LIMBE, Cameroon – Gambia substitute Ablie Jallow scored a stunning goal deep in stoppage time to earn his team a shock 1-0 win over Tunisia at the African Cup of Nations (AFCON 2021) and continue the upset results at the tournament.
Avoiding defeat by Tunisia meant Gambia will not face a last-16 clash against Nigeria, who will play the Tunisians.
His left-foot shot four minutes into added time flew into the top corner to lift the debutants up to an impressive seven points from their three group matches.
Gambia finished behind Mali in the Group F standings on goal difference with Tunisia came third on three.
The Carthage Eagles came out pushing for an early lead with flashes of chances in the first quarter of the game.
At the half hour mark Tunisia had 6 attempts with no shots on target. The likes of Anis Ben Slimane, Hamza Rafia and Seifeddine Jaziri were in thick of things in attack for Tunisia but couldn’t find any real openings in the Gambia defense line.
The North African’s first attempt on target finally came from the spot with Seifeddine Jaziri drawing a foul in the penalty area. Modou Jagne the culprit committing the foul on Jaziri. However, the opportunity was squandered as Gambia Keeper Baboucarr Gaye stopped Jaziri’s penalty just before the halftime interval.
Disaster struck for Tunisia when their reserve keeper Farouk Ben Mustapha saw red for violent conduct and was dismissed from the bench.
This meant he will miss two games. It was 0-0 at the end of the first 45 minutes.
Tunisia advanced as one of the four best third-placed teams but had defender Mohammed Drager sent off late in the game and reserve goalkeeper Farouk Ben Mustapha was also handed a red card for his part in a touchline fracas as the teams went into the tunnel for halftime.
They had come into the game with 10 players in isolation after returning positive COVID-19 tests and also squandered a fourth successive penalty at the finals.
Tunisia had found it difficult to break down a well drilled Gambia defence but five minutes before halftime Gambia skipper Pa Modou Jagne clipped the heels of striker Jaziri, who fell down dramatically and was awarded a penalty.
Jaziri got up to take the kick but his powerful strike was saved by Gambia goalkeeper Gaye, winning only his second cap.
Tunisia dominated possession but had rare shots on target while Gambia got progressively more ambitious.
Musa Barrow struck a powerful cross against the crossbar — the third time he has done that at this tournament — before Jallow´s thunderbolt snatched victory with virtually the last kick of the game.
“We are very proud, we were very disciplined, it´s an amazing result to be beat Tunisia, finish with seven points and go to the second round. We could not have wished for more,” said Gambia coach Tom Saintfiet according to Reuters.
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