Tunisia Dominates Sao Tome and Principe 6-0
The Tunisian national team faced off against Sao Tome and Principe in a match with little at stake, except for the opportunity to improve their FIFA ranking, as their qualification for the 2026 World Cup was already secured. This match presented the perfect chance for the national team's coach to rotate his squad and give young players like Mohamed Belhaj Mahmoud, Elyes Saâd, and Ismaël Gharbi a chance to shine, while also testing new tactical approaches.
Of these three young players, two found the back of the net on Friday evening. Elyes Saad scored a beautiful goal, doubling the lead, after being served by Naïm Sliti. Saad took his time, dribbling before unleashing a stunning shot. He later scored a second goal, courtesy of a lovely assist from Ali Abdi.
Mohamed Belhaj Mahmoud was close to scoring but saw his shot hit the crossbar. Nevertheless, he was responsible for the only dangerous Tunisian opportunity in the first 35 minutes, during which Sao Tome and Principe put up some resistance before eventually collapsing.
Ismaël Gharbi, on the other hand, opened his account with the national team in style, scoring a goal for the ages. After taking his time to dribble in the penalty area, he unleashed a powerful shot that left the Sao Tomean goalkeeper speechless. Gharbi also provoked a penalty that was converted by Mohamed Ali Ben Romdhane, showcasing his boundless energy and providing solutions to his attacking teammates.
A New Role for Ben Romdhane
In this match against Sao Tome and Principe, which was essentially a training session, coach Sami Trabelsi tested Mohamed Ali Ben Romdhane in the left winger position. Ben Romdhane, who normally plays as a central midfielder for Al Ahly, had no difficulty adapting to this new role on Friday evening. However, it is difficult to make a definitive judgment given the weakness of the opponent and the limited playing time Ben Romdhane had, entering the game at the 61st minute. A 30-minute performance against a weak opponent is not enough to make a final assessment.
That being said, if Ben Romdhane succeeds in this new role, he will provide an additional solution to the Tunisian attack.
In conclusion, the crushing 6-0 victory over Sao Tome and Principe on Friday evening was beneficial in many ways. It allowed Ismael Gharbi to open his account and secure a key place in Sami Trabelsi's setup, who hopes that tomorrow's match against Namibia will be the confirmation of the success of his offensive choices.
