Road to Qatar: how Tunisia qualified for World Cup 2022

Wahbi Khazri top scorer as Eagles of Carthage scrape through after play-off

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  Tunisia players celebrate after qualifying to World Cup 2022 after their match against Mali, at the Olympic stadium in Rades, Tunisia, Tuesday, March 29, 2022. (AP Photo / Hassene Dridi)

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  Tunisia players celebrate after beating Mali. AP

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  Tunisia's Hannibal Jegham shrugs off the challenge of Hamari Traore of Mali. EPA

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  Tunisia's Naim Sliti shoots at goal. Reuters

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  Tunisia's Ali Maaloul under pressure from Abdoulaye Diaby of Mali. EPA

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  Tunisia's Nader Ghandri celebrates with teammates after qualifying for the World Cup. Reuters

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  Tunisia's Ghaliene Chaaleli celebrates after the match. Reuters

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  Tunisia defender Ayman Ben Mohamed under pressure from Mali's Boubakar 'Kiki' Kouyate. AFP

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  Tunisia celebrate qualifying to the 2022 Qatar World Cup. AFP

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  Tunisia midfielder Youssef Msakni and Mali's Sekou Koita. AFP

Entering African qualification in the second round, Tunisia began well with three wins from three before a draw in Mauritania and defeat in Equatorial Guinea threatened to stunt their campaign.

However, they rebounded to win their final match, a comfortable 3-1 home win against Zambia, to finish the group as winners, two points above Equatorial Guinea.

It left Tunisia with all to play for in the third round, where the 10 group winners faced off in March over two legs, home and away. In the end, Tunisia scraped past Mali 1-0 on aggregate, thanks to a Moussa Sissako own goal in the first leg in Bamako.

Qualification did still see a change in manager, with Mondher Kebaier ousted following the Eagles of Carthage's quarter-final exit of the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations in January. He was replaced by Jalel Kadri, who guided his country through the play-off.

Wahbi Khazri was Tunisia’s top scorer in qualification, with three goals.

In Qatar, Tunisia have been drawn in Group D, alongside France, Australia and Denmark.

Tunisia’s fixtures in Qatar

November 22 Denmark v Tunisia – Education City Stadium (5pm)

November 26 Tunisia v Australia – Al Janoub Stadium (2pm)

November 30 Tunisia v France – Education City Stadium (7pm)

Qualifying results

Second round (Group B)

September 3, 2021: Tunisia 3 (Bronn 54' Skhiri 78', Khazri pen 82') Equatorial Guinea 0

September 7, 2021: Zambia 0 Tunisia 2 (Khazri pen 8', Simane 90+2')

October 7, 2021: Tunisia 3 (Skhiri 15', Khazri 42', Jazuri 86') Mauritania 0

October 10, 2021: Mauritania 0-0 Tunisia

November 13, 2021 Equatorial Guinea 1 (Ganet 84') Tunisia 0

November 16, 2021: Tunisia 3 (Laidouni 18', Drager 31', Maaloul 43') Zambia 1 (Sakala 80')

Third-round

First leg: March 29 2022: Tunisia 0-0 Mali

Second leg: March 26, 2022: Mali 0 Tunisia 1 (Sissako og 36'). Tunisia win 1-0 on aggregate