Ben Mohammed at left back, Ben Mustapha in goals with seven saves.

Yassine Meriah with three key intercepts and two clearances.

Yellow card awarded to Tunisia’s Haddadi, who tackled the most for his side.