Tunisia head coach Sami Trabelsi expressed a mix of frustration and pride after his side narrowly lost 3–2 to Nigeria in a dramatic Group C clash at the ongoing AFCON 2020 in Morocco on Saturday night, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
Speaking after the match in Fez, Trabelsi admitted the defeat was painful, particularly given how close the Carthage Eagles came to completing a remarkable comeback after falling three goals behind.
“Of course, there is a sense of bitterness after the match and this defeat,” Trabelsi said.
“We felt we could have come back, especially during the final 30 minutes.”
Nigeria had surged into a commanding 3–0 lead through goals from Victor Osimhen, Wilfred Ndidi and Ademola Lookman, appearing to put the contest beyond reach before Tunisia mounted a spirited revival late in the game.
Trabelsi, however, praised his players’ response, insisting Tunisia showed they could compete with any opponent when they imposed their style of play and controlled possession.
“The players performed at a very high level in that period,” he said.
“We created many chances, scored two goals and could have scored more. The defeat hurts, but there is also a positive aspect.”
Tunisia’s resurgence began in the 75th minute when Montassar Talbi headed home from a Hannibal Mejbri free-kick, before Ali Abdi converted a VAR-awarded penalty to set up a tense finish.
“We respected them, yes, while trying to remain balanced,” he explained.
“We know that Nigeria have very fast and powerful players, so we tried to reduce the spaces.”
Having won their first game 3-1 against Uganda, they remain second in the Group but must seal their qualification to the next round when they face Tanzania next Tuesday.
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