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Sami Trabelsi Admits Nigeria’s Pace and Power Proved Decisive in Tunisia’s AFCON Defeat
Tunisia head coach Sami Trabelsi has acknowledged the quality, pace, and physical strength of Nigeria’s Super Eagles following his side’s 3–2 defeat at the ongoing 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
Speaking after the encounter, the Carthage Eagles boss admitted that Nigeria’s speed and power caused major problems for his team, while also offering insight into why Tunisia’s tactical approach ultimately fell short.
“The players performed at a very high level in that period; we created many chances, scored two goals and could have scored more,” Trabelsi said.
“The defeat hurts, but there is also a positive aspect: it shows that we can compete with any opponent when we impose our style of play and our ball possession.”
Trabelsi revealed that Tunisia approached the match with caution, fully aware of Nigeria’s attacking threat. According to him, controlling space was a central part of the game plan.
“We respected them, yes, while trying to remain balanced. We know that Nigeria have very fast and powerful players, so we tried to reduce the spaces,” he explained.
However, the Tunisian coach expressed frustration over his side’s inefficiency at crucial moments, particularly in the first half.
“In the first half we had a few chances that we should have taken. The goals we conceded came from crosses; it was not a matter of too much respect, but rather that we lost too many defensive and attacking duels,” Trabelsi noted.
He added that Tunisia grew into the game once they began winning more individual battles, which allowed them to apply sustained pressure on Nigeria late on.
“Once we started winning our attacking duels, we were much better and put the opponent under pressure. Over the final 35 minutes, we were dominant and the final result could have been very different,” he said.
Defending his substitutions, Trabelsi insisted his team’s overall display was encouraging despite the defeat.
“When we needed even more attacking penetration, we introduced Ismail Gharbi, but the performance of those already on the pitch was not poor. The next match will be decisive,” he concluded.
Tunisia now face a must-win situation in their final group fixture as they look to keep their AFCON 2025 hopes alive.
