Tunisia head into their Africa Cup of Nations clash with Mali carrying a rare source of optimism, after Tunisia’s head coach Faouzi Benzarti called up a group that includes several players based in Europe.
The new selection has raised hopes that Tunisia can finally break their long-running struggle against Mali at the AFCON, where the Eagles have so far avoided defeat whenever the two sides have met.
Tunisia and Mali have crossed paths three times in the competition’s history. Mali won the first meeting in 1994 with a 2-0 scoreline, while the other two games ended level: 1-1 in 1998 and 1-1 again in 2002.
The upcoming match has therefore become a key test for Tunisia, who are aiming to turn the page on that unwanted record and start a new chapter under Benzarti.
The announced squad was notable for its European-based core, a detail that has been highlighted as a positive sign ahead of the Mali encounter and the wider tournament challenge.
