Tunis, Sep 9: Mohamed Ali Ben Romdhane sent Tunisia to the World Cup with a goal in the fourth minute of injury time that secured a 1-0 win over Equatorial Guinea on Monday in qualifying.
Romdhane was teed up by fellow substitute Firas Chaouat and sparked wild celebrations for the visitors on the track behind the goal.
Tunisia needed a win to secure a spot at next year’s tournament in North America with two games to spare. It tops Group H with 22 points from eight games, 10 points ahead of second-placed Namibia, which has a game in hand. Tunisia has yet to concede a goal in qualifying.
It is the seventh time Tunisia has qualified for the World Cup, and third in a row. It went out in the group stage in 2018 and 2022.
In another Group H match, Malawi came back from two goals down to draw with Liberia 2-2 with goals from Gabadinho Mhango and Chawanangwa Kaonga in the 72nd and 80th minutes.
In Group G, Algeria played to a goalless draw at Guinea and remained top of the group with 19 points, four more than Uganda. Uganda kept up the pressure by beating Somalia 2-0 to be level on 16 points with Mozambique.
Madagascar clinched a convincing 3-1 win against Chad to be on 16 points, second to Ghana in Group I. Ghana boosted its hopes of qualifying as the group winner by topping Mali 1-0 in Accra.
Morocco, which has already qualified, made it seven wins out of seven matches after a 2-0 result at Zambia. Guinea-Bissau beat Djibouti 2-0.
Libya defeated Eswatini 2-0 in Group D to be on 14 points, two behind leader Cape Verde, which has a game in hand. For Tunisia, Romdhane’s dramatic late strike not only sealed qualification but also underlined the resilience and consistency that has defined their campaign. Eight matches in, they remain the only side in their group yet to concede a single goal, a testament to the discipline and organisation that has long been a hallmark of North African football.
The Carthage Eagles have now booked their ticket to a seventh World Cup — and their third in succession — a feat that reflects both continuity and ambition. While memories of group-stage exits in 2018 and 2022 still linger, the manner of their qualification this time, with games to spare and defensive records intact, will inspire hopes of finally breaking through to the knockout stages. (AP)
