Africa Cup of Nations: Madagascar vs Tunisia preview

Africa Cup of Nations: Madagascar vs Tunisia preview

The most surprising quarter-final match of the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations will take place on Thursday at Al Salam Stadium in Cairo, where the incredible team from Madagascar take on 2004 tournament winners Tunisia. These two teams have met just twice in their history, both meetings took place in the qualifying campaign for the 2002 World Cup and Tunisia won both of them, 1-0 at home and 2-0 away. 

Madagascar had never qualified for a major tournament before, the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations was going to be their first attempt at playing on an important stage. Nobody was expecting anything from them, and they surprised everyone by reaching the quarter-finals. In the group stage Madagascar started with a 2-2 draw against Guinea and then beat Burundi 1-0 and favourites Nigeria 2-0 to finish at the top of the group table. In the last sixteen they fought bravely against D.R. Congo, led 2-1 and were equalized in the 90th minute before prevailing on penalties. Most of their players are active in the lower tiers of French football, team captain Faneva Andriatsima plays for Clermont Foot in Ligue 2. 

Tunisia have now reached the quarter-finals in seven of the last nine final tournaments of the Africa Cup of Nations. However, they only got past the quarter-finals once during that spell, and that unique occasion was in 2004 when they also won the trophy. They were quite unconvincing in the group stage, ending it with three draws, including a goalless stalemate against minnows Mauritania. In the round of sixteen they were quite unlucky against Ghana, they were leading 1-0 and conceded a stoppage-time equalizer through an own-goal before winning the penalty shoot-out. 

Probable line-ups: 

Madagascar: Adrien - Metanire, Mombris, Razakanantenaina, Fontaine - Anicet - Amada, Nomenjanahary, Ilaimaharitra - Andriatsima, Andria

Tunisia: Ben Mustapha - Kechrida, Meriah, Bronn, Haddadi - Skhiri, Sassi, Chaalali - Msakni, Khazri, Khenissi

My prediction: 

Tunisia have shown their limits in the group stage, especially against Mauritania, so I think Madagascar will be able to hold them to a goalless draw and eventually push for another penalty shoot-out. 

Here are the odds for the match at Bet365

Madagascar win - 5.25

Draw - 3.30

Tunisia win - 1.75

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