Tunisia on Monday trounced Zimbabwe 4-2 to reach the Africa Cup of Nations quarter-finals in Gabon as star-stacked Algeria were eliminated after the first round.
Naim Sliti, Youssef Msakni, Taha Yassine Khenessi and Wahbi Khazri scored in Libreville as the Tunisian Carthage became the first side at this year’s finals to score four goals in a match.
Meanwhile, Algeria drew 2-2 with a virtual Senegal “B” side in Franceville, with star striker Islam Slimani finally finding form to bag a brace.
This was the second 2-2 draw for the Algerian Desert Foxes after a similar result against Zimbabwe, and a 2-1 loss to neighbors Tunisia in between proved costly.
Many pundits had placed Algeria among the title favorites given the presence of stars such as new African Footballer of the Year Riyad Mahrez, Slimani and Yacine Brahimi.
However, pre-tournament fears about the defense proved well founded, as they conceded two goals in each group game.
Senegal, breaking a pre-match promise of coach Aliou Cisse that he would field a full-strength side, equalized first through Papa Diop and Moussa Sow.
Assured of finishing first before the last mini-league matches, Senegal topped the Group B standings with seven points, followed by Tunisia (six), Algeria (two) and Zimbabwe (one).
Senegal remained in southeastern Gabon to face Cameroon on Saturday, three hours after Burkina Faso and Tunisia are to meet in the first quarter-final in Libreville.
Cameroon beat Senegal on penalties in the 2002 final in Mali and hosts Burkina Faso won on penalties when they met Tunisia in a 1998 quarter-final.
Ghana are also through to the last eight, while the other three quarter-finalists are to be decided with six countries in contention.
All of the Group C teams — the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Morocco, defending champions Ivory Coast and Togo — can advance to the knockout phase.
In Group D, either record seven-time champions Egypt or Mali will accompany Ghana to the quarter-finals.
Henryk Kasperczak coached Tunisia to the 1996 final during a previous spell in charge and was thrilled with the victory over Zimbabwe.
“We regained possession well during the first half and created scoring chances,” the Poland-born handler said. “It was a satisfactory performance and I congratulate my players. Now we face Burkina Faso, a quality team with good technique and attacking combinations.”
“We lost the match in the early stages due to a lack of concentration,” Zimbabwe coach Callisto Pasuwa said. “I think we have potential, but must prepare better. A lesson from this tournament is that players have to remain focused throughout a game.”
Tunisia scored four goals in an Africa Cup of Nations match for the fourth time as they ripped the Zimbabwe defense to shreds during a first-half goal fest, which ended with the winners 4-1 ahead.
The tempo inevitably slowed after halftime, as both teams were playing for the third time in nine days, and Tendai Ndoro scored the lone second-half goal.
Algeria coach Georges Leekens took some consolation from the early exit, as Algeria continued to underperform at the Africa Cup of Nations since a lone title when 1990 hosts.
“I had warned that Senegal were one of the big favorites and we showed that we could respond in difficult circumstances, which is important for the future,” he said.
“Overall it is a disappointment, but we need to use this to grow in the future,” he said, as Algeria are left to focus on trying to qualify for the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
“I am still sure of what I have to do. It was not a gift for me to come here, but we will make it to Russia. I think my players showed they could react,” he added.
Slimani gave Algeria the lead on 10 minutes and Diop leveled just before halftime. Diop struck again early in the second half, only for Sow to equalize within a minute.
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