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Taking a look at Banyana’s next Wafcon opponents Tunisia
Tunisia only won one match in the group stages.
Banyana Banyana’ quarter-finals opponents in the WAFCON Tunisia women’s football are ranked sixth in the continent while Banyana are in third place. Picture: Alain Guy Suffo/BackpagePix
Having reached the quarter-finals of the Caf Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (Wafcon) without losing a single match, Banyana Banyana now face Tunisia as they continue their quest for continental glory.
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South Africa meet the North Africans at Moulay Hasan Stadium on Thursday in Rabat, Morocco.
Tunisia, who only registered one win in the group stages, reached the quarterfinals of the tournament as one of the three best third place finishers. They beat Togo 4-1 in their opening match of the tournament, before going to lose 1-0 to Zambia and 2-0 to Cameroon.
The Eagles of Carthage are in the tournament for the only second time in their history, with the team having first competed at the Wafcon in 2008, where they got knocked-out in the group stages.
With not much experience in the competition compared to Banyana, who have played in 13 Wafcon tournaments, the South Africans are obviously favourites going into the match.
But, the Tunisians have some experienced players in their squad with the oldest member of the team being 33-year old midfielder Imen Troudi, who plays her football for Abu Dhabi Country. The midfielder has also had a stint in Iceland, where she played Stjarnan.
There are also a few notable players in the squad, who are playing at the highest level of women’s football leagues in the world.
Four of their players in the squad play their football in France with defenders Eya Ghazi and Rania Aouina playing AS Saint-Martin and Thornon Evian respectively, while 19-year-old midfielder Yasmine Klai is in the Lyon Youth and Ella Kaabachi is in the books of Soyaux.
Another teenager in the squad Jasmina Barhoumi who is 19 years old is based in Germany, where she plays for FFC Niederkichen.
The team’s star player is Mariem Houji, who is the team’s top scorer with 13 goals to her name and she plays in Turkey for ALG Spor.
Tunisia might still be trying to find their feet in women’s football in the continent, but they have a decent squad to compete and Banyana should not take them lightly with the team ranked sixth in Caf women’s rankings and Banyana are in third place.
