North African giants Tunisia fought from two goals down to secure a hard-earned 2-2 draw against European champions Portugal in their first warm-up game at the Estadio Municipal Braga on Monday evening.
Portugal without Cristiano Ronaldo took the lead through Andre Silva’s back-post header and then Joao Mario’s stunning 20-yard strike early in the first half but Tunisia didn’t throw in the towel.
The Eagles of Carthage pulled one back through Anice Badri before the break and completed the come-back at the hour mark thanks to Fakhreddine Ben Youssef well taken goal.
The frustrated Portuguese side looked to have lost their momentum as the game went on with the Tunisians moving forward with a lot more ease. They continued to press forward but were unable to find the winning goal.
Nabi Maaloul’s Tunisia proved they are not an opponent to be taken lightly. They are technically gifted, confident and calm while moving the ball with their intricate passes.
Ranked 14th in the World, just one place behind their World Cup opponents England, Tunisia are Africa’s highest placed team, by some distance. They might not boast with some notable names, but the Desert Foxes will be one of the teams that might surprise the world in Russia.
What’s Next.
Tunisia start their World Cup campaign against England on Monday, 18 June before taking on Panama and Belgium in Group G.
The Eagles of Carthage will play two more warm-up games against Turkey (this Friday) and European giants Spain before heading to Russia.
Portugal who will face another African opponent, Morocco in group B will start their World Cup campaign against Spain on Friday, 15 June before finishing their group fixtures against Iran.
They will also play two more warm-up games against Belgium (this Saturday) and another North African country Algeria before heading to Russia.
(Image from Reuters gallaries)
