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Tunisia edge closer to World Cup with 2-0 win in Kenya [Mon Sep 5th, 2005]
Nairobi (Reuters) - African champions Tunisia moved to within one point of a third successive World Cup finals after beating 10-man Kenya 2-0 behind closed doors in Nairobi.
Haykel Guemmadia scored after just two minutes on the counter attack to set Tunisia on their way to a fifth successive victory in their African zone Group Five qualifying campaign.
Substitute Issam Jomaa squeezed the ball past Kenya goalkeeper Arnold Origi to make sure of the victory five minutes from the end after Kenya defender Edwin Mukenya had been sent off early in the second half.
Tunisia now only need a draw at home to Morocco in their final qualifier on October 8 to reach next year's tournament in Germany.
However, if Morocco lose to Botswana in Rabat later on, they will hand the Tunisians qualification before their final match.
Tunisia, who rested several key players because of concern over picking up unnecessary cautions, were never troubled by the home team in an eerily empty stadium.
Kenya had been sanctioned by FIFA after the death of a 15-year-old spectator in a rush for tickets ahead of their last World Cup qualifier at home to Morocco in June. Fifteen other fans were also injured in the stampede.
In the absence of home support, Kenya struggled against the African champions, and their plight was worsened at the start of the second half when Mukenya was sent off for a crude tackle on Tunisia midfielder Kaies Ghodhbane.
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