Eagles of Carthage take off for Russia

• Tunisia behind during a World Cup for a initial time in 12 years
• A goalless pull during home to Libya took them through 
• The jubilant players spoke to FIFA.com after a match

The people of Tunisia will prolonged remember 11 Nov 2017, a day on that their inhabitant organisation cumulative a goalless pull with Libya to validate for a FIFA World Cupâ„¢ after a 12-year absence.

Present during France 1998, Korea/Japan 2002 and Germany 2006, Tunisia had to lay out South Africa 2010 and Brazil 2014, a double disaster they have atoned for by subordinate for Russia 2018.

In imprinting a Eagles of Carthage’s lapse to a universe finals, FIFA.com spoke to a players after they clinched qualification.

An blast of joy
When a final alarm sounded during a finish of Saturday’s compare in Rades, a Tunisia players distinguished with a 50,000-strong throng by going on a prolonged path of honour. Relief gave approach to exhilaration as a heroes of a day dripping adult a acclamation from a packaged stands.

Reactions
When FIFA.com spoke to a Tunisia players after a match, midfielder Wahbi Khazri beamed with pride. “Tunisia haven’t competent for a World Cup for a prolonged time, and interjection to a excellent performances we’re going to be behind on a large stage,” he said. “The Tunisian people have been watchful for this day for a prolonged time and we’ve worked really tough with a clubs to make it happen. We’re gay to have competent and we’d like to dedicate a debate to all a people of Tunisia.”

The Rennes actor added: “We’ve got to work on a diseased points and rise a strengths before a finals. We’ve got a good side and some gifted players, and we shouldn’t be going to Russia usually to make adult a numbers. We have to try and go as distant as we can.”

For defender Ali Maaloul, Saturday’s events finished adult for a beating of being on a losing side with Egypt’s Al Ahly in a CAF Champions League opposite Wydad Casablanca: “That’s football. we mislaid a final with Al Ahly, though currently we have a measureless fun of subordinate for a World Cup with a inhabitant team. The compare opposite Libya was not easy, though interjection to God we got a pursuit finished and we qualified.”

A buttress of a midfield, Ghilane Chaalani was one of a architects of Tunisia’s lapse to a universe finals. Looking behind on a prolonged campaign, he said: “Every compare was tough, and a hardest of all was a final one opposite Libya, given there was so many vigour on us. Thankfully, we finally managed to get a indicate we indispensable to qualify.”

QUALIFIED!
Congratulations, Tunisia!
They’re streamer behind to a #WorldCup for a initial time given 2006! #WCQ pic.twitter.com/YrtVyMM8h6

— #WCQ (@FIFAWorldCup) November 11, 2017

“The compare opposite Libya wasn’t easy given of a pressure,” right-back Hamdi Nagguez, who featured in scarcely all a games, explained. “ We missed a integrate of chances though we got what we wanted in a end, that was to validate for a World Cup after 12 years divided and make a people of Tunisia happy.”

Nagguez added: “Tunisia didn’t remove a singular compare in a qualifiers and we consider a pull opposite Congo DR in Kinshasa was a branch point. We’re happy given we’re going to a World Cup, that is each player’s dream.”

Meanwhile, artistic midfielder Mohamed Amine Ben Amor struggled to enclose himself. “I can’t tell we how happy we am to see all this fun on Tunisian faces,” he said. “It’s been a prolonged time given we final competent for a World Cup, though we merit a place after all these formidable matches.”

Speaking to a media, inhabitant organisation manager Nabil Maaloul said: “My congratulations to a people of Tunisia for this successful gift campaign. we knew a compare opposite Libya would be tough and that a vigour would be on us and not a opponents. The many critical thing is to qualify. Tunisia showed what they are able of when they played Guinea.”

Hopes for a Final Draw
For a infancy of a Tunisia players, a ideal pull would representation them opposite a world’s biggest teams, that they trust would give them a ideal height on that to uncover what they can do.

Giving his opinion, Chaalani said: “Everyone wants to come adult opposite Messi.” It was a view echoed by Ben Amor. “I wish to play Argentina and Leo Messi,” he said.

Expressing a opposite view, Nagguez said: “I wish we finish adult in Brazil’s group.” While Ali Maaloul wants to massage shoulders with The Best FIFA Men’s Player 2017: “I wish to play Portugal and Cristiano Ronaldo.”

The stat
0 – The series of matches Tunisia mislaid en track to subordinate for Russia 2018. In a initial of their 6 games in Group A in a Africa Zone, a Eagles of Carthage beat Guinea during home. They afterwards saw off Libya on neutral belligerent in Algeria and Congo DR during home before returning from Kinshasa with a profitable point. Then came an fatiguing win in Guinea, followed by a home pull with Libya that cumulative them a place during subsequent year’s universe finals.

Did we know?
Tunisia are a usually one of a African qualifiers for Russia 2018 to have had dual coaches during a campaign. Henri Kasperczak was a male in assign for a Eagles of Carthage’s first dual matches, with Nabil Maaloul afterwards holding over and easily steering a side to a finals.

Here are a full residence .. Congratulations for all African member during @FIFAWorldCup 2018 pic.twitter.com/TyL7QZ6lUn

— CAF (@CAF_Online) November 12, 2017

Article source: http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/news/y=2017/m=11/news=eagles-of-carthage-take-off-for-russia-2919711.html