June 28 – Tunisia have been forced to start their final World Cup game with third-choice goalkeeper Aymen Mathlouthi, with a striker as backup, after FIFA rejected their request to add a replacement keeper to the squad.
Tunisia’s first and second choice keepers are unavailable after picking up injuries at the tournament, prompting them to fly Moez Ben Cherifia from champions Esperance to Moscow on Wednesday in the hope he might be allowed to be included.
However, the Tunisian Football Federation said today this request had been rejected by FIFA and they would have to use the players currently in the squad.
Tunisia lost first-choice goalkeeper Mouez Hassen after just 16 minutes of their first game against England when he injured his shoulder in a collision with Jesse Lingard. Farouk Ben Mustapha took his place in the 2-1 defeat in Volgograd and also played in the 5-2 loss to Belgium in Moscow before suffering knee ligament damage in training.
FIFA allow injury replacements in the World Cup only up until 24 hours before a team’s first game but Tunisia were hoping FIFA would an exception as a force majeure.
“This is a dilemma for us,” coach Nabil Maaloul said before FIFA’s decision. “Maybe Aymen will be our only option.”
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