Both former champions contest for who will soar higher as they eye a place in the quarter-finals of AFCON.

They last met in the third-place match in Egypt 2019, with Nigeria prevailing 1-0 on the day.

The Super Eagles were the only side to get the maximum points in the group stage, giving Augustine Eguavoen’s men maximum confidence before the knockouts.

Assistant Coach of Tunisia, Bilal Kadri, said the team will ensure the absence of other players doesn’t affect their performance.

He said, “Our target was to reach the second round and we did that. We have a lot of confidence despite the difficulties we are facing. We know well how strong Nigeria is, but we are all ready to go far in this tournament. Our morale is good, and we have experienced and great players. Luck was not on our side, but this is football. We wished that we are not affected by COVID-19, but we have to deal with the situation professionally. Everyone will give 200 per cent of their powers.”

Tunisia’s midfielder, Aissa Laidouni, said the team will correct past mistakes during Nigeria’s game.

Laidouni said, “We all play for the team. We just focus on the competition and how to work. We don’t think of the problems. Our focus is the game, and we will do our best to win. We were not good enough against the Gambia and were punished in the end. We took the lesson and will correct our mistakes and give our best. This is past now and our focus is what’s coming. We fear no one and comes the game you will find soldiers giving their all.”

Mali was 1-0 up after Ibrahima Kone scored a spot-kick when referee Janny Sikazwe blew the final whistle early.

The Zambian official first blew the final whistle after just 85 minutes before restarting play for four minutes but blew again with just 89 minutes and 43 seconds of the clash gone before 90 minutes.

According to DailyMail, Mali coach Mohamed Magassouba’s post-match press conference was later interrupted as it was announced the final three minutes of the game would be played. About 40 minutes later the Mali players and officials returned to the pitch but the Tunisian players refused as they had reportedly already had their ice baths.

Tunisia’s refusal to return to play the remainder of the game led to Sikazwe blowing his whistle once again to call off the match, meaning the 1-0 victory for Mali will stand.

In the aftermath, Tunisia coach Mondher Kebaier slammed the decision as ‘inexplicable’ and the nation have now called for the game to be replayed, according to beIN SPORTS.

Should the 1-0 result stand, Mali will be in a strong position to advance into the knockout stages of the competition for the second tournament running.

In his post-match press conference, Kebaier said: ‘Very tough to manage non-sporting affairs. At the 85th minute, he blows the final whistle. Again at the 89th minute. There was supposed to be 7-8 minutes of additional time. His decision is inexplicable. The players were taking ice baths for 35 minutes before they were called back out again, I’ve been coaching for a long time never seen anything like it. Even the 4th referee was preparing to lift the board and then the whistle was blown.’

The three-time African champions remain unmoved in the latest Fifa rankings released by the world football governing body on Thursday, December 10, 2020. Gernot Rohr’s Super Eagles garnered a total of 1474 points to stay as the fifth-best team on the continent behind Senegal, Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco.

Nigeria played only four games l this year- The first match ended as a 1-0 defeat to Algeria in an international friendly. Before a 1-1 draw against Tunisia in another international warm-up game staged at the Jacques Lemans Arena, Austria.

Senegal is ranked first on the continent and 20th in the world with 1558 points.

In a statement shared on the Facebook page of Egypt’s health ministry, it was gathered that the foreigner who tested positive for the new coronavirus strain was taken to an isolation hospital and is currently receiving necessary medical care.

The North African country is also taking strict preventive measures regarding those who were in contact with the person.

Algeria on the other hand announced its first coronavirus case, an Italian national who arrived in the country on February 17. He was later flown home to Italy which has almost 1,700 cases.
Tunisia’s health Minister, Abdelatif el-Maki in a press conference on Monday March 2 announced the country’s first case of coronavirus. The Tunisian man who came in from Italy, tested positive for the flu-like virus.

Senegal’s Minister of Health, Abdoulaye Diouf Sarr who confirmed the country’s first coronavirus case, said the French national arrived the country last week. He further disclosed that he is under observation at an Institute in Dakar.

The patient has however been in contact with his wife and two children, the minister said. It was not clear how many other people had also been in contact with him. Authorities are in the process of tracing the other passengers on the Air Senegal flight.

As of Monday, there have been over 89,000 cases of the virus globally, the majority in China. Outside of China, the deadly disease has been confirmed in 66 countries, with more than 8,800 cases and 130 deaths. Globally, the illness has killed over 3,000 people.

According to the new FIFA Coca-cola rankings released every month and published on FIFA’s official website, the Super Eagles of Nigeria is 31st in the world and third in Africa, behind Senegal.

Senegal, Africa’s number one team, are 20th in the world while Tunisia remain number two in Africa and 27th in the world.

Essebsi was the world’s oldest sitting president and Tunisia’s first freely-elected president.

The speaker of parliament will temporarily serve as president, according to the country’s constitution.