Tunisia’s qualification hopes rested on the shoulders of Mouelhi during the second penalty kick, awarded after a foul on the single player, Nibombé Daré. The Esperance de Tunis player struck the left post while Togolese goalkeeper Agassa Kossi was in a different direction, resulting in the Eagles of Carthage being eliminated.
However, Mouelhi’s teammates expressed understanding and support, refraining from placing blame:
“We gave everything in this match but were unable to qualify and win the bet. It’s an elimination that hurts, but we assume our responsibilities. We can’t blame Mouelhi (who missed the second penalty). We had no luck,” mentioned Moez Ben Cherifia, the Tunisian goalkeeper.
