Six Tunisian players test COVID-19 positive at Cup of Nations

January 12, 2022 Mali's Falaye Sacko with Tunisia's Hannibal Mejbri after the match REUTERS

Six Tunisian players have tested positive for COVID-19, adding to the increasing number of infections at the Africa Cup of Nations in a blow to their immediate prospects at the tournament in Cameroon.

Defender Dylan Bronn, Oussama Haddadi and Mohamed Drager and strikers Issam Jebali, Naim Sliti and Yoann Touzghar have all gone into isolation, the Tunisian Football Federation said on Friday.

It cuts down their selection options ahead of their second game in Group F against Mauritania in Limbe on Sunday.

Tunisia were beaten 1-0 by Mali in a controversial first group game on Wednesday when the referee blew for fulltime four minutes early.

Tunisia later refused to return to the pitch to play the additional minutes but their protest against the outcome was rejected by the Confederation of African Football’s disciplinary committee, which has confirmed the result.

Players are subjected to regular novel coronavirus testing at the tournament and there have been continuing positive cases since the teams began arriving in Cameroon.