Follow the Live Play-by-Play between Ghana vs Tunisia in the Round of 16 of the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations on Ghanasoccernet.com
Ghana coach Kwesi Appiah says he is not going to rely on any past achievements against Tunisia when both teams clash today at the Ismailia Sports Stadium
Coach Kwesi Appiah said Ghana will have to guard against any complacency when they face Tunisia in this knockout game.
According to Appiah, he respects all the teams that qualified to the tournament and will not underrate any side the Black Stars face in the competition. “Tunisia have a very good team. I have watched some tapes and no team can underrate them. Their performance is really good. We (Ghana) have to make sure we play our role very well”, he told the media at the press conference.
“Football these days doesn’t depend on past achievements; you always need to show respect to your opponent. Even if you defeated someone three days ago beating them now is a different scenario. It is important we don’t go into the game thinking it will be easy, he added.
Ghana has never lost to Tunisia in any AFCON meeting since the inception of the tournament but with recent results in the ongoing tournament, the Stars must take a clue ahead of today’s game. In a total of seven meetings, the Black Stars have won six and drawn one against the Carthage Eagles of Tunisia (W6 D1).
Coincidentally Ghana met Tunisia en route to winning all their four Africa Cup of Nations titles- 1963, 1965, 1978 and 1982. The Black Stars defeated Guinea-Bissau by 2-0 in the final group game to top the group and set up this clash against the North Africans while Tunisia placed second in their group after drawing all their group matches to progress to the round of 16.
Meanwhile, assistant coach for Tunisia, Maher Kanzari has said that despite not been impressed with the level of performance exhibited by his players in the tournament he is confident his side will be ready to face Ghana in the Round of 16 in the ongoing tournament.
"There is a great feeling for the players and the technical staff. We understand the anger of the Tunisian fans despite qualifying for the second round."
"There is no doubt that things will change within the Tunisian team, with the stage of the playoffs, we will try to prepare well for Ghana in the price of the final.", he concluded.
Ghana midfielder Mubarak Wakaso speaking ahead of the game said, the team is determined to beat Tunisia. “We are all determined. We are working so that we can achieve what brought us here. “We have watched them. We know how they play. We have made up our mind that we are going to beat every team we come up against. “We are moving match after match, so we are still looking forward to prove to people we can do it”
In the last encounter between both sides at the AFCON, Ghana emerged winners as they defeated Tunisia by 2-1 at the 2012 AFCON.
South African referee Victor Gomez has been appointed to handle the game to be played at the Ismailia Sports Stadium
Line ups for the two teams
Ghana
https://twitter.com/ghanafaofficial/status/1148251371457732608
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Tunisia starting XI
https://twitter.com/lesaiglestn/status/1148278766847897606
?s=12
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