Preview: Tunisia vs. Mauritania - prediction, team news, lineups

Tunisia will host Mauritania on Thursday with the home side looking to add to the six points they have collected in their opening two games in Group B.

Mauritania have lost both their group matches so far and they will need to win on Thursday if they are to have any realistic chance of qualification for World Cup 2022.

Match preview

Tunisia and Mauritania will face off in back-to-back matches, and Tunisia will be confident of continuing their 100% record in Group B.

In their first game of the second stage of World Cup qualification, the Eagles of Carthage managed to win 3-0 against Equatorial Guinea, courtesy of goals from Dylan Bronn, Ellyes Skhiri and Wahbi Khazri, who scored from the spot.

They carried the momentum they had created from that impressive victory into their next group game against Zambia, which they won 2-0 with Khazri once again scoring a spot kick and Anis Ben Slimane sealing the win in stoppage time.

After winning successive games, Mondher Kebaier's side will be confident that Tunisia can qualify for their second consecutive World Cup.

Khazri will be key for the Eagles of Carthage if they are to win on Thursday with the Saint-Etienne player looking to add to the 21 goals he has scored for the national team.

Mauritania have never qualified for a World Cup and that looks unlikely to change soon with their opening two fixtures in Group B ending in defeat.

In their first group fixture, they hosted Zambia and went two goals down and, though Mamadou Niass grabbed a goal for Mauritania, they were unable to mount a comeback, falling to a narrow 2-1 defeat.

Corentin Martins's side then lost another close encounter in their last qualifying match when Iban Salvador's penalty ensured Equatorial Guinea collected the three points courtesy of a 1-0 win.

Mauritania last travelled to play Tunisia in September 2019 and lost 1-0 on that occasion, which may give the away side hope that they can compete and at the very least cause Tunisia problems.

The visitors will know it will be difficult to get anything from the game with Mauritania ranked 104th in the world by FIFA, while their opponents are ranked 25th.

Team News

Wajdi Kechrida was dropped for the game against Zambia, but the right-back could come back into the starting lineup for Thursday.

Bronn and Yassine Meriah will both continue in the centre of defence and they will be aiming to keep a third consecutive clean sheet.

After scoring a goal in both qualifying games, Khazri will once again feature in the Tunisian front three.

Ibrehima Coulibaly could come into the midfield to replace Moussa N'Diaye.

Martin is also likely to keep Niass in the starting lineup, with the forward the only player to score for Mauritania in the group stage.

Tunisia possible starting lineup:

Ben Mustapha; Kechrida, Bronn, Meriah, Maaloul; Laidouni, Skhiri, Sassi; Ben Youssef, Khazri, Jaziri

Mauritania possible starting lineup:

Diaw; Rachid, Ba, N'Diaye, Beibou; Dellahi, Mahmoud, Coulibaly; Diakite, Niass, Ba

We say: Tunisia 2-0 Mauritania

Tunisia have won six of their eight meetings with Mauritania and we expect them to collect another victory here, which would preserve their lead at the top of the group.