GAROUA, Cameroon – Tunisia and Burkina Faso are through to the quarter final stage at the on-going African Cup of Nations Cameroon 2021.
Tunisia claimed an upset 1-0 win over Nigeria in the round of 16 clash played at the Roumde Adjia Stadium in Garoua.
Burkina Faso edged Gabon 7-6 on penalties – after a 1-1 draw – in an epic round of 16 clash at the Limbe Stadium in Limbe.
The North Africans now face Burkina Faso, who eliminated Gabon after a penalty shootout, in the quarter-finals of the flagship African tournament next Saturday.
Tunisia shocks Nigeria
Captain Youssef Msakni scored to give previously unimpressive Tunisia a shock 1-0 triumph over 10-man Nigeria in Garoua in an African Cup of Nations last-16 match.
Nigeria had a good chance to level at the start of added time when substitute Umar Sadiq got behind the defence and fired across goalkeeper Bechir Ben Said only to see his shot trickle wide of the far post.
Msakni struck on 47 minutes and Nigerian hopes of levelling were dealt a major blow midway through the second half when Alex Iwobi was red-carded.
Nigeria started as favourites to reach the quarter-finals having won all three group matches in the northwestern city, with record seven-time champions Egypt among their victims.
Tunisia, making a record 15th consecutive Cup of Nations appearance from 1994, fell to Mali and minnows Gambia in the first round and squeezed into the knockout phase among the four best third-placed teams.
While Nigeria was able to choose 12 substitutes, Tunisia could manage only eight due to a coronavirus outbreak in the camp.
Also missing due to Covid-19 was Tunisia coach Mondher Kebaier, who was isolating in coastal city Limbe at the other end of the central African country.
Apart from being the more impressive in the group phase, the Nigerian Super Eagles also boasted an unbeaten record in five previous meetings with the Carthage Eagles, winning three and drawing two.
A lacklustre opening half produced only one shot on target, from Tunisia, as Nigeria were unable to recapture the first-round form that made them the only team among the 24 to boast a 100 percent record.
In a tournament full of surprises, another one arrived just after half-time when Qatar-based Msakni put the one-time Cup of Nations champions ahead.
Msakni, playing in his seventh Cup of Nations tournament, dribbled across the edge of the box before unleashing a curling shot that entered the net off the left arm of goalkeeper Maduka Okoye.
As Nigeria battled to break down a well-organised Tunisian defence, they suffered another blow midway through the second half when Iwobi had a yellow card changed to red after a VAR check.
Iwobi, an Everton winger and one of many Premier League players in Cameroon, had just come off the bench when he stamped on the ankle of Msakni.
Another substitute, Naim Sliti, almost doubled the Tunisian lead with 15 minutes remaining when he fired a shot toward the corner of the net only to be thwarted by a superb two-hand save from Okoye.
Nigeria had a chance to level as time ticked away, but Moses Simon sent a free-kick from just outside the box over the crossbar.
“We got punished for one mistake,” said Nigeria coach Augustine Eguavoen.
“Alex should not have been given a red card but the referee saw it differently. But congratulations to Tunisia.”
Burkina Faso beats Gabon on penalties
Ismahila Ouedraogo scored the decisive penalty kick as Burkina Faso beat Gabon 7-6 in a dramatic shoot-out to become the first team through to the quarter-finals of the African Cup of Nations after Sunday’s match in Limbe finished 1-1 at the end of extra time.
Burkina Faso will play Tunisia in the quarter-finals next Saturday.
Burkina Faso appeared to have the victory sewn up in normal time thanks to a first-half goal from captain Bertrand Traore, who had earlier missed a penalty.
Gabon was reduced to 10 men when centre-back Sidney Obissa was dismissed midway through the second half, but they forced extra time as the unfortunate Adama Guira helped the ball into his own net in the first minute of added time.
After there was no scoring in the extra half-hour, penalties went all the way to sudden death and Lloyd Palun became the third Gabon player to miss his kick before Ouedraogo took the Stallions through.
The 2013 runners-up advance to a last-eight tie in Garoua next Saturday against Tunisia.
Gabon went home after a tournament overshadowed by the early departures of star striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and influential midfielder Mario Lemina.
The two players were sent home last week without having played a minute for Patrice Neveu’s side at the tournament after testing positive for Covid-19.
Their exit here means the Panthers have still never won a knockout tie at the Cup of Nations, but they can be proud of the way they battled in adversity to force extra time and penalties after Obissa’s red card.
Aston Villa star Traore cannoned his early spot-kick off the top of the bar but Burkina Faso went ahead on 28 minutes as Dango Ouattara’s superb through ball was met by Traore with a first-time finish in off the post while Gabon goalkeeper Jean-Noel Amonome had come off his line.
Aaron Boupendza had a goal disallowed for Gabon for offside just before the break, and their chances of rescuing the tie were dealt a hammer blow midway through the second half when Obissa fouled Ouattara and was shown a second yellow.
Burkina Faso then had chances to kill the game off before, against all the odds, Gabon’s Bruno Ecuele Manga appeared at a corner in the first minute of added time, his effort going in off the unfortunate Guira.
Abdoul Tapsoba had a goal ruled out for Burkina Faso in the first half of extra time, and he also had his kick saved in the shoot-out, but his team prevailed.
Tuesday’s fixtures
6:00pm Senegal vs Cape Verde
9:00pm Morocco vs Malawi
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