Coach: Moez Ben Amor

 

Key Players: Roa Mkadem (goalkeeper), Fadwa Aouij (centre back), Nada Zalfani (right back)

 

Qualification for Poland 2018: 2017 CAHB African Women’s Youth Championship - Runners-up

 

History in Tournament: 2006: 11th, 2008: 12th, 2010: DNQ, 2012: DNQ, 2014: 18th, 2016: DNQ

 

Overview

 

A 26:26 draw against Angola in their final match of the 2017 CAHB African Women’s Youth Championship in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, last September was enough for Tunisia to claim a continental silver medal and a ticket to Poland 2018.

 

In the seven-team round-robin competition in Abidjan, Tunisia beat Algeria (41:30), Ivory Coast (41:28), Senegal (30:26) and DR Congo (38:22), but lost to champions Egypt 23:19, however, that draw with Angola was enough for both sides to go through to Kielce.

 

Coach Moez Ben Amor admitted at the time that he was not “completely satisfied” with his teams’ record in Abidjan but that “the most important thing was to qualify for the World Championship.”

 

“We want to reach the second round in Poland,” said Amor to local media about his thoughts on Poland. “At this level you can beat any team at any time and will try our chances at the World Championship.”

 

A core of seven players in Ben Amor’s provisional squad of 20 names have played together for several years, racking up around 20 international appearances each. Out of those, goalkeeper Roa Mkadem will be an important barrier against some ferocious attacking play from their Group D opponents – especially Republic Korea and France.

 

At the other end Fadwa Aouij, the centre back who plays for Association Sportive Feminine de Sfax, has scored 133 goals in 22 appearances and will hope to add considerably to that total in Poland – the same can be said for Association Sportive Feminine du Sahel right back Nada Zalfani who has scored 75 goals in 20 matches for her country.

 

The Oranges de Menzel Bouzalfa right wing Nihed Limen and Association Sportive Feminine de Sfax pivot Ons Yaacoub both represented Tunisia back in April at the 13th Mediterranean Handball Confederation’s (MHC) Women’s Mediterranean Handball Championship in Zabljak, Montenegro, where they finished sixth overall and both players, who are just 15 years old, will be looking to get further experience in Poland.

 

Part of Tunisia’s preparation ahead of Kielce saw the squad of 20 players meeting up in the north-east coast city of Mahdia from 15-16 July.

 

Preliminary Group at Poland 2018

Group D: Republic of Korea, France, Spain, Tunisia, Kazakhstan, Montenegro

 

Preliminary Group games at Poland 2018

All times local

 

Tuesday 7 August:        KOR-TUN (16:00)

Wednesday 8 August:   TUN-FRA (16:00)

Friday 10 August:         TUN-KAZ (14:00)

Saturday 11 August:     MNE-TUN (20:00)

Monday 13 August:      ESP-TUN (12:00)

 

IHF & World Championship Social Media

Follow the Poland 2018 IHF Women’s Youth World Championship on our website, on IHF Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube, as well as on the official event website, Facebook and Twitter channels.

 

Photo: Tunisian Handball Federation