Tunisia head coach Sami Trabelsi has dropped a strong hint that his side will retain the same starting line-up for their second Group C match against Nigeria at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
Speaking at his pre-match press conference on Friday, Trabelsi revealed that the team which secured a positive result in Tunisia’s opening fixture against Uganda is likely to be named again when they face the Super Eagles on Saturday.
The experienced tactician made it clear that he is reluctant to make wholesale changes after a solid performance in their first outing.
“You don’t change a winning team, do you?” Trabelsi said.
“Players who have performed well deserve to play again. However, each match has its own reality on the field, and I’m not one of those who make excessive changes.”
Tunisia kicked off their AFCON 2025 campaign on a strong note against Uganda and will now shift attention to what promises to be a decisive encounter with Nigeria—one that could significantly influence the final Group C standings.
With Trabelsi favouring continuity and tactical discipline, the Carthage Eagles are expected to present a familiar set-up, offering minimal surprises.
Meanwhile, the Super Eagles will be preparing to counter a well-drilled Tunisian side as both teams push for early qualification to the knockout stage.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.
