If They Don't Revise Their Strategy, Our National Team A's Stay in Qatar for the FIFA Arab Cup May Be Short
La Presse — Approaching a friendly match with caution, even against a team like Egypt, is unreasonable. However, this was the choice made by national team A's coach, Abdelhay Ben Soltane, for the first half of the match against Egypt, before trying to recover in the second half. Unfortunately, it was too late: the Egyptians are known for their realistic gameplay.
By alternating between recovery and relaunch, and imposing their tempo, the Pharaohs managed to preserve their advantage on the scoreboard, and Majdi Afsha's goal in the 32nd minute was enough to secure a narrow but good victory, which is a morale booster three months before the FIFA Arab Cup 2025, scheduled to take place in Qatar from December 1 to 18 this year.
As part of the preparation for the Qatari World Cup, the two secondary selections of Tunisia and Egypt have scheduled a double friendly confrontation. The first match took place, and the second is scheduled for tomorrow evening. It's time to make amends and show a completely different face - a reassuring one.
Because if they insist on playing it safe during the first minutes of the game, trying to test the waters, and then changing their strategy to a more offensive one, it cannot be a winning strategy, especially against selections that have experience, like Egypt.
The Egyptians, who initially struggled to circulate the ball fluidly due to Tunisia's dominance in the midfield, managed to find the weakness and create a path towards the Tunisian penalty area, thanks to players like Marouane Hamdy and Majdi Afsha.
Only Chaâlali and Hlaoui Stand Out
In addition to the tactical approach that needs to be revised entirely by Abdelhay Ben Soltane and his staff, the players must also present a better football on the field, showing more aggression on the ball, especially in the last 30 meters. Because if there's one thing that was lacking in our attackers, it's percussion.
That being said, two players stood out: goalkeeper Abdessalem Hlaoui, who made beautiful saves and decisive stops, and Ghailane Chaâlali, who set an example for his teammates in terms of combativeness.
In summary, our national team A' must absolutely revise its tactical strategy and play the usual style that suits them: an offensive game. If they don't, their stay in Qatar for the FIFA Arab Cup may be short.
