Two goals by Elias Achouri helped Tunisia end their 12-year wait for an opening victory at the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) with a commanding Group C win over Uganda in Rabat.
The Eagles of Carthage required just 10 minutes to break the deadlock through Ellyes Skhiri’s header from a corner, doubling their lead five minutes before half-time courtesy of Achouri’s side-foot volley inside the box.
Copenhagen forward Achouri grabbed his second with 26 minutes remaining, slotting in after goalkeeper Salim Magoola spilled Ali Abdi’s arrowed shot.
Uganda sent on forwards Denis Omedi and Travis Mutyaba at the break but failed to have an attempt on target until Omedi found the net during added time with a consolation strike that took a sizeable deflection.
The result sent Sami Trabelsi’s side top of their group on goal difference after Nigeria beat Tanzania 2-1 in Fes earlier.
Uganda are next in action in an East African derby against Tanzania in Rabat on Saturday (17:30 GMT), while Tunisia meet the Super Eagles in Fes that evening (20:00).
Tunisia start in style
After failing to win any of their three matches at the 2023 tournament, Tunisia vanquished some of that pain by winning their opening game of the finals for the first time in six attempts.
In a dominant display, Eintracht Frankfurt’s Skhiri set the tone in precise fashion, guiding Hannibal Mejbri’s delivery past defender Aziz Kayondo on the line via the near post.
The 2004 champions already looked in cruise control by the time Achouri rifled in from Abdi’s cross in the 40th minute, with Afcon debutant Elias Saad threatening to put them 3-0 ahead before half-time, only to end a show of trickery inside the penalty area by blazing a shot over the bar.
When Achouri did find the third, and his second, the game was over as a contest.
Either side of Omedi’s consolation, the Cranes – now losers in all seven editions of this fixture by an aggregate score of 19-2 – had Magoola to thank for tipping Mejbri’s long-range strike and Dylan Bronn’s header behind.
Uganda winger Rogers Mato has built a reputation for spectacular international goals and been prolific for Vardar in the North Macedonian league, but the 22-year-old found his chances limited in this match, firing wide from distance and finding Bronn in the way with an impressive intervention to head a curling shot behind.
Head coach Paul Put also gave 17-year-old James Bogere his debut after Tunisia’s third goal, rewarding the forward for his displays at this year’s Under-17 World Cup as he became the youngest player to feature in this year’s group stage so far.
While Belgian Put is yet to win an opening game at Afcon in four attempts with three nations, counterpart Trabelsi will hope this performance provides evidence he has a squad capable of repeating his run to the final with Tunisia as a player in 1996.
Trabelsi, who has sealed World Cup qualification since returning to the dugout in February, previously took his country to the 2012 Afcon quarter-finals during his first spell in charge.
With the likes of Achouri, Skhiri and Mejbri at their best, another knockout stage appearance is now within Tunisia’s reach.