Gambia upset Tunisia

Gambia .............. 1 Tunisia .............. 0

L– Gambia pulled off a smash and grab at the Limbe Stadium on Thursday night after a last-gasp goal saw them beat 10-man Tunisia 1-0 in their final match of Group F.

Tom Saintfiet’s side defended doggedly to keep out the Eagles of Carthage, who missed a penalty and lost Mohamed Drager to a red card late on before Ablie Jallow stunned them with the winner in the dying moments of the game.

The Scorpions finished runners-up to Mali in their group and will face Guinea in the round of 16, while Tunisia must contend with Group D winners Nigeria.

Mondher Kebaier’s men bossed proceedings in the first half with almost 75 per cent of the possession as the Gambians sat back and absorbed a tonne of pressure.

IMBE Struggled

The West Africans struggled up front due to the final pass letting them down, although an early chance saw Musa Barrow clear the target by some distance with an ambitious long-range strike on the left in the sixth minute.

Ali Abdi had the first sniff at goal for Tunisia on the quarter-hour mark when he latched onto a ball over the top and made his way into the box on the left before getting off a shot that was deflected wide off Omar Colley.

Hamza Rafia should have done better with their next opportunity on 34 minutes, but he directed a free header well wide of the right post from a cross on the right.

Rafia went closer five minutes later after being played in by Seifeddine Jaziri on the left, though the Standard Liege midfielder could only find the side-netting from a tight angle. Barrow attempted the spectacular on 36 minutes as he connected with a long ball over the top and sent a first-time shot on the turn well over the crossbar from outside the box.