It has been a roller-coaster ride for Tunisia at the Africa Cup of Nations and, just as expectations were at their highest, it came to a suitably surprising end on Saturday with a 1-0 loss to Burkina Faso.
The Tunisians’ campaign will not be forgotten by fans in North Africa, for both good and bad reasons, for quite some time.
It started with the opener against Mali and a surprise defeat, and an even bigger surprise, one that made headlines around the world, as the referee blew for time early, for the second time in the match.
The sight of coach Mondher Kebaier remonstrating with the official and pointing to his watch will be one of the abiding images of the tournament. In some ways, the furor overshadowed the fact that Tunisia had slipped to a disappointing loss.
Then came the expected win against Mauritania, which was followed by a loss to Gambia deep into injury time. It all meant that Tunisia just about squeezed into the knockout stage as one of the best performing third-placed teams.
Few expected it to be a long stay as Nigeria came next, the team that had impressed the most in the group stage and the only one with maximum points. With COVID-19 ripping through the Tunisian camp, it was an under-strength team that did not even have the coach on the sidelines.
Yet, somehow, the Carthage Eagles beat the Super Eagles. It was a stunning display of belief, discipline and hard work. Confidence soared. If a much-weakened Tunisia could beat Nigeria to move into the last eight then there was no reason they could not go all the way and repeat the title-winning success of 2004.
Burkina Faso, ranked 30 places below Tunisia at 60 in the world, had other ideas and not least because they had defeated the same opponent at the same stage of the 1998 and 2017 tournaments.
The opening exchanges were cagey, but “Les Etalons” caused problems with their intensity and took the lead at the end of the first half. Dango Ouattara made some space in the area to fire home. Tunisia threw on Ettifaq’s Naim Sliti and Ali Maaloul at the start of the second half and they began to put more pressure on the opposition without really creating chances of note.
That changed just before the hour as Tunisia should have been level. Sliti went down the right and then crossed to the opposite side of the area where Wahbi Khazri was waiting in space. The star striker got it all wrong and sliced wide.
That was as close as the men in Red were going to come, though there was a penalty shout later in the game. The referee initially judged that Soumaila Ouattara’s challenge on Khazri was perfectly timed, but went to study the video footage. Burkina Faso waited with hearts in mouths, but were relieved to see the official stick by his original decision.
With more and more possession, Tunisia pushed forward with greater intensity. Yet even when the goal-scorer was sent off for the use of an elbow with eight minutes remaining, they could not get the goal to take the game into extra time.
Now the team returns home to an uncertain reaction. The group stage performance was poor, but in difficult circumstances Tunisia pulled off a great result against Nigeria. Ultimately, however, there will be disappointment that they could not go further.
Fans had already expressed their concerns over coach Kebaier and whether the 51-year-old, who had never managed a team outside the country before taking the job in 2019, is the man to get the best out of a talented group of players. The debate is set to start once more.
If there is to be a change, it will be soon. Tunisia have a chance to get some revenge on Mali in the two-legged World Cup qualifier in March. Get through that and the North Africans can start preparing for Qatar, where the lessons of Cameroon will serve them well.
The team worked and fought hard, but there was a lack of cutting edge going forward. Apart from the win over Mauritania, there was only one goal scored in four games. A team that lacks firepower to such an extent will always struggle to win things. Being well organized and well drilled will get you only so far, and fans have a right to expect a little more.
Tunisia return home with memories both good and bad, but with much to think about.
