Tunisia reach quater-finals thanks to late winner
Full-time: Another dramatic denouement to an entertaining game. Tunisia are through to the quarter-finals and so long as they have Msakni in their ranks they'll be formidable foes for anyone. But with that defence it's difficult to see them going all the way.
90+ 4 min: Lovely play by Tunisia, unlucky not to be rewarded with a goal! Kassaly hared off his line to deny Msakni, then Darragi got a lovely touch to tee up a cracking shot that bounced out off the bar.
90 min: Four more minutes.
GOAL! Tunisia 2-1 Niger (Jemaa 89') Niger's defensive rigidity collapses again! Chichoto went wandering, allowing Jemma to saunter into the box and fire past the keeper! Tunisia are almost certainly through ... and Morocco need to get a result against Gaboin in the next game to avoid elimimination.
88 min: Tunisian are finishing far stronger and Niger but Niger are defending valiantly ...
85 min: Great block by Yacouba to deny Jemal!
84 min: Niger change: Laouali on, Boubacar off.
82 min: Maazou bounds through again. Maazou finishes badly again. Frustrating player.
80 mins: Karim's freekick whizzes around the wall but not past the goalkeeper.
76 min: Haggui looked for kicking Maazou in the throat, which is quite a feat.
75 min: The pressure is mounting from Tunisia, who clearly don't want to have to go into their final group game needing to beat the hosts Gabon to be sure of a place in the quarters. But Niger defenders have hurled themselves at a series of shots over the last couple of minutes to protect their goal and thwart the Tunisians.
72 min: Maazou streaks down the left and then pulls the ball back to the edge of the area, Ali arrives to blaze high and wide.
69 min: Niger change: Kamilou on, Ngounou off.
66 min: Tunisia's last change: Chikhaoui, on Sami. "Greetings from LA, Mr Doyle," says friendly Nick Bronson. "It sounds like many of these ACN games are positive and entertaining. Any advice as to where an American soccerball fan might be able to catch a feed of a game or two?" No idea, Nick, but you're right about the tournament: it's been much better than the lats two editions (and the last World Cup, for that matter), with almost all teams playing enterprising and entertaining football and contests serving up several great dramas already.
64 min: Chaos at both ends! Tunisia hit the post through a deflected shot by Abdennour and, within seconds, Maazou was through at the other end, outsprinting Haggui yet again to connect with a hoofed clearance ... but Mathlouthi hared off his line to clear.
60 min: Msakni is the man again, dribbling into the box before rounding Dankwa and attempting a canny curler towards the far corner. Just wide.
58 min: Maazou wins the ball impressively in midfield, feeds Boubacar and then surges off and demands the return. Ifa read the move and snuffed it out.
55 min: The game is deteriorating as quality has seeped out of both teams' play. Fortunately Msakni is still getting on the ball now and again and every time he does, possibilities emerge. Lovely player.
52 min: Msakni collects the ball outside the Niger box, wriggles this way and that, and then feeds Darragi, whose shot is feeble.
50 min: Another Tunisia change: Darragi on, Dhaoudi off.
49 min: Maazou's pace really his impressive. If he could consistently do the right thing once he sped into the right position, he'd be a huge talent. As it is, he might be considered as a tall Theo Walcott from Niger.
47 min: Tunisia's change: striker Issam Jemaa on for Chermiti
46 min: We're back. Both teams have made changes ... but I don't know what they are yet. I'll let you know asap. I know it means a lot to you.
Half-time: An entertaining and compelling game so far goes into the break finely poised. Niger have improved massively on their first performance - dodgy defending for the Tunisia goal notwithstanding - and Boubacar and Maazou are a formidable threat for them up front, even if the finishing for Maazou, in particular, has been slack so far.
45+1 min: And now it's Tunisia who are denied, not a penalty but a freekick right on the ege of the area. Chicoto dragged Dhaoudi to the ground as the midfield rolled him ... yet the ref awarded a free out. It was a blatant foul, although I don't see how Dhaouadi suffered an injury that requires him to be taken off the pitch on a stretcher, as has just happened.
44 min: No penalty! That looks like a bad decision on first view. And on second and third views. Maazou stepped inside Haggui, who desperately thrust his leg out to prevent the striker from getting off a shot. Down goes Maazou, but 'play on' signals the ref.
43 min: Chikhaoui spots the keeper off his line and tries to lob into the net from 40 yards. Way off.
40 min: Bulus charges out of goal to intercept a dinky through-ball.
36 min: Boubacar and Maazou are really tormenting the Tunisian defence. The former has just won a corner after another jagged run. Traoui's delivery is poor, alas.
33 min: There is a really pleasing contrast in styles here, with Tunisia's slow interplay and tricky feet currently counting for less than Niger's speed and incision. Boubacar came close to putting Niger in front just now, hitting the outside of the post from the edge of the area after twisting past Jemal.
30 min: Jemal hurtles down the left but overhits his cross, with two waiting for it.
27 min: Maazou nearly on the mark again! It was a fine, powerful run that took him through the heart of the Tunisian defence and low shot eluded the keeper ... but also the net, by inches.
24 min: Haggui for once beats Maazou to a ball over the top, and the striker then drags him down, prompting the pair to square up to each other like dunken oafs on a Friday night in Watford. The ref comes across tell each man, perhaps, to leave the other alone, he's not worth it.
22 min: Niger's constant harrying has knocked Tunisia out of their stride, but still their wayward defending means they look vulnerable. But so do Tunisia. This game promsies lots of goals.
19 min: Haggui, deciding he might as well go into the opposing box for all the good he's doing in his own, meets a freekick but can't keep his header on target.
16 min: Bad miss by Maazou, who blasted over from 10 yards! But the encouraging thing for Niger was how easily that chance came about, with Lancina finding Maazou's run with a fine ball from deep ... while the Tunisian defenders panted in the striker's slipstream.
14 min: Niger have improved since equalising and their pressing high up the pitch has cut offt the supply to Msakni, for now.
11 min: The bounce that befuddled the keeper there was truly bonkers. Not sure whether it was caused by backspin, a bump on the pitch or someone using remote control in the crowd ...
GOAL! Tunisia 1-1 Niger (Ngounou 8') Ecstatic celebrations from the Niger team, who do well to refrain from laughing outright at the Tunisian goalkeeper, Mathlouthi, who allowed a huge punt to bounce up in the air before spinning in confusion and losing an aerial duel with the Maazou, who may have used his hand to help it on to Ngounou, who cheerfully nutted it into the net from 10 yards. The Tunisians are outraged, the replays inconclusive.
6 min: Msakni's having a ball here. The 21-year-old is leading the Niger defence on a merry dance, enjoying it so much on the most recent occasion that he clean forgot about shooting.
GOAL! Tunisia 1-0 Niger (Msakni 4') The striker shows off his impressive dribbling skills again, although the Niger defence didn't put up much resistance, allowing the Esperance man to shuffle through the middle and sidefoot it past the keeper from 14 yards.
3 min: Niger should have scored! They've clearly identified Haggui's slowness at the heart of Tunisia's defence as a weakness to exploit and that plot nearlyt paid off just now, as Maazou easily outpaced the centreback to latch on to a long ball over the top ... but his first touch was terrible and the ball runs to the keeper.
1 min: And they're off, Tunisia showing their intent with hearty directness, as opposed to their usual slow and steady build-up.
Teams:
Tunisia: Mathlouthi, Haggui, Jemal, Ifa, Abdennour, Chikhaoui, Traoui, Dhaouadi, Korbi, Chermiti, Msakni
Niger: Daouda, Kowa, Mohamed, Bulus, Soumaila, Lancina, Bonnes, Issoufou, N'Gounou, Ali, Maazou
Preamble:
Niger, who qualified because of Egypt's unravelling and South Africa's incompetence, looked like the worst team in the tournament during their opening match, a defeat by Gabon, where Tunisia announced themselves as outside contenders for overall victory by downing Morocco 2-1. The Tunisians were dominated for most of that match but defended well, were efficient in front of goal and, in Youssef Msakni, have a little marvel who seems destined for great things. Happily, manager Sami Trabelsi is sure to instruct his players to attack a lot more against Niger than they did against Morocco so Msakni should have ample scope to strut his stuff.
Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2012/jan/27/football-africa-cup-of-nations-tunisia-niger
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