Tunisia reaches semifinals on penalties after Gabon shine

Tunisia booked a semifinal tie against Zambia in the African Nations' Cup when they beat Gabon 4-1 on penalties after the two sides battled through extra time to a 1-1 draw on Sunday.

Gabon, who had dominated the quarter-final with skilful, flowing football, came unstuck when they missed their first two penalties, Chokri El Ouaer saving from Brice Mackaya and Etienne Kassa-Ngoma hitting a post.

Aurelien Bikogo-Zolo did score for Gabon but by then some sharp shooting from Adel Sellimi, Soufyane Fekih and Mehdi Slimane meant that goalkeeper and captain El Ouaer was able to seal the match when he scored with Tunisia's fourth penalty.

It was a disappointing end for a Gabon side who had charmed the small King's Park crowd and outshone a dull Tunisian team with some bright, attractive football.

The first 45 minutes belonged entirely to the Gabonese, with Tunisia relying exclusively on a quick, long ball out of defence for their counter-attacking.

And it was against the run of play that they went ahead in the 10th minute.

From halfway, Riadh Bouazizi floated a long ball out to the left where Slimane stepped inside a defender and pulled the ball back for Zoubeir Beya to drive it past goalkeeper Germain Mendom from the edge of the area.

Six minutes later it was all square when Mackaya slammed a free kick from two meters outside the penalty box past the flailing El Ouaer and into the bottom left-hand corner of the net.

The second half continued the pattern and Gabon came close through Pierre Aubame, Jonas Ogandaga and Guy-Roger Nzamba but they were unable to break the deadlock.

Extra time produced a couple of half chances at both ends, notably from Tunisia's one outstanding performer, Slimane, but with the teams tiring visibly no one was able to make the decisive finish.

Teams:

Gabon: 1-Germaine Mendome, 2-Jonas Ogandaga, 4-Jean-Martin Mouloungui, 5-Guy-Roger Nzeng, 6-Etienne Kassa-Ngoma, 8-Pierre Aubame (18-Constant Tamboucha 92nd), 11-Francois Amegasse-Akoli, 12-Brice Mackaya, 14-Guy-Francis Koumba, 15-Guy-Roger Nzmba, 20-Georges Alban (21-Aurelien Bikogo-Zolo 108th).

Tunisia: 1-Chokri El Ouaer, 3-Sami Trabelsi (14-Sabri Jaballah 118th), 5-Hedi Ben Rekhissa, 6-Ferid Chouhcane, 8-Zoubeir Beya, 9-Abdelkader Ben Hassen (19-Belhassen Aloui 53rd; 12-Soufyane Fekih 84th), 10-Kaies Kodhbane, 11-Adel Sellimi, 15-Khale Badra, 18-Mehdi Slimane, 20-Riadh Bouazizi.