Tunisia Carthage Eagles find themselves in a tricky but not impossible Group G where the likes of Belgium,Panama and England will be the opponents.To the English they feel they have been granted a forgiving World Cup draw and the media have not minced words that they will definitely qualify for the quarter finals.
In qualifying for the World Cup 2018 in Russia,Tunisia retained unbeaten record ousting DR Congo,Libya and Guinea to reach the finals however after the draws at the Kremlin coach Nabil Maaloul clearly knows its going to be a feisty atmosphere and he has work to do six months down the line.
Tunisia will play England in the group opener on June 18,2018 in Volgograd this will be a repeat of their first match in the 1998 World Cup in France that England won 2-0 and current manager Gareth Southgate was a player.
Tunisia will be returning to the World Cup for the first time since 2006,which was the third of three consecutive tournaments they reached but ended in the group stage without a win.The only other World Cup the Carthage Eagles have qualified for was in 1978, when they recorded their only win over Mexico.
Though many might consider Tunisia as big outsiders in the group just like Panama they have talented players who can deliver at any game with most playing in the domestic Tunisia Premier league however Wahbi Khazri who is in Rennes on loan from Sunderland and Aymen Abdennour who plies his trade for Marseille are some of the key players.
Tunisia should not take the foot off the peddle they can throw themselves a lifeline by ensuring proper preparations as they gruel for the finest.They must hit the ground running to elevate themselves and be counted in Russia.
Tunisia must work on ways on beating the favourites of Group G England and Belgium who have pundits shouting and be wary of lesser known Panama.Its a stastistic that is loaded with implications yet the most important one for Tunisia fans is that the team is finally back at the table of men and that they have found the the players that can ignite their hopes of getting glory at the World Cup.
