Georges Leekens Reflects on Tunisia’s Last-Minute Victory Over Senegal
Georges Leekens, the Belgian coach of the Tunisian national team, couldn’t hide his delight after his side’s dramatic 1-0 victory over Senegal in the final minutes of their Africa Cup of Nations qualifier. The win, secured by a late goal, brought Tunisia closer to securing their spot in Morocco.
“My team suffered against a very strong Senegal team, but ultimately achieved what was needed, which was to pocket the three points for victory. It’s a fantastic result,” Leekens commented, clearly pleased with the outcome.
While acknowledging the tough nature of the match, Leekens attributed some of the victory to fortune. “We were lucky because Senegal had a lot of absentees, but my players remained focused on the essentials. We knew the match would be tough, but the football gods were with us,” he said, underscoring the narrow margin of victory.
Looking ahead, Leekens also had words of advice for Senegal, who are still in the race for qualification. “The Senegalese must prepare well against a good Egyptian team that will not give up,” he warned, mindful of the competition in the group.
Reflecting on the match itself, Leekens mentioned that he had predicted the late goal from midfielder Ferjani Sassi. “Before the match, I told the players that Sassi could score with two minutes left, and history proved me right,” he said, proud of his foresight and the tactical approach that led to the win.
With 10 points in the bag, Leekens expressed his satisfaction with Tunisia’s qualification campaign so far. “Now for the group, it’s a fantastic result. Ten points is something unexpected…so we have two matches left to play, we’ll manage them,” he added, confident that Tunisia can continue their strong form as they push towards the final stages of qualification.
