Tunisia knocks Nigeria out of African Cup

GAROUA, Cameroon (AP) — Nigeria’s 100% document within the group stage meant nothing because it was knocked out 1-0 by Tunisia within the final 16 of the African Cup of Nations on Sunday.

Youssef Msakni’s low, swerving shot simply after halftime was the one aim, leaving Nigerian gamers slumped on the sector in disappointment on the finish.

Nigeria’s job was made even tougher when Everton’s Alex Iwobi was proven a straight pink card for raking his studs down the ankle of Msakni within the 66th minute. Iwobi was despatched off seven minutes after he arrived instead.

Nigeria had emerged as possibly the highest contender for the title after it was the one crew to win all its group video games. Tunisia misplaced twice within the group stage and solely went via as the most effective third-place groups however closed Nigeria down in a cagey sport in Garoua on the primary day of the knockout stage.

“We allowed them to get a foothold within the sport,” mentioned Nigeria’s Joe Aribo. “Can’t take something away from them, however we should always have been higher.”

Tunisia bought the job carried out with out coach Mondher Kebaier, who was isolating in his lodge room as an alternative of standing on the sidelines after a optimistic check for the coronavirus.

Tunisia will play Burkina Faso within the quarterfinals.

Burkina Faso beat Gabon in a penalty shootout in Limbe earlier Sunday and hours after mutinous troopers seized management of a army base again residence in Burkina Faso, elevating fears of a coup try.

Substitute Ismahila Ouédraogo buried the decisive spot kick and Burkina Faso gained the shootout 7-6 to lastly prevail over a courageous Gabonese effort.

Burkina Faso led 1-0, and Gabon had a person despatched off within the 67th. However 10-man Gabon equalized in damage time via an own-goal by Burkina Faso midfielder Adama Guira to ship the sport to further time.

Gabon's Aaron Boupendza, left, fails to attain in entrance of Gabon's goalkeeper Anthony Mfa Mezui, center, throughout the African Cup of Nations 2022 spherical of 16 match between Burkina Faso and Gabon at Omnisport Stadium in Limbe, Cameroon, Sunday, Jan. 23, 2022.

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It stayed 1-1 via further time.

Burkina Faso twice had alternatives to win the shootout after Gabon gamers missed. However Burkina Faso gamers stepped up and in addition failed.

Ouédraogo’s successful penalty was the 18th of the shootout. He scored after Gabon’s Lloyd Palun hit the submit for his crew’s third and ultimate miss.

Burkina Faso was 1-0 up in regular time via a first-half aim by captain Bertrand Traoré when Gabon had defender Sidney Obissa despatched off with simply over 20 minutes to go for a second yellow card.

Obissa had blatantly pulled a Burkina Faso attacker again by the shirt off the ball because the Burkinabes had been surging ahead.

It was a depressing day for Obissa, who picked up his first yellow card when he gave away an early penalty with a push on Burkina Faso’s Issa Kaboré on the sting of the world.

Traoré missed that penalty initially of the sport however made up for it 10 minutes later when he ran onto a via ball and slotted his shot beneath Gabon keeper Jean-Noël Amonome, who had come speeding out.

The ball clipped the within of the submit and went in, and Traoré leaped over the promoting boards and ran throughout an athletics monitor to have fun proper in entrance of an enormous Burkina Faso flag within the crowd.

Chasing the sport at 1-0 down, the ten males of Gabon lived dangerously after Obissa took a stroll however they raised themselves for one ultimate effort from a nook within the first minute of damage time and a header by Gabon captain Bruno Ecuele Manga bounced off Guira and into his personal internet to take it to further time.

Host Cameroon performs event debutant Comoros within the final 16 on Monday, when Comoros seems to be like it will likely be pressured to area an outfield participant as a goalkeeper due to a virus outbreak in its squad.

Guinea performs Gambia, one other debutant, within the different sport.

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