The young Carthage Eagles of Tunisia beat their rivals Morocco 4-1 on post-match penalties at the Stade Municipal de Nouadhibou to qualify for the semi-finals of the Total Africa U-20 Cup of Nations, Mauritania 2021.
Elias Imed Damergy was the Tunisians hero of the match, the shot-stopper saved Mehdi Moubarik’s spot-kick before Oussama Zemraoui hit the post to give Tunisia the bragging rights in the derby.
The highly talked about North Africa derby failed to march its pre match billing as the two sides showed a lot respect to each in Nouadhibou.
After a goalless match the two rivals headed to penalties to settle the match.
The Moroccans dominated the opening exchanges with their swift passing game but failed to break down a discipline Tunisia side that were equal to the task.
It was the Young Carthage Eagles who would threaten the Moroccan gaol in the fourth minute; the Whites exchanged some neat passes just outside area to set Chiheb Labidi whose low drive went wide.
The Moroccans missed a sitter after nine minutes; left full-back Mohamed Souboul floated in a cross into the Tunisia box, which was not dealt with by the keeper, Ayoub Mouloua failed to score with the goal at his mercy.
Mouloua was presented with another chance five minutes before the break, the forward controlled a long clearance into the Tunisian half, and his weak effort went straight into the hands of the keeper.
The second half failed to impress as the two sides continued to cancel each other in the middle of the park.
Tunisia’s Young Carthage Eagles’ continued with neat display in the second half, right full back Mohamed Aziz Guesmi puts in an inviting cross into the Moroccan box, Abidi lost his footing and missed the target.
The Moroccans brilliant midfielder Mehdi El Moubarik tried his luck from distance; his fierce strike missed the goal.
They failed to produce goals to force the match into extra-time and subsequently penalties.
Elias Imed stopped Mehdi’s weak effort before Zemraoui hit the post whiles the Tunisians converted their spot kicks to book semi-finals date with fellow debutants Uganda.
Source: CafOnline
