Libya make history with first ever away win over Tunisia

Libya moved temporarily to the top of their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying group after securing a historic 2-0 victory over Tunisia on Friday.

The result lifted Libya to four points from three matches, while Tunisia slipped to fourth with two points. It was Libya’s first win against Tunisia when playing away from home.

Ali Youssef opened the scoring from the penalty spot in the 44th minute after Tunisia’s experienced left-back Ali Maaloul brought down a Libyan player during a counter-attack. The referee awarded a penalty against the Carthage Eagles, which Youssef converted.

Tunisia had earlier appealed for a handball and penalty in the 27th minute, but the referee waved play on.

They also came close to taking the lead in the 34th minute when Seifallah Latif met a cross and struck powerfully towards goal. Libya goalkeeper Ayman Al-Tayhar reacted well to turn the effort behind for a corner.

Tunisia thought they had found an equaliser in the 58th minute. Ben Hamouda’s powerful shot was collected by Ben Slimane, who put the ball into the net, but the goal was disallowed for offside.

Libya then doubled their advantage two minutes later on the counter-attack. Seif Jaduor produced an excellent pass for Hamdou Elhouni, who finished emphatically past Tunisia goalkeeper Aymen Dahmen to make it 2-0.

Elhouni further angered the home supporters by removing his shirt while celebrating the second goal.

The victory has added significance for Libya beyond the group standings. It represents a landmark result for the national team, which had never previously beaten Tunisia on their own ground.

The two sides will meet again on 17 November 2026, when Libya host Tunisia in the fourth round of qualifying. That fixture could prove decisive in determining which team is best placed to claim qualification from the group.

Tunisia have the stronger record in the history of the Africa Cup of Nations. They won the tournament once, in 2004, when they hosted the competition, and have reached the finals on 22 occasions.

Libya’s best performance came in 1982, when they reached the final before losing to Ghana on penalties.