Second-half surge buries Equatorial Guinea
A tight game cracked open the moment Naim Sliti took charge. Tunisia’s winger scored one and made two as the Carthage Eagles thumped Equatorial Guinea 4-0 in their Africa Cup of Nations Group J opener at the Stade Olympique de Rades, a result that neatly doubles as a tune-up for Qatar 2022.
The first half was sticky. Tunisia had more of the ball but looked short of rhythm, rushing decisions in the final third. Equatorial Guinea sat deep, shuffled well, and waited for mistakes. When Sliti had a goal chalked off early in the second half for an infringement, you wondered if frustration would creep in.
It didn’t. On 56 minutes, a deep cross made its way to the back post, where Sliti muscled past his marker and drilled a low finish into the far corner. It was a hard, clean strike, and it changed the temperature of the night.
Equatorial Guinea’s task got even tougher with 19 minutes left when substitute Joan Lopez Elo collected a second yellow card. Down to 10, they couldn’t keep the line intact. Tunisia sensed it and went for the jugular.
On 77 minutes, Sliti turned provider, hanging a precise cross that begged to be attacked. Seifeddine Jaziri obliged with a powerful header. The noise in Rades shifted from relief to celebration, and Tunisia didn’t let up.
Youssef Msakni, coming off the bench with fresh legs and veteran craft, added a sharp third on 80 minutes and then a calm fourth at 85, the kind of late brace that underlines game management and depth. The scoreline felt emphatic because the finish was ruthless.
- 56' — Sliti puts Tunisia 1-0 up with a low finish at the back post.
- 71' — Equatorial Guinea’s Joan Lopez Elo sent off (second yellow).
- 77' — Jaziri heads in Sliti’s pinpoint cross for 2-0.
- 80' — Msakni comes on and scores for 3-0.
- 85' — Msakni adds another to make it 4-0.
Beyond the goals, the pattern told its own story. Tunisia started narrow, then widened their attacks after the break, dragging Equatorial Guinea out of shape. Sliti floated into pockets and ran at tired legs. Fullbacks got higher, the midfield tempo kicked up, and the final pass started to land. Once the red card came, the gaps were too big to cover.
This was not a collapse from a poor team. Equatorial Guinea were quarterfinalists at the last AFCON and know how to scrap on the road. Early on, they disrupted passes and forced Tunisia into safer options. But chasing the ball a man down at Rades, against finishers in form, is a hard shift for anyone.
What it means for Tunisia’s AFCON and World Cup plans
Group J is no stroll. It includes Tunisia, Equatorial Guinea, Botswana, and Libya, with the top two qualifying for the next AFCON in Ivory Coast. Beating a direct rival by four puts Tunisia in control after matchday one and sends a message about their margin for error.
It also feeds directly into the bigger picture. This is one of four games in a busy block for Tunisia before the World Cup. Botswana are up next in another qualifier, followed by the Kirin Cup in Japan against Chile and then either Ghana or Japan. That mix—African intensity and diverse styles in Asia—should sharpen the team’s edges before November.
The takeaways are practical. Sliti’s influence is growing, not just as a dribbler but as a decision-maker in the final pass. Jaziri’s timing in the box gives Tunisia a different route to goal when crosses are on. Msakni, still the heartbeat when he’s fit, can come on and kill games with cleaner touches and late runs. The spine looked balanced, and the bench delivered.
There are caveats. The first-half tempo needs to be cleaner against stronger opponents, where a slow start is harder to repair. Defensive transitions weren’t heavily tested after the red card, so that chapter remains open. But in terms of rhythm, intensity, and end product, this was the kind of night any coach wants in June: a slow burner that finishes with a knockout.
At home in Rades, Tunisia found what they were missing in the opening 45 minutes—width, patience, and direct runs behind the line. Once they found that, Equatorial Guinea couldn’t live with the pace or the delivery. A 4-0 win, a lead in Group J, and more minutes banked before the World Cup. Not a bad night’s work.
Sports
Chris Ward
September 9, 2025 AT 19:02Honestly, I think the hype around Sliti is a bit overrated. He scored, sure, but the whole team clicked after halftime.
Heather Stoelting
September 10, 2025 AT 22:49Great point! Let's keep the vibe up the Tunisian squad is on fire and they’ll keep crushing it.
Travis Cossairt
September 12, 2025 AT 02:36Looks like Tunisia finally found their groove after the break the first half felt sluggish but the second half was smoother.
Amanda Friar
September 13, 2025 AT 06:22Sure, because a 4‑0 win automatically makes them world‑class, right? The real test will be against stronger sides where tactics matter more.
Sivaprasad Rajana
September 14, 2025 AT 10:09In simple terms the team used width and quick passes after halftime. That opened spaces for Sliti and the others to score.
Andrew Wilchak
September 15, 2025 AT 13:56Exactly man the wing play was lit and the red card opened the floodgates.
Roland Baber
September 16, 2025 AT 17:42What we saw in Rades is a textbook example of how a team can adjust its shape after the interval. The coach switched from a narrow 4‑3‑3 to a wider 4‑4‑2 diamond, creating more channels for the wingers. This gave Sliti the freedom to cut inside and find space between the lines. The midfielders began to rotate, pulling the Equatorial Guinea back line out of its compact shape. As a result, the fullbacks overlapped, stretching the defense horizontally. The increased width forced the opposition to cover more ground, leading to gaps in the central area. Once those gaps appeared, the Tunisian side exploited them with quick one‑twos and diagonal passes. The timing of the second‑half surge coincided with the opponent's red card, which amplified the tactical advantage. Additionally, the bench players injected fresh legs that kept the intensity high for the final minutes. The synergy between the starting eleven and the substitutes was evident in the fluid transitions. This balance of experience and vigor is precisely what a tournament campaign demands. Looking ahead, the team must work on maintaining this tempo against stronger opponents who can close down space faster. Defensive transitions still need testing, especially against teams that press high. Overall, the performance was a confidence booster, but it also highlighted areas for refinement before the World Cup.
Phil Wilson
September 17, 2025 AT 21:29From a tactical standpoint the transition phase was optimized, exploiting high‑press triggers that created overloads on the flank, which is why Sliti's involvement was pivotal.
Roy Shackelford
September 19, 2025 AT 01:16Everyone’s too quick to praise Tunisia while the real story is the hidden influence behind the selections, which they won’t tell you about.
Karthik Nadig
September 20, 2025 AT 05:02Wake up! The match was rigged 😡
Charlotte Hewitt
September 21, 2025 AT 08:49Honestly i think there’s more to the story than just a win, but who knows what’s being kept quiet.