where?  Tunis

match report by: The Shot That Passed Right Through The Net
 

Tunisia abandoned their last four years defensive style for the more attackinng attitude their clubs play in ChampionsLeague (and almost payed for it like they did 1994 when they went out as hosts in first round cought by Mali).  The once (and still) huge talent Ayadi Hamrouni (from Esperance) returned for the first time in a crucial match since the 1994 disappointment.  The defence loooked less solid and after a good beginning, when the Tunisians looked like they overrun Liberia, the Tunisian game soon did not run smoothly anymore.  Liberia merely appeared as a collection of players rather than a team, but what can you expect under the circumstances they suffer from.  Anyway they were able to set up a couple if big opportunities at first half.  A huge mistake enabled a sudden counterbreak by #6 who scored easily in a one to one situation against the keeper  Then the match took a kind of turn that must be feared from away teams at Tunisia:  Ayadi Hamrouni ploughed into the penalty area and was brought down by a Liberian defender who quite cleary seemed to have played the ball (tv pictures from one perspective can deceive).  The referee awarded the situation with a penalty, and Sellimi scored. Liberians obviously played on with anger until halftime.  In the second half Tunisia maintained constant pressure, especially after a Liberian player (#7) short after half received his second yellow card and was send off.  But the more the match progressed, the more hysterical the Tunisians acted close to the goal  And it was only a lucky goal by Sellimi in the final seconds that punished the Liberians.

THIS DOCUMENT IS PART OF: AFRICAN CUP OF NATIONS 2000

A COMPONENT OF: THE SHOT THAT PASSED RIGHT THROUGH THE NET

© THE SHOT THAT PASSED RIGHT THROUGH THE NET