Tunisia were drawing 1-1 with Serbia when Mohamed Jedidi stepped up to take a penalty. The striker scored and began celebrating. But the referee, Tahiti’s Charles Ariiotima, spotted an encroachment and ordered a retake.
Jedidi stepped up and scored again. But the referee spotted an encroachment and ordered a retake. So Jedidi stepped up and scored yet again. But the referee spotted an encroachment and ordered a retake.
As Tunisia’s manager raged on the sidelines, Jedidi stepped up again. This time his shot was saved! But the referee spotted an encroachment and ordered a retake. For the fifth time Jedidi stepped up. The goalkeeper denied him again. But the referee spotted an encroachment and ordered a retake.
For his sixth attempt Jedidi drove the ball into the net. By now everyone had got the message and, no one having strayed into the box, the referee allowed the goal. Tunisia went on to win 3-2 but did not get out of their group. That was at the 2004 Olympics, where Nabil Maâloul took charge of his country – albeit an under-23 side – for the first time and got a valuable reminder of the merits of persistence.
On Monday Maâloul will send his side out against England hoping his second stint in charge of Tunisia’s senior team will end more gloriously than his first.
Not that he has been starved of glory. He went to the 2004 Olympics straight after serving as assistant manager to the Frenchman Roger Lemerre when Tunisia won the Africa Cup of Nations. He then enjoyed success as a club manager, chiefly with Espérance, the Tunis club where the former midfielder spent most of his playing career.
Maâloul led them to two domestic titles and the 2011 African Champions League. But his first attempt at leading his country’s senior team ended in ignominy, as he resigned following a home defeat against Cape Verde in the qualifiers for the 2014 World Cup. That result was overturned because Cape Verde fielded a suspended player but Maâloul had made up his mind. Likewise, many Tunisians had formed clear opinions of him after one victory from six matches.
Many, then, were miffed when Maâloul eventually returned for a second go, taking the reins in April 2017 after the sacking of Henryk Kasperczak. To quash doubters he needed a strong second start. He made one, his team beating Egypt in his first match back thanks to a canny tactical performance that neutralised Mohamed Salah. Then he guided the Carthage Eagles to their first World Cup for 12 years.
Since qualification Tunisia have had rotten luck, losing key players to injury including their best striker, Taha Yassine Khenissi, and the marvellous playmaker Youssef Msakni. Despite that Tunisia go into the game against England pointing to progress made in recent months.
“We are in form,” says Maâloul. “We know very well we are in an extremely tough group but we have raised our game, especially in terms of our athleticism. Everyone has seen how well we have played in the warm-ups. We are determined to go down in history.”
Maâloul was not talking twaddle. Always adept technically, Tunisia have played with more zip and muscle since qualification. They have also grown in cohesion, which must be particularly satisfying for the manager given critics told him he risked deflating team spirit when, post-qualification, he embarked on a scouting mission for new players, ones born in Europe to Tunisian parents. He has taken four such recruits to Russia.
Two of them, the midfielders Saîf‑Eddine Khaoui and Ellyes Skhiri, have good chances of starting against England. The other two may also feature: the goalkeeper Mouez Hassen may be chosen ahead of Aymen Mathlouthi, the veteran who has looked shaky since falling out of favour at his club in Saudi Arabia.
The Leicester City defender Yohan Benalouane will probably only play if Maâloul opts for three centre‑backs, which would be unwise on the evidence of the warm-ups, during which experimentation with a five-man defence confirmed that Benalouane is rash and Tunisia are at their best when playing nimbly on the front foot.
Technique and clever movement are the keys to their attack, especially since injuries persuaded Maâloul to play without a recognised striker, using the winger Wahbi Khazri as a false 9. The Sunderland player tends to combine well with a trio of tricky midfielders behind him, especially Naïm Sliti.
Maâloul has vowed to do more than absorb pressure against England. “I’ve told the players to enjoy these matches because you don’t get to play against the world’s best every day,” he said.
Tunisians hope Maâloul really does intend attacking because that is what this team do best – and World Cups are opportunities that most countries and managers do not get to take again.
