12 Tunisia players test positive for Covid at Cup of Nations

Tunisia’s players take part in an MD-1 training session Centenary Stadium in Limbe, on January 19, 2022, on the eve of their Group F Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2021 football match against Gambia. (Photo by Issouf SANOGO / AFP)

Tunisia’s preparations for their final Africa Cup of Nations group match against Gambia were thrown into disarray after 12 players in the 28-man squad contracted Covid-19, the country’s football federation said Wednesday.

Key player Wahbi Khazri is among the players to test positive.

“This evening (Wednesday) the players took part in a training session with 16 players present and the rest absent due to Covid-19 contamination,” the federation said on its Facebook page.

The federation also said: “Tuesday, the tests revealed the contamination of Ali Maaloul, Aymen Dahmen, Ghailene Chaalali, Mohamed Ali Ben Romdhane, Wahbi Khazri, Ali Jemal and Mohamed Amine Ben Hmida who have been isolated from the group.”

Right-back Mohamed Drager has though recovered from the virus and Tunisia are hoping that five other players, positive since the start of the tournament, will test negative before Thursday’s game.

Tunisia, the 2004 winners, need to at least draw their final Group F match to be sure of qualification for the last 16.

The Carthage Eagles bounced back from their controversial opening 1-0 loss to Mali, when the referee blew the final whistle early, by thrashing Mauritania 4-0 in their second game.

By AFP