The-Shot.Net Writers Club - Tunisia

Feb 14 1400 GMT Tunisia - Morocco 2:1 (final score)

before the match:
A surprise final when looked at the merits: A combined 1 title the two have won in the biannual competition that is held since 1957. It is the first ever final for Morocco, who were winners 1976, the only time the winner was determined by a round robin final four.
Morocco have a squad with talent, and, have made the most out of it of all 16 teams in the rournament. good organisation, extensive running have made them superior in number in midfield situations, what caused a lot of stress for their opponents. A more experienced tough defence and young fast and creative attackers provided for a convincing run in a tournament where all other teams appeared less well prepared. Morocco were able to convert their determination a hundred percent into cooperative teamwork, what is often called 'more than the sum of its components'.
Tunisia, after an anxious beginning, played leiberated of the fear of failure from the first goal against Congo in the second game. Almost paralysed before, they have started how to exploit their talents more and more and unlike Morocco, who played on top level from the beginning, have now eventually reached it in the semi final.
Their most dangerous asset is Brazilian import Santos, who has not been controlled by any defences yet. The same had applied to Mali striker Kanoute before their semi final against Morocco. Let's see...

1st half:
- as it is tradition in Tunisia the visitors hymn is warmly greeted with encouriging whistles
- Sepp Blatter surely appreciates this unique habit as he greets the players
- unfortunately Tunisian captain Badra is suspended for a second yellow card (Bouazizi is captain for him). Hadji, Chamakh and Mokhtari are beginning for Morocco
- Tunisia in white, Morocco in green
-'1-'4 Morocco apply their terrible midfield pressure and Tunisia try to apply their combinatory skills to work around them...
-('5) and are successful: Clayton is played vfree on the left hand side and when everybody expects a cross he fires on the neaer post where the Moroccan keeper can make a desperate save
-('5) the corner (from the left) is defended, but the ball comes to a Tunisian who crosses it back into the penalty area. The defense is caught on their way out of the penalty area and so Santos has a little room for his header which is unstoppable for the keeper into the far corner - 1:0
-('7) Tunisia: Jaziri seeks a penalty as he breaks into the penalty area and collides with Ouaddah. the referee says play on.
-Tunisia strike out the Moroccan midfield pressure twice by long balls on their fast attackers - very dangerous
-Tunisia show, they know the art of cutting down spaces and pressuring build up as well
-('14) long perfect through ball by #13 Bouazizi on Santos who aalone in front of the keeper tries to surprise him by a nip into the near corner, but the keeper is well alerted and grabs the ball
-('17) Morocco: Tunisian keeper Boumnijel goes for a cross, but an attacker is faster, only his header goes wide at the near post of the deserted goal
-('20) Tunisia: Jaziri delivers a perfect cross, a dfender misses it, and Chedli stops it with his chest and fires from 12 meters, half left, but across the bar
-the Tunisians play very fast with very good passing game (and off the ball running) at the moment
-Jaziri here is a very valuable player, not only because his constant penalty threat, but also because of his flexibility running into positions, make the game fast, good passing, good crosses
-('24) Tunisia vary players in positions: this time it is Trabelsi who appears on the right wing and wins a free kick and a yellow card against his opponent. (the free kick is defended)
-up to here Tunisia dominate the match. But the pace is high. Very high.
-the only time Morocco had pressure to break down a defence so far has been against Benin and they have not been convincing in that game. Now they will have to again because they are behind
-('29) Morocco: Hadji tries from long range but wide
-('31) Morocco: a free kick cross opportunity is defended, but the Moroccan players appear to complain about holding
-('33) Tunisia: Jaziri is sent through, is all alone in front of Fouhami, the Moroccan keeper, but whistled back. If it was for offside the decision seems to have been wrong.
-('39) Morocco: after a little mistake in the Tunisian defence, Hadji makes a perfect cross from the right, away from the goal to the penalty spot from where Mokhtari makes a diving header into the net. perfect goal - 1:1
-although Tunisia had to loosen their grip a bit, and Morocco had found a bit better into the game, the goal came quite surprising. Another proof for the quality of this Moroccan side - ability to score out of the blue while in a psychologically difficult situation
-it is already the third time this Moroccan team has scored when needing a goal urgently to influence the course of a match
-('45+2) but Tunisia recover quickly: they pressure, have to settle for a corner. But it is dangerous: flying in, sharp, close to the goal, the keeper expects to intercept it, but suddenly Bouazizi is there and, unchallenged, heads it over the bar of the deserted goal

halftime 1:1
Tunisia with great work and high expenditure. But some how Morocco came away with a one goal deficit and perfectly exploited the opportunity offered to them to shock the hosts.

2nd half:
-a scrappy beginning
-and this fits into it:
-('52) Tunisia: Clayton fires from the left hand side a low shot, but not very sharp. The Moroccan keeper, up to here, the best of the tournament, drops the apparently easy ball to the feet of Jaziri who shoves it calmly across the line - 2:1
-Fouhami seems to have been a little nervous and hesitating whether to grab that ball or not. There also should have been a defender closer to Jaziri instead of watching the scene.
-('57) Tunisia: Ghodhbane in for Benachour
-the Moroccan defence seems a bit nervous now
-the match has become a ill-tempered since the goal. The referee does not too well in controlling the tempers
-('60) a very close offside call again stops Jaziri, all on his own with the ball on the way towards the Moroccan goal
-Morocco: Moha in for Safri
-('63) there is a minute long injury time out for treating Jaziri, not the first in this half
-('69) Tunisia: Jaziri, who is already cautioned stops a Moroccan attack by a foul. He has to be more careful from now on. The free kick cross is mistimed over the bar
-('70) Tunisia: Lemerre takes no chances and replaces Jaziri with Mhadhebi
-('72) Tunisia: Jaidi causes a minutelong injury timeout
-there will have to be a lot of time added
-Morocco at the moment with no recipe to break down the Tunisian defence
-('74) Morocco: Zairi in for Roumani. With Jaziri off Morocco can take more chances.
-('76) Tunisia: Boumnijel, determined, for the second time in a row, grabs a Moroccan corner without problems
-('77) Morocco: Naybet sees yellow card for stopping Trabelsi in midfield with a late challenge
-both teams feel that the match is decided now, they play a bit overexcited at the moment. therefore fluent play is less seen.
-the referee several times now has not called for fouls to leave the advantage with the attacking time. But only seconds later (as consequence of the small foul) advantage had been gone. Still time to whistle. But he does not.
-('82)('83) Morocco: Mokhtari twiice tries from outside the penalty area, both times blocked by a defender
-('84) Morocco, like paralysed from fear, searching what to do to avoid the defeat: passplay is inaccurate and the Tunisian attackers conquer the ball by pressing. The great opportunity (superior number) is wasted by a poor chip high over the ball
-('86) Tunisia: Santos on a counter attack fires from 20 meters high across the bar
-Moroccans even look a bit resigned while Tunisians cheered by the crowd attack each player with two
-every second touch is a technical error now - can be only nerves as all players on the pitch are good technicians
-('90) 4 minutes injury time
-('90+2) Boumnijel fists away a free kick cross
-('90+2) and Tunisians nervously waste a 4 vs 2 counter situation
-('90+3) Tunisians waste a 3 vs 2 counter situation (through offside)
-('90+4) Boumnijel grabs another cross
-('90+4) Morocco work out a last corner, what they think. But it is too late

final score 2:1
the better team today has won. But after a very good first half, the second half has been nervous and full of passing errors, and - unfortunately decided by a goalkeeping error. Cruel for the keeper who had been the tournament's best before. After that shock Morocco never looked as if believing in themselves.