Burkina Faso claimed a narrow but deserved 1-0 win over Tunisia to become the second team to advance into the semifinals of the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations.
Midfielder Dango Ouattara scored the only goal of the match at the Roumde Adjia Stadium in Garoua on Saturday, securing the Stallions a place in the final four of the AFCON for the first time since 2013.
Burkina Faso started the better of the two teams and looked the more threatening in attack with their pace and urgency.
The first real effort on goal came in the ninth minute when a thunderous 24-yard shot from Djibril Ouattara deflected inches over the Tunisia crossbar with goalkeeper Bechir Ben Said stranded.
Tunisia had their first effort on goal in the 16th minute when a powerful shot from just outside the box by Wahbi Khazri was well-saved by Herve Koffi.
Ben Said was called upon in the 32nd minute, as the Carthage Eagles shot-stopper pulled off a double save to deny Gustavo Sangare from six-yards out.
Burkina Faso broke the deadlock at the stroke of the halftime when he ran onto Blati Toure’s through-ball and held off two defenders and cut inside before firing in.
Khazri tested Herve Koffi free-kick five minutes after the restart, but the Stallions number one pulled off a fine save to deny the Carthage Eagles striker.
Koffi came to his sides’ rescue again in the 63rd minute, as he got down well to keep out Youssef Msakni’s powerful volley.
Ben Said pulled off a fine save in the 69th minute to deny Edmond Tapsoba from the edge of the area.
Aissa Laidouni squandered a great chance to level matters in the 80th minute as the defender managed to head over from six-yards out.
Two minutes later, Burkina Faso were reduced to ten-men when goal scorer Quoattara was sent off after an elbow on Khazri. It came after referee’s second trip to the monitor for a video assistant referee check in quick succession.
Wahbi Khazri should have found the back of the net with five minutes to go when he met a Ali Maâloul cross from the left, but he headed wide under no pressure.
Tunisia continued to push forward in the dying minutes of the game, but Burkina Faso held on as the match ended 1-0 in favour of the West Africans.
How they lined up:
Burkina Faso: Herve Koffi – Issa Kabore, Soumaila Kabore, Edmond Tapsoboa, Steve Yago, Blati Toure, Adam Guira – Gustavo Sangare, Cyril Bayala, Dango Ouattara – Djibril Ouattara (Konate 71)
Tunisia: Bechir Ben Said – Mohamed Drager, Bilel Ifa, Dylan Bronn – Oussema Haddadi (Ali Maaloul 46), Ellyes Skhiri (Hamza Rafia 84), Aissa Laidouni, Anis Ben Slimane (Naim Sliti 46) – Youssef Msakni, Wahbi Khazri, Seifeddine Jaziri (Jebali 75).
