Bance sets up Burkina Faso win
LIBREVILLE: A timely substitution and a stroke of luck helped Burkina Faso to a 2-0 triumph over Tunisia on Saturday in the first Africa Cup of Nations quarterfinal.
Portuguese coach Paulo Duarte introduced giant striker Aristide Bance on 76 minutes as a tight, physical lasteight clash seemed destined for extra time.
Within five minutes Bance broke the deadlock in Libreville by slamming the ball into the net after a free-kick was pushed into his path just outside the box. However, big-screen replays suggested the set-piece should not have been awarded with the ball hitting the chest of Mohamed Ali Yakoubi, not his right hand.
Prejuce Nakoulma doubled the lead on 84 minutes through a breakaway goal to clinch a semi-final against Egypt or Morocco at the same venue next Wednesday.
Success maintained a 100 per cent Burkinabe record in Cup of Nations quarterfinals having beaten (1998) and Togo (2013).
Since winning the title for the only time in 2004 when hosts, Tunisia have reached five quarterfinals, and lost them all.
“We produced high-level football,” said Duarte. “There was quality and confidence in our performance.
“The dream is to do better than in 2013 (runners-up to Nigeria), but it will not be easy.
“Do not forget that Tunisia had a LONDON: Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger praised the mental strength and resilience of Danny Welbeck after the England forward scored twice on his first start since suffering a serious knee injury in May during a 5-0 FA Cup thrashing of Southampton.
Welbeck followed his firsthalf double at St Mary’s on Saturday with an assist for former Saints star Theo Walcott, who completed his hat-trick in the second half of a comfortable fourth-round win for the Gunners over their Premier League rivals. Tunisia day less to rest (after the group stage) than us. I thought they were sturdy at the back, but a bit slow.”
Tunisia coach Henryk Kasperczak said: “We did not show our qualities. We did not possess the rage to win.
“We were a little tired, the physical freshness was not perfect, we did not play quickly enough when attacking.”g.”
The goalless first half produced ced more yellow cards than clearcut cut chances at the Stade de l’Amitie.
Tunisians Aymen Abdennour,our, Yakoubi and Syam Ben Youssef were cautioned by the South African can referee, as was Burkinabe captainain Charles Kabore.
Bertrand Traore, a Chelsea sea midfielder on loan to Dutch giantsants Ajax, came closest to scoring for Burkina Faso midway through the half.
Nakoulma did the spadework ork by muscling past two Tunisians and Traore turned smartly in a crowded ed goalmouth to fire just over.
Burkina Faso had a narrow ow escape on 34 minutes as Taha Yassinene Khenissi flicked a corner across the goal and Yakoubi just failed to connect. ect.
Soon after, Burkinabe Issoufou fou Dayo had the ball in the net after a freereekick, but the Tunisians were relieved ved to see the flag raised for a clear offside. ide. Having had less first-half possession, on, Burkina Faso reversed the trend as the second half unfolded, pushinging forward without really threatening g to score.
Wenger was pleasantly surprised by the display of former Manchester United striker Welbeck, making his first start since a 2-2 draw away to Manchester City in May.
“I didn’t expect him to be at that level,” said veteran French manager Wenger. “I knew that he had worked very hard but you never know how much efficiency there could be to transfer that into a competitive game. So it was great to see that he hasn’t lost his runs or his finishing and shows as well that when you are able to channel that frustration at not playing into efficiency, that’s a special guy.”
“You have always two fears, the first is that it takes him too long to get his decision-making (back) and secondly that the player is scared to go into any contact. So when he made the runs and was fighting with the defender, that was a very important moment for me.”
The injury had been Welbeck’s second affecting the same knee since joining Arsenal in 2014 and Wenger was relieved the player had not shown any psychological ill-effects. “He worked very hard,” Wenger said of the 26-year-old Welbeck. “He went through some moments of very deep disappointment when he had the setback and we had to go in again in the knee, when you are a professional football player that is very difficult. But after the first disappointment he worked even harder. He is highly respected inside the club because he has shown so much dedication and never moaned. He has worked very hard and everybody is delighted for him.”
But even Wenger had his doubts over whether Welbeck would come back a second time. “You wonder and I wondered,” he admitted.