Algeria and Tunisia will lock horns in a North African affair onmatch day two of the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations on Thursday at Stade de Franceville starting at 1900hrs East Africa Time.
Desert Warriors
1990 Africa Cup of Nations champions,Algeria will be the favourites to win the game though they narrowly escaped Zimbabwe scare in their first game of the tournament.The Desert Worriors drew 2-2 with Zimbabwe with Tunisia losing 2-0 to Senegal in their first match.
Algeria boasts on best talent in the tournament in the name of 2016 Africa Player of the year Riyad Mahrez who scored a brace in the firsr match.Their win tomorrow will increase their chances of getring into the knock out stages as they seek to add their second title.
The other talented players in the squad include the likes of Slimani, Feghouli, Brahimi, Ghoulam and others already playing at the biggest stage who helped rhe Desert foxes qualify for the 2017 AFCON in style, taking 16 points from 6 fixtures and scoring 25 goals in the process, but they couldn’t take that form into the tournament finals.
Head coach Georges Leekens,is expected to ring changes to his starting line-up, with Lyon starlet Rachid Ghezzal and Dijon midfielder Mehdi Abeid expected to be drafted to the side.
Islam Islami and Rais M’Bolhi are expected to start from the bench after suffering some injury during the Zimbabwe clash,as they are expected to pass fitness tests later today.
Carthage Eagles
Tunisia will have an opportunity to turn things around and forget their unlucky loss in the hands of Senegal.
The Carthage Eagles finished their qualification campaign just two and three points clear of Togo and Liberia respectively, and it appears they lack the quality needed to outst Algerian.
During the warm up games Tunisia were not so impressive falling to Basque Country and registered a draw aganist Egypt.
Their midfielder Wahbi Khazri is doubtful for a starr after picking up an ankle injury during the build-up, but Henryk Kasperczak men will be keeping their eyes on this match as a defeat to them may as well mean a bye to the tournament.
During the Senegal game they were the tactically superior side but they desperately lacked some cutting edge but the coaches have been working on that before they face Algeria.
Both rivals last met in Africa Cup of Nations in 2013 edition with Tunisia winning the match by one goal.In their 10 last competitive games Tunisians have wo only two while Algeria have only lost once.
