Road to Qatar: how Tunisia qualified for World Cup 2022


John McAuley
  • English
  • Arabic

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

MEYDAN CARD

6.30pm Maiden Dh165,000 (Dirt) 1,600m

7.05pm Conditions Dh240,000 (D) 1,600m

7.40pm Handicap Dh190,000 (D) 2,000m

8.15pm Handicap Dh170,000 (D) 2,200m

8.50pm The Entisar Listed Dh265,000 (D) 2,000m

9.25pm The Garhoud Sprint Listed Dh265,000 (D) 1,200m

10pm Handicap Dh185,000 (D) 1,400m

 

The National selections

6.30pm Majestic Thunder

7.05pm Commanding

7.40pm Mark Of Approval

8.15pm Mulfit

8.50pm Gronkowski

9.25pm Walking Thunder

10pm Midnight Sands

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PREMIER LEAGUE FIXTURES

All times UAE ( 4 GMT)

Saturday
West Ham United v Tottenham Hotspur (3.30pm)
Burnley v Huddersfield Town (7pm)
Everton v Bournemouth (7pm)
Manchester City v Crystal Palace (7pm)
Southampton v Manchester United (7pm)
Stoke City v Chelsea (7pm)
Swansea City v Watford (7pm)
Leicester City v Liverpool (8.30pm)

Sunday
Brighton and Hove Albion v Newcastle United (7pm)

Monday
Arsenal v West Bromwich Albion (11pm)

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Seven tips from Emirates NBD

1. Never respond to e-mails, calls or messages asking for account, card or internet banking details

2. Never store a card PIN (personal identification number) in your mobile or in your wallet

3. Ensure online shopping websites are secure and verified before providing card details

4. Change passwords periodically as a precautionary measure

5. Never share authentication data such as passwords, card PINs and OTPs  (one-time passwords) with third parties

6. Track bank notifications regarding transaction discrepancies

7. Report lost or stolen debit and credit cards immediately

BOSH!'s pantry essentials

Nutritional yeast

This is Firth's pick and an ingredient he says, "gives you an instant cheesy flavour". He advises making your own cream cheese with it or simply using it to whip up a mac and cheese or wholesome lasagne. It's available in organic and specialist grocery stores across the UAE.

Seeds

"We've got a big jar of mixed seeds in our kitchen," Theasby explains. "That's what you use to make a bolognese or pie or salad: just grab a handful of seeds and sprinkle them over the top. It's a really good way to make sure you're getting your omegas."

Umami flavours

"I could say soya sauce, but I'll say all umami-makers and have them in the same batch," says Firth. He suggests having items such as Marmite, balsamic vinegar and other general, dark, umami-tasting products in your cupboard "to make your bolognese a little bit more 'umptious'".

Onions and garlic

"If you've got them, you can cook basically anything from that base," says Theasby. "These ingredients are so prevalent in every world cuisine and if you've got them in your cupboard, then you know you've got the foundation of a really nice meal."

Your grain of choice

Whether rice, quinoa, pasta or buckwheat, Firth advises always having a stock of your favourite grains in the cupboard. "That you, you have an instant meal and all you have to do is just chuck a bit of veg in."

Who's who in Yemen conflict

Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government

Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council

Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south

Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory

Tenet

Director: Christopher Nolan

Stars: John David Washington, Robert Pattinson, Elizabeth Debicki, Dimple Kapadia, Michael Caine, Kenneth Branagh 

Rating: 5/5

The President's Cake

Director: Hasan Hadi

Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem 

Rating: 4/5

The Brutalist

Director: Brady Corbet

Stars: Adrien Brody, Felicity Jones, Guy Pearce, Joe Alwyn

Rating: 3.5/5

While you're here
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Updated: September 28, 2022, 8:52 AM