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AFCON: Tunisia sends Nigeria packing, sets up quarterfinal clash with Burkina Faso

Earlier, Ismahila Ouedraogo scored the winning spot-kick as Burkina Faso beat 10-man Gabon 7-6 on penalties after a 1-1 draw to advance to the quarterfinals.

AFCON

Bengaluru, January 24: Youssef Msakni sent a coronavirus (COVID-19) hit Tunisia into the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) quarterfinals with a 1-0 victory over Nigeria, who finished the game with 10 men.

Tunisia scraped through the group stage and were without head coach Mondher Kebaier and a number of players for the last-16 clash on Sunday (January 23) after an outbreak of COVID-19 in their camp.

However, they still managed to book a quarterfinal date with Burkina Faso, who overcame Gabon 7-6 on penalties earlier in the day.

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The game at Limbe Stadium, Cameroon, was won up just 63sec into the second-half when Youssef Msakni was given all the time and space he could ask for as he took aim from 25 yards.

Montassar Talbi had the only shot on target in a dour first half in Garoua, but Msakni's low drive skidded off the turf and into the top-right corner off Maduka Okoye's glove.

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Nigeria were reduced to 10 men in the 66th minute when substitute Alex Iwobi - who had only been on the pitch for seven minutes - had a booking upgraded to a straight red card after referee Maguette Ndiaye reviewed video footage of his tackle on Msakni

The Super Eagles upped their game as they chased an equaliser, but Moses Simon was unable to beat Bechir Ben Said and Umar Sadiq missed the target in stoppage time as they exited the tournament.

AFCON: Egypt, Nigeria and five other countries make it to the knockouts AFCON: Egypt, Nigeria and five other countries make it to the knockouts

Following the sending off, the Super Eagles went close through Samuel Chukwueze, Moses Simon and Sadiq Umar - but their efforts failed to pay off.

For a side that won all three of their group games and even rested the majority of their stars for their previous match, tournament favourites Nigeria looked out of ideas in the face of some heroic defending.

Burkina Faso through on penalties

Earlier, Ismahila Ouedraogo scored the winning spot-kick as Burkina Faso beat 10-man Gabon 7-6 on penalties at Roumde Adija Stadium in Garoua (Cameroon) after a 1-1 draw to advance to the quarterfinals.

A tight game was sent to extra time after a dramatic late equaliser from the Panthers, and an even more tense shoot-out was ultimately decided by the 22-year-old Ouedraogo.

There had been a penalty in normal time after Issa Kabore was brought down by Sidney Obissa in the 14th minute, only for Bertrand Traore to slam his effort against the crossbar.

The Aston Villa man was not to be denied 10 minutes later when he ran on to a through ball from Hassane Bande and slotted in off the post past the onrushing Jean Noel Amonome.

Gabon thought they were level four minutes before half-time as a long ball from skipper Bruno Ecuele Manga found Aaron-Salem Boupendza, who cut inside and finished well but was ruled to be offside.

Obissa received his marching orders in the 67th minute after picking up a second yellow card, but Gabon still forced extra time as a 91st minute corner was headed in by Ecuele Manga, though went down as an Adama Guira own goal after diverting in off the Burkinabe midfielder.

An extra 30 minutes could not separate the sides and so the game went to penalties, with both teams scoring six of their first eight attempts.

After Lloyd Palun hit Gabon's ninth penalty against the bar, Ismahila Ouedraogo finally ended things by sending Amonome the wrong way, booking the Stallions' quarterfinal place against Tunisia

Story first published: Monday, January 24, 2022, 10:50 [IST]
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