Burkina Faso see off Tunisia to reach semi-finals – Africa Cup of Nations 2017
Quater-final
Burkina Faso 2-0 Tunisia
Burkina Faso scored two late goals to beat Tunisia 2-0 and reach the Africa Cup of Nations semi-finals.
Substitute Aristide Bance scored with a low drive from a free-kick only five minutes after coming off the bench.
Prejuce Nakoulma made sure of the victory on the counter-attack, after Tunisia had thrown everyone forward, rounding the goalkeeper 40 yards out before slotting into an empty net.
The Stallions will face either Morocco or Egypt in the last four on Wednesday.
It is now three wins from their three quarter-finals appearances for Burkina Faso, who last reached this stage in 2013 when they finished as losing finalists.
For the first time they secured a quarter-final win in normal time although until Bance’s intervention, which finally broke Tunisia’s resistance, it appeared as though extra time was to be required again.
The Burkinabe had the clearest chances of the first half, Nakoulma firing over from 12 yards over and Bertrand Traore unlucky with a chip that hit the top of the bar.
Tunisia’s best opportunity came from a corner headed on by Taha Yassine Khenissi which Aymen Abdennour could only nod on, Mohamed Ali Yacoubi narrowly missing at the far post.
Both sides looked increasingly nervous after the interval and the match became scrappy with few chances – a couple of goalmouth scrambles in the Tunisia box typified a lack of decisiveness from both sets of players.
Bance came on and changed that when a free-kick was rolled into his path and he struck a precise effort into the corner.
It sparked panic in the Tunisia team ranks despite there being 10 minutes left, they abandoned all defensive discipline as they desperately sought an equaliser.
Their recklessness was punished by Nakoulma who sped away on a break and ran past Aymen Mathlouthi, who had rushed far from his goal, before coolly stroking the ball home.
Tunisia’s defeat means they have lost their past five Nations Cup quarter-finals, while Burkina Faso remain in the hunt for a first title.
