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Tunisia national football team
Africa Cup of Nations | Quarter-Finals
Jan 31, 2015 at 7.30pm UK
 
Equatorial Guinea national football team

1-2

Akaichi (70')
FT(HT: 0-0)
Balboa (93' pen., 102')

Tunisia rocked by Javier Balboa sucker-punch

Javier Balboa rescues Equatorial Guinea by firing them into the last four of the Africa Cup of Nations with a dramatic 2-1 extra time win over Tunisia in Bata.

Equatorial Guinea progressed into the semi-finals of the Africa Cup of Nations for the first time in their history with a dramatic 2-1 extra-time win over Tunisia.

Ahmed Akaichi broke the deadlock on 70 minutes as Tunisia found themselves minutes away from ending the host nations' journey in this tournament.

However, Javier Balboa slotted a 93rd-minute penalty, before adding a superb free kick in the 12th minute of extra time to seal his country's progression.

Equatorial Guinea's midfielder Javier Balboa celebrates after scoring a goal during the 2015 African Cup of Nations quarter-final football match between Equatorial Guinea and Tunisia in Bata on January 31, 2015© Getty Images

Both sides fashioned and missed one good chance apiece throughout a first half where clear-cut opportunities were at a premium in Bata.

Tunisia midfielder Ferjani Sassi headed agonisingly wide of Felipe Ovono's post on the half-hour mark before Javier Balboa saw his effort cleared off the line.

The visitors emerged from the interval much the better of the sides, and Ovono tipped Akaichi's goal-bound shot over the bar early in the second half.

Georges Leekens's side continued to threaten in the final third, with Wahbi Khazri and Hamza Mathlouthi going close for the 2004 champions.

It proved a sign of things to come, however, as Tunisia finally edged ahead with 20 minutes remaining. Akaichi latched onto Mathlouthi's cross and prodded past Ovono.

Equatorial Guinea should have drawn level, but Middlesbrough forward Emilio Nsue was denied in a one-on-one with Aymen Mathlouthi.

Indeed, the hosts did get back on level terms in timely fashion, as Ivan Bolado won a controversial penalty, which Balboa coolly converted to send the clash into extra time.

Tunisia struggled to regain their composure after that, and Balbao, as he did in the group stages, came to Equatorial Guinea's rescue with a fine free kick to set up a last-four clash with Ghana or Guinea.

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Tables header RHS

Group A

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Equatorial Guinea flag Eq Guinea32107
Q Nigeria Nigeria32107
Q Cote D'Ivoire flag Ivory Coast31023
4 Guinea-Bissau flag Guinea-Bissau30030

Group B

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Cape Verde flag Cape Verde32107
Q Egypt Egypt30303
3 Ghana flag Ghana30212
4 Mozambique flag Mozambique30212

Group C

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Senegal flag Senegal33009
Q Guinea flag Guinea31114
Q Cameroon flag Cameroon31114
4 Gambia flag Gambia30030

Group D

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Angola Angola32107
Q Burkina Faso flag Burkina Faso31114
Q Mauritania flag Mauritania31023
4 Algeria Algeria30212

Group E

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Mali flag Mali31205
Q South Africa South Africa31114
Q Namibia Namibia31114
4 Tunisia Tunisia30212

Group F

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Morocco Morocco32107
Q DR Congo flag Congo DR30303
3 Tanzania flag Tanzania30212
4 Zambia flag Zambia30212


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