If we must rely on the second of their unique confrontations in the finals of the Nations Cup, the 1-0 victory of Tunisia in the quarter-final of the 2004 edition; their previous meeting during the finals of the 2004 edition, which Tunisia won 1-0, the duel between the Carthage Eagles and the Teranga Lions will be a key one with both teams sharing identical up and down tales.


During the last four years, the Tunisian team has witnessed a decline that is peculiar to ancient champions who have had difficulties getting out of their dreams.A team that witnessed great stability under Roger Lemerre has for the past five years lacked the homogeneity that made it the champion of the 24th edition with the commendable showing of Etoile du Sahel and Club Sportif Sfaxien, respective winners of the MTN-CAF Champions League and the Confederations Cup now boosting the potentials of the national team.


Tunisia’s Francileudo dos Santos, a non regular at his club is not match fit, but will be required to seize the opportunity with both hands to reinstate himself.


Other players ply their trade in Europe, but like coach Roger Lemmere will say, it is one thing to belong to a club, another to be on the starting line up.


The Coach would most likely play the Etoile card since eight of his players belong to the champion club and that could guarantee cohesion with the presence of central defender Raihi Jaidi of Birmingham City who has come out of retirement to help his country expected to enhance their chances.


If Tunisia has problems, Senegal can also claim same as its last outings have been nothing to write home about with the Teranga Lions anxious to restore their presence in the biennial fiesta.


Finalist in 2002, quarter-finalists in 2004 and semi-finalists in 2006 in Egypt, they have always gone into the competition with great potentials.


This year is a bit different, sneaking in with great humility could be a success formula and their Polish coach Henri Kasperczak, who is serious and rigid and succeeded in taking Mali to the semi-finals in 2002 is no stranger at such attitudinal changes.


In form attacking trio of Mamadou Niang, El Hadji Diouf and Henri Camara can take the Teranga Lions to the expected summit by receiving the right supply from midfield genus Ousmane Ndoye, Diomansy Kamara and Papa Bouba Diop.


In the central defence, experienced Habib Beye, Lamine Diatta and goalkeeper Tony Sylva hold sway.


Two strange formations; a match that could give a lot of pleasure to non-committed spectators.

Super Eagles Coach, Berti Vogts says his team will qualify for the quarter final of the African Cup of Nations despite their 1-0 defeat to Ivory Coast in their opening Group B match.

We have lost against the best team in Africa but we will be back,

said the 61-year-old German.


Nigeria next play Mali, who they now trail by three points.
Ivory Coast won the cagey duel thanks to a superb individual goal in the second-half from Chelsea's Salomon Kalou.

The win was a repeat of the semi-finals of the 2006 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt where the Super Eagles were also defeated 1-0 after a Didier Drogba strike.


The next Group B matches take place on Friday in Sekondi where Ivory Coast play Benin before Nigeria take on Mali.

EGYPT OPENS DEFENCE IN STYLE



Defending Champions, Egypt has opened their campaign at the 26th African Cup of Nations in Ghana on a perfect note.


Two goals each from Mohamed Zidan and Hosni Abd Rabou gave the Pharos a crucial 4-2 victory over Cameroon in their Group C opener played at the Baba Yara Stadium in Kumasi on Tuesday ensure their start to the competition that laces Africa’s best 16 together remained unblemished.


Cameroon was outplayed in the first half with Rabou scoring from the spot and Zidan netting two superb goals.The Indomitable Lions laboured but managed to pull a goal back with Barcelona aca, Samuel Eto'o hitting the back of the net after the break.But Abd Rabou's long shot on 82 minutes ended hopes of a comeback for Cameroon though Eto'o scored again from the spot at the concluding stage.


Egypt dominated play from the start, with Mohamed Shawky testing Carlos Kameni with a long-range shot in the third minute.Their opening goal came after 14 minutes when Rabou converted from the spot after Andre Bikey handled in the box.Zidan made it 2-0 three minutes on, breaking from inside his own half, exchanging passes with Emad Moteab and racing through the Cameroon defence before slotting home.



Zidan struck again with a powerful shot in first-half stoppage time after chesting down the ball outside the box.But Cameroon was to transform after the break in a manner that ensured Eto’o goal on 51 minutes that was a header from Geremi’s cross.The Barcelona striker missed narrowly 12 minutes later, shooting just wide from a close range.But Egypt began to diminish Cameroon's drive with Rabou's magnificent 25-yard shot sealing the victory before Eto'o’s penalty in stoppage time.