TUNISIA are taking on neighbours Algeria in the Fifa Arab Cup final after a last-minute own goal sealed their progress.
And there will be Premier League interest in the final too – with Manchester United’s teen ace Hannibal Mejbri ,18, starring at the tournament.
Algeria also qualified with a last minute winner against hosts Qatar, following a staggering 17 minutes stoppage time.
- Free live stream: Fifa TV
- Tunisia XI: Hassen, Drager, Talbi, Ifa, Ben Hmida, Chaalali, Sassi, Mejbri, Sliti, Jaziri, Msakni.
- Algeria XI: M’Bolhi, Banayada, Bedrane, Benlamri, Chetti, Mrezigue, Bendebka, Meziani, Brahimi, Belaili, Bounedjah.
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46. Tunisia 0-0 Algeria
Back underway in Qatar, first goal crucial.
Surely these two teams can’t keep up the same intensity?
Algeria start quickly and force an early corner.
Tunisia 0-0 Algeria
Chances, cards and thunderous noise.
What an entertaining half of football that was.
Tunisia smashed the bar early on, before Meziani missed a complete sitter moments later for Algeria.
There’s been five yellow cards, a couple of brawls and a lot of finger pointing.
Great fun. Back in 15 for the second half.
Half time: Tunisia 0-0 Algeria
No major chances in the added time, just another flailing elbow.
Level at the break in Qatar.
45: Tunisia 0-0 Algeria
Plenty of incident in this first half and five minutes added a result.
Will be stunned if we have 11vs11 at the end of this. Tackles flying in.
43. Tunisia 0-0 Algeria
This one needs half-time, with tempers flaring.
Another yellow card, this time for Ben Hmida.
40. Tunisia 0-0 Algeria
This is where people moan about VAR and probably for good reason.
There was a LOT going on there, a lot of it behind the refs back.
He’s booked someone else in the melee, without consulting the men upstairs.
37. Tunisia 0-0 Algeria
Lots of pushing and shoving, Jaziri pleading his innocence with an Algerian still on the deck.
He might have got away with one here. Just a yellow card and a firm ticking off from the German ref.
36. Tunisia 0-0 Algeria
It’s all kicking off!
VAR likely to get involved, Jaziri could be in trouble…
33. Tunisia 0-0 Algeria
Back-to-back corners for Algeria as they start to turn the screw, but they only find a white shirt who hammers it clear.
Moments later and a proper goalmouth scramble, with Hassen eventually keeping out the Brahimi effort for yet another corner.
Tunisia now clinging on after their strong start.
29. Tunisia 0-0 Algeria
Finally things starting to just calm down, although nobody has told the crowd.
Every tackle, mis-placed pass or shot is met with a volley of noise. Proper final atmosphere – all the game needs is that opener.
24. Tunisia 0-0 Algeria
Chances galore but somehow it remains goalless.
That miss from Meziani really was a shocker, somehow firing wide when it looked easier to score.
21. Tunisia 0-0 Algeria
Another free header for Tunisia and it’s all the men in white at the moment.
The corner is put right on the penalty spot, with Talbi’s effort sailing high over the top.
Straight down the other end and Meziani fires wide from four yards. Wow.
It’s coming, people.
18. Tunisia 0-0 Algeria
The way this is going, no chance it ends goalless.
This time Benayada almost puts this his own net after a mix-up at the back.
We’ll be unlucky not to have a goal by the half as both sides continue to pile forward, with the tempo and adrenaline high.
In amongst all the carnage, Chetti picked up the first booking for a late challenge on Sliti.
14. OFF THE BAR! Tunisia 0-0 Algeria
So close for Tunisia.
A long, raking freekick finds centre-half Bilel Ifa practically unmarked at the far stick.
His powerful header beats the keeper, but thunders back off the crossbar.
12. Tunisia 0-0 Algeria
Potential penalty?
Hmm, it would be soft.
Hannibal twists and turns in the box before hitting the deck – there was contact but he looked to be on his way down already.
9. Tunisia 0-0 Algeria
A corner down the other end this time, but again it comes to nothing as Algeria easily clear the floated cross.
We still await the first major chance as whistles rain down from the terraces after the ref decides to let a 50/50 go.
Could be a tough afternoon for German official Daniel Siebert.
6. Tunisia 0-0 Algeria
After that frantic start both teams just looking to hold the ball, settle into the tie.
A few beefy tackles flying in already, with Man Utd’s Hannibal Mejbri penalised but avoiding an early card.
Whenever the ball gets near the box, the crowd goes ballistic. Great to have a near full house in.
2. Tunisia 0-0 Algeria
Fast start from both sides, as Chetti flies forward to force an early corner for Algeria.
Drager has to shake off a knock, with the corner coming to nothing after Brahimi’s tame volley is pouched by Hassen.
Electric atmosphere.
Kick-off! We’re underway in Qatar
Anthems all done, with Algeria’s version of Michael Buble putting in a storming performance.
A few closed eyes and near tears from the men in green – they take that battle.
The 2021 Arab Cup Final is a go.
Tunisia vs Algeria
A very decent crowd in as we begin with the usual pomp and ceremony.
Marcel Desailly enters with the trophy, along with former Wigan and Reading stopper Ali Al-Habsi. There’s a sentence I’ll never write again.
Fair play, what a fancy trophy. Solid gold apparently.
The teams enter to Seven Nation Army, a staple around the world it seems. Almost game time.
Final countdown
The players heading back to their dressing rooms, not long until kick-off in Qatar.
Anything but 0-0, please. With a huge proportion of games off in England this weekend we could all use some entertainment.
Head to head
The sides have met already in 2021, but that was a far stronger Algeria side which featured Riyad Mahrez and Sofiane Feghouli.
Algeria ran out 2-0 winners during that friendly, but the last competitive meeting between the two sides was at the AFCON in 2017.
Tunisia won that one 2-1. Like the bookies think below, it’s all up for grabs today.
What are the odds?
Not much to split between the two sides – and the bookies agree.
They make Algeria slight favourites at 13/10, with the draw a very generous 17/10.
Tunisia are the slight outsiders on Betfair at 2/1, so a tenner on Hannibal’s side will bring you in a tidy £30 return.
Fan power
This is a test event for next winter’s World Cup and things are looking in good shape.
Just the 25c tonight, perfect weather for kick-off at 6pm local time.
The teams are out to warm up, the stands beginning to fill…
Algeria team news
And here’s how Algeria line-up in their first ever Arab Cup final…
Starting XI: M’Bohli, Benayada, Bedrane, Benlamri, Chetti, Mrezigue, Bendebka, Meziani, Brahimi, Belaili, Boundedjah.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
