Nacim Dendani played a pivotal role in Tunisia’s 3-1 win over Kenya in their Group B clash at the U20 Africa Cup of Nations on Sunday, helping to turn the tide of the match just before half-time.
With Tunisia trailing 1-0 late in the first half, the AS Monaco-trained forward was brought down in the box, earning a penalty deep into added time.
Farès Bousnina converted from the spot in the 45th minute plus 18, levelling the score and giving the North Africans renewed momentum heading into the second half.
Dendani, born in Ajaccio, France, is one of four dual-national players called up by the Tunisian Football Federation ahead of the tournament.
His inclusion has already paid dividends, with his performance on Sunday earning him the Man of the Match award.
“We reacted well when we were down one goal to nil. I’m very happy to be named man of the match,” Dendani said after the game.
The 19-year-old, primarily deployed as a right winger, also has the flexibility to operate in a more central attacking role, and his ability to influence play was on full display against the East African side.
Kenya had taken the lead through Lawrence Ouma Okoth in the 38th minute after a lapse in Tunisia’s defence.
The goal came following a misjudgment by right-back Wassim El Abrougui, who mistakenly thought the ball had gone out of play. Okoth capitalised on the hesitation to fire home the opener.
However, the penalty earned by Dendani shifted the momentum of the match.
Tunisia returned for the second half with renewed energy and purpose, scoring two more goals through Omar Ben Ali in the 70th minute and Alaeddine Derbali in the 85th.
The late strike from Derbali, a precise lob over the Kenyan goalkeeper Wycliford Oduor, sealed a deserved win for the Carthage Eagles.
The victory keeps Tunisia in contention for a semi-final place in the competition, with a crucial fixture against regional rivals Morocco still to come.
The top four teams from the tournament will qualify for the U20 World Cup in Chile next year.
For Dendani, the performance marks a promising start to his international career and further underlines his potential as one of Tunisia’s emerging attacking talents.
