Hosts Tunisia open with Rwanda win
TUNIS, Jan 24 (Reuters) - Tunisia coach Roger Lemerre said a red card for Slim Benachour meant they had paid a very high price for Saturday's 2-1 African Nations Cup win over Rwanda.
Lemerre, who as France coach watched his team lose their 2002 World Cup opener against Senegal, was relieved just to have come through the first game of these finals after both sides had a man sent off.
'An opening match is always difficult and Rwanda proved they deserved to be here,' Lemerre told reporters. 'Tunisia found it very, very hard. It was an obstacle and we've cleared it.'
But the Frenchman was clearly disappointed at the loss of Paris St Germain playmaker Benachour, the architect of Tunisia's attacking moves and who was dismissed for a second yellow card after an hour.
'Red cards are not a good thing...but when you break the law you pay and Tunisia have paid dearly tonight. To lose a player for one or two matches is a high price.
'He has to accept responsibility and, to be frank, the team will suffer as a result. It's regrettable.'
Asked whether the victory had banished memories of the last World Cup, Lemerre said: "I don't think you can erase that. The World Cup in Japan and South Korea has left its mark in my mind and it cannot be removed.
'But if, on Tunisian soil, we are able to do something really good, I would be the happiest main in the world.'
Though beaten after Abdul Sibomana was sent off, Rwanda's Serbian coach Ratomir Dujkovic felt pride in their first ever game at the finals.
'Our guys showed Africa and the rest of the world that they are a team to respect. I'm very satisfied,' he said.
'We're proud to be playing in this competition and scoring a goal is even more important, especially for a country which is so small and so poor...I think they will be pleased.'
