June 10, (THEWILL)- Tunisia’s bid to qualify for the 2026 World Cup hit a snag as they were held to a goalless draw by Namibia in a tense Group H encounter on Sunday.
The Carthage Eagles, one of Africa’s representatives at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, were frustrated by a resilient Namibian side eager to avenge their Africa Cup of Nations defeat earlier this year.
Tunisia had the ball in the net after 14 minutes when Deon Hotto’s free-kick was spilt by goalkeeper Bechir Said, and Charles Hambira bundled home the rebound. However, the Mauritanian referee controversially disallowed the goal, adjudging that Said had been fouled despite minimal contact.
Jalel Kadri’s men struggled to create clear-cut chances against the well-organised Namibian defence, but the match ended in a deadlocked stalemate.
Despite the disappointment, Tunisia maintained their lead in Group H with 10 points from four matches, two points ahead of Namibia and three clear of Liberia.
The result sets up an intriguing clash between Tunisia and Liberia in September, with both teams vying for a spot at the 2026 World Cup in North America.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
