AFCON 2021:
- 1st quarterfinal: Cameroon 2-0 The Gambia
- 2nd quarterfinal: Burkina Faso 1-0 Tunisia
Dango Ouattara scored and was red-carded as a 10-man Burkina Faso defeated Tunisia at the Roumde Adjia Stadium in Garoua on Saturday night.
The result booked the West Africans a berth in the semifinals of the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations.
Ouattara, 19, scored in added time at the end of the first forty-five minutes to see the Stallions claim a narrow but deserved triumph.
The Carthage Eagles were unable to produce the kind of inspired play that saw them past Nigeria in the previous round.
With 10 minutes to play, Ouattara was sent off (after a VAR review) for elbowing Maaloul in an aerial challenge, leaving them a man down and under siege for the remainder of regulation time.
The Burkina Faso backline remained solid in the face of wave after wave of Tunisian attacks and ultimately held out to seal a place in the final four.
Burkina Faso shall now take on either Senegal or Equatorial Guinea (who play each other on Sunday) in the second semifinal on Thursday 3 February.
This is the Stallions’ third appearance in the semi-finals in the past five AFCONs (technically three in four for them, as they failed to qualify for the 2019 tournament).
In the early kickoff, hosts Cameroon strolled to the semifinals with an easy 2-0 win over the Gambia at the Japoma Stadium in Douala.
Karl Toko Ekambi scored a brace for the Indomitable Lions, both in the second half.
Cameroon will now face either Egypt or Morocco (who meet on Sunday evening in their quarterfinal clash) during the first semifinal in Yaounde on Wednesday, 2 February.
Team Line Ups:
Burkina Faso: Koffi, Kabore, S. Ouattara, E. Tapsoba, Yago, Guira, Toure, Sangare, Bayala, Da. Ouattara, Dj. Ouattara (Konate 72’)
Tunisia: Ben Said, Drager, Ifa, Bronn, Haddadi (Maaloul 46’), Slimane (Sliti 46’), Skhiri (Rafie 84’), Laidouni, Msakni, Khazri, Jaziri (Jebali 75’)
