A revenge confrontation between Tunisia and Syria in the Arab Cup | sports

Tomorrow, Monday, the Ahmed Bin Ali Stadium in Al Rayyan will witness the start of the first group competitions of the 2025 Arab Cup in Qatar, with a strong confrontation between the Tunisian national team and its Syrian counterpart, in a match that carries within it important technical and historical dimensions for each party.

The Tunisian team enters the tournament with great ambitions, as it seeks to rewrite history and win the Arab title for the second time after winning it in the first edition of the tournament in 1963 in Lebanon.

Despite its absence from most of the following editions, the team returned strongly in the 2021 edition in Qatar, and reached the final before losing to Algeria with two unanswered goals, confirming its technical capabilities and continental and Arab experience.

The Tunisian ambition for the 2025 edition is gaining additional momentum after the team qualified for the 2026 World Cup in America, Mexico and Canada, which enhances the confidence of the players and their ability to manage big matches. The current tournament will also provide a golden opportunity for the team that combines the elements of experience and youth, to test new players and prepare them for the next stage, while maintaining a strong base of experienced elements.

Many resonant names stand out among the ranks of the Eagles of Carthage, such as Ayman Dahmane, Bachir Ben Said, Mohamed Amin Ben Hamida, Yassine Meriah, Hamza Al-Jalasi, Ali Maaloul, Mohamed Ali Ben Ramadan, Ferjani Sassi, Ismail Al-Gharbi, Haj Mahmoud, Nassim Dindani, and Hazem Mastouri.

Coach Sami Trabelsi sets the players’ eyes on the Arab competition, focusing on tactical and collective performance before results, which reflects a clear vision to prepare the team for future stages, whether in the African Cup of Nations or the World Cup.

Syria’s national team to overcome past mistakes

On the other hand, the Syrian team enters the match seeking to overcome past mistakes and provide an honorable performance, especially after a long absence from the advanced leagues in the Arab Cup. Syria’s last notable achievement was in the 1992 edition, which was held on its home soil, where it reached the semi-finals before losing on penalties to Egypt. It had also previously been runner-up in the tournament on 3 previous occasions in 1963, 1966 and 1988.

Syria qualified for the Arab Cup after excelling in the playoff at the expense of South Sudan. It also recorded a good campaign in the 2023 Asian Nations Cup, where the team reached the round of 16 before losing to Iran on penalties.

This continental experience gives the team greater confidence in dealing with big matches, despite the absence of the first star, Omar Al-Somah, due to his connections with his club, which makes Spanish coach Jose Lana rely on experienced elements such as Omar Kharbin and Mahmoud Al-Mawas, while integrating a number of young people into all lines to enhance the team’s flexibility.

Among the ranks of the Syrian national team are Mohammed Al-Hallaq, the Jordanian Al-Faisaly player, Mahmoud Al-Mawas, the Iraqi police player, Mahmoud Al-Aswad, Simon Amin, and Antonio Yacoub.

The Tunisian and Syrian teams have met 11 times before, with Tunisia winning 5 times, compared to 4 victories for Syria, and drawing twice. Among those direct confrontations, the match between the two teams stands out in the 1963 Arab Cup, when Tunisia won 1-0 on its way to winning the title, while Syria won the last confrontation against Tunisia with two unanswered goals in the last edition of the Arab Cup.

Syria plays in a more cautious style, relying on organized defense and quick transitions to exploit mistakes, especially against fast players such as Nassim Dindani and Ali Maaloul. The experience the team gained from the 2023 Asian Cup will be useful in dealing with the pressure of important matches.

The Syrian team is looking to regain its standing in the Arab Championship after a long absence, and open a new page of successes, benefiting from the state of confidence that the team is experiencing after early qualification for the 2027 Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia.

The audience at Ahmed Bin Ali Stadium will be present to support the two teams, which adds an important psychological dimension to the match, as the confrontation will turn into a real test of the ability to deal with pressure, and demonstrate tactical discipline and fighting spirit.