Tunisia punishes trio

Players sacked for unsporting behavior

TUNIS (Reuters) -- World Cup finalist Tunisia has sacked three players from its squad following violent incidents in recent club matches, a soccer official said.

Goalkeeper Mohamed Zouabi, striker Imed Benyounes and defender Mohamed Mkacher were dismissed, a Tunisian Football Federation official told Reuters.

"The three players were sacked from the national team after the incidents in Sfax and Sousse, as such behavior does not fit the sport's spirit," said the official, who did not wish to be named.

Esperance de Tunis's Zouabi and Etoile du Sahel's Mkacher were among players involved in violence which marred a game Sunday in the coastal city of Sousse. Etoile beat Esperance 2-0.

Benyounes, from Club Sfaxien, was punished for punching Hammam Lif coach Ridha Akacha a week ago when the two sides played a first division match in the southern city of Sfax.

Tunisia's French coach Henri Michel has replaced the three sacked players in his squad of 22 for Thursday's friendly against an Andalucian select team in Seville, Spain.

The squad includes Brazilian-born Adailton Parreira do Santos -- who recently received Tunisian citizenship -- goalkeeper Chokri el Ouer and veteran internationals Mounir Boukadida and Zoubir Baya.

Tunisia will play Liberia in a friendly Sunday in Tunis before the African Nations Cup finals begin on January 19 in Mali.

Tunisia is drawn in group H for next year's World Cup finals in South Korea and Japan. It faces co-host Japan, Belgium and Russia. It is the third time Tunisia has played in the World Cup finals after 1978 and 1998.

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