Tunisia head coach Sami Trabelsi admitted qualification was the overriding priority after his side booked their place in the next round, even if the performance fell short of their usual standards boldsports reports.
“The most important thing was to secure qualification,” Trabelsi said. “We have not done well in this competition in recent years, and that is why qualifying is so important. We may not have played in the best way possible, but we are very happy to have achieved our objective.”
The Tunisian coach also sounded a note of caution ahead of tougher tests to come, stressing that improvement will be required as the tournament progresses. “We will be playing against stronger opposition in our upcoming games and will really need to play better because the level of competition will be even higher,” he added.
For Tanzania, head coach Miguel Gamondi struck a proud and reflective tone, describing qualification as a major step forward for the nation’s football despite limited preparation time.
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“I didn’t have enough time to prepare the team, but we worked together with the management and federation and feel very proud, not just for myself, but for the country,” Gamondi said.
Gamondi believes the achievement could mark a turning point in Tanzania’s football identity. “I wanted to change this mentality of being underdogs. To qualify is a great learning moment for Tanzania and something the country must be proud of. I hope it will remind these players and the next generation of the true potential of Tanzanian football.”
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