2017 Africa Cup of Nations second day will witness the big game at the Stade de Franceville, Gabon when Senegal meet Tunisia as both teams open their Group B campaign on Sunday.
2004 champions Tunisia will be out to claim maximum points aganist the highest ranked team in Africa,Senegal, as they make a record 13th straight Nations Cups apperance.
The Carthage Eagles qualified in the tournament on top of their Group A with two points ahead of Togo after an impressive run that saw them thrashing Djibouti to 8-1 and equally strong Liberia.
It will be remembered that in AFCON 2015 they came through a tough group that comprised of DR Congo,Zambia and Cape Verde without losing single match.They managed to reach to the quarters of the tournament.
Tunisia had brought their best squad in that tournament but their elimination was in controversial circumstances by the host Equatorial Guinea.
Currently the Carthage Eagles are coached by Poland international, Henry Kasperczak, formely with Ivory Coast and Mali where he took Elephants to a third finish in 1994 and helped Eagles of Mali to finish fourth in 2002.
Herny is also not new to Tunisian football having handled the team between 1994-1998 leading them to second position.
The coach will be looking for his players to deliver the match for a team that will be depending on Aymen Abennour,a left footed centre back who plies his trade with Valencia in taming the most powerful striking force of the Lions of Teranga.
Senegal
Senegal will bringing their touch of the fast attacking football as they try to emmulate, ever since a wonderful 2002 team that made international headlines in the World Cup and claimed their sole African Cup of Nations title.
The Lions of Teranga were the only team to qualify for Gabon with a 100% record, topping their group that had lesser light Niger,Burundi and Namibia.
Senegal though have struggled in the recent tournaments but much has changed since 2015. Now being coached by captain of the 2002 dream team Aliou Cisse the West Africans have flourished under his leadership.
Cisse record is there to be seen even before landing to his role.He coached Senegal under-23 team at the 2012 Olympic games in London before taking the new position.
Perhaps historically the side do not boast strongest squad in their history but the West Africans can call upon the continent’s most expensive player,Sadio Mane together with Moussa Sow, Moussa Konate and Keita Balde.
The four players are expected to bring pace, power, strength, trickery and a clinical nature that provides the side with all the artillery they’ll need to unlock stubborn defences.
It is all a composation of young, hungry and driven, a talented spine thay has made many of the Senegalese nation beleive that it is now the time to scoop the trophy.
