Summary
After an even first half, Tunisia emerged the stronger for the second half and were in total control after Naïm Sliti’s penalty made it 2-0. Sofiane Hanni’s goal made the last few minutes edgy for Tunisia, but an Algeria equaliser would have been deeply unfair.
Algeria are not out yet, but they will need to beat Senegal, and hope Zimbabwe overcome Tunisia, to stand any chance. On today’s evidence, that’s unlikely. All credit to Tunisia, who lacked star names, but delivered the superior team performance. Thanks for reading. Bye!
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Full time: Algeria 1-2 Tunisia
Khenissi almost breaks away, but he’s flagged offside. No matter – the final whistle blows, and Tunisia have deservedly won the game!
94 mins: Tunisia kill a minute, but Algeria get the ball back, and still have 90 seconds or so to find an equaliser...
93 mins: Abeid’s pass deflects through to Mahrez, but once again, he’s immediately closed down.
92 mins: Sassi wins a free kick in the Algeria half. Final change for Algeria: Mehdi Abeid replaces Guedioura.
GOAL! Algeria 1-2 Tunisia (Hanni)
...and they’ve given themselves a chance! Guedioura’s cut back bobbles all the way to Hanni, 12 yards out, who rifles the ball into the top corner!
90 mins: Five additional minutes for Algeria to save themselves...
88 mins: Algeria free kick, but the ball in from Mahrez is weak, and bobbles behind off Yacoubi. The referee awards a goal kick, and Algeria aren’t thrilled.
86 mins: Mathlouli tries to carry on, but is now going to be replaced by Jridi.
84 mins: Mathlouthi collects the corner, but appears to have hurt his calf on the landing. Tunisia could be down to their last goalkeeper, Rami Jridi who plays for CS Sfaxien, another fine Tunisian team.
82 mins: Chance for Algeria! Mahrez threads the ball towards Slimani, whose cross-shot deflects behind off Abdennour. He wasn’t helped by Hanni, who needlessly cut out the pass, then played it on to Slimani.
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80 mins: Almost a repeat of the opener, as Msakni’s shot thuds off Mandi’s shins – but this time, it bounces wide of Asselah’s far post.
79 mins: Algeria’s changes have added forwards, but Mahrez is their only real creative outlet, and there’s no forward momentum whatsoever.
77 mins: Change for Tunisia, with the hard-working Akaichi replaced by Taha Khenissi, who plays for Espérance. Tunisian clubs have good names.
76 mins: Akaichi is brought down by Bensebaini, handing Tunisia a central free kick, 25 yards out. It strikes Guedioura’s elbow, but Tunisia only get a corner, and the move fizzles out as Akaichi fouls Bensebaini.
74 mins: Brahimi, Algeria’s standout player, was taken off and responded by booting a coolbox, but failing to knock it over. It’s been one of those days.
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73 mins: A third striker coming on for Algeria – Anderlecht’s Sofiane Hanni, who immediately sends in a cross that’s just beyond the reach of Slimani.
72 mins: Still absolutely nothing happening for Algeria. A substitution for Tunisia, with Khazri coming off, replaced by Mohamed Ali Yacoubi.
70 mins: Ben Amor, quietly impressive in midfield, concedes a corner, which drifts over the grappling throng assembled in the middle.
69 mins: Rachid Ghezzal, who’s done very little, is off. Baghdad Bounedjah, a striker who plays for Al-Sadd in Qatar, is on.
67 mins: It seems highly unlikely right now, but if Algeria do fight back, the decision not to send Ghoulam off will look even worse than it does already.
GOAL! Algeria 0-2 Tunisia (Sliti)
Asselah dives to his right, Sliti strokes the ball to his left, and Tunisia are in control.
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Penalty to Tunisia!
Algeria’s Cup of Nations could be going down in flames. From the quick break, Msakni’s through ball is headed back horribly by Ghoulam, letting Khazri in on goal. The one thing Ghoulam can’t do is clip Khazri’s heels. He does so, and is very lucky to only be booked.
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62 mins: Brahimi becoming more involved, winning another free kick from Sassi’s challenge. As Ghezzal waits to take it, Bentaleb and Slimani complain at length about the Tunisia marking. Mathlouthi punches away, and Tunisia break...
61 mins: Brahimi turns sharply and gets ahead of Sliti, who brings the Porto man down. Another free kick, but again Tunisia deal with it comfortably.
60 mins: Mahrez picks up the ball, but is immediately closed down by two red shirts. I don’t want to hex them, but Tunisia look entirely capable of shutting this game down.
59 mins: Mandi is penalised for a foul, and offers the referee some choice words. Maaloul whips the ball in, but Msakni can’t get above Slimani to force a header on target.
57 mins: Abdennour fouls Mahrez, and from the free kick, there’s an appeal after the same player pulls Slimani’s shirt. The referee isn’t interested, but he was certainly holding Slimani.
55 mins: Msakni, whose movement has caused Algeria problems, is down and in discomfort. Algeria’s players take the opportunity to have a quick on-field huddle.
53 mins: Naïm Sliti, who plays for Lille at club level, pings a shot a few feet over the bar from 30 yards.
52 mins: Naguez concedes a free kick, but Slimani is penalised for an ill-tempered shove on Abdennour.
51 mins: Well, this game needed a goal, and Algeria now have 40 minutes to raise their game, and rescue their tournament.
GOAL! Algeria 0-1 Tunisia (Mandi own goal)
From a throw in, Sassi lifts the ball beyond the defence to Msakni, whose cross from the left deflects off Mandi’s boot, and beyond Asselah!
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49 mins: This time, Msakni’s through ball towards Khazri is overhit – but there’s enough danger for Ghoulam to hack the ball away...
48 mins: Nice bit of link-up play between Khazri and Msakni, but once again, Khazri’s final pass is wayward.
47 mins: Slimani and Abdennour resume their personal battle, the Leicester striker going in hard on the defender and conceding a free kick.
Peep!
The second half begins. Mathlouthi returns in goal for Tunisia, despite a knock late in the second half. There’s no changes for either side.
If this game does end in a draw, Algeria will have two points, but face a tough final game against Senegal. Tunisia will have one point, and play Zimbabwe last, but could find qualification out of their hands, should Senegal beat Zimbabwe later today. Both teams, and this game, need a goal...
Half-time reading
A terrific interview with Emmanuel Adebayor from Nick Ames, who is at the tournament with Togo. Adebayor was with his national team in 2010 when their bus was attacked by gunmen, and three people were killed. It’s an incident that profoundly affected him, and is consistently overlooked by the striker’s numerous, vocal critics.
Half time: Algeria 0-0 Tunisia
The half ends with words exchanged, Algeria complaining of an elbow on Bensebaini in the melee that followed the free kick. Both teams have had chances, but no breakthrough yet.
46 mins: Mahrez’s free kick is charged down by Mahloul, who had overstepped the referee’s line of magic spray. The Tunisian is booked, Brahimi takes the second free kick, but it’s cleared away.
45 mins: Abdennour protests theatrically after a tussle with Slimani leads to an Algeria free kick. I don’t blame him; it’s a terrible decision. Nevertheless, a good chance for Algeria, close to the right-hand corner of the area...
44 mins: Algeria happy to sit deeper as Tunisia control possession. Neither team will be happy with a draw today, so expect effort levels to go up after the break.
42 mins: Guedioura, who needs to be careful, gives away a free kick for a nudge on Ben Amor. We’re meandering towards half time here, in truth.
40 mins: Slimani holds the ball up expertly on the halfway line, then tucks a through pass towards Mahrez. Ben Youssef does well to get across and snuff out the danger.
39 mins: Akaichi has words with Khazri after the Sunderland man mishits a simple through pass.
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Afcon for your ears: hear Jonathan Wilson’s latest dispatch from Gabon on Football Weekly Extra, hot and fresh out the kitchen:
36 mins: Mathlouli is down receiving treatment, while Algeria’s Bensebaini is also nursing a knock after a challenge on Maaloul.
35 mins: Algeria corner, taken by Brahimi, collected with ease by Mathlouthi.
34 mins: The tempo has sagged momentarily, allowing me to appreciate a haunting jazz riff being played on a trumpet by one fan.
32 mins: Slimani wins a free kick, which Mahrez swings into the box. Mathlouthi punches it clear, under no real pressure.
Today’s Fiver has just landed, if you fancy a bit of half-time reading.
31 mins: Akaichi tries to lift a diagonal pass to Msakni, but it’s not the best, and drifts out for a goal kick.
30 mins: Another yellow card for Algeria, this time deserved, as Meftah sends Msakni to the floor with a cynical trip.
28 mins: After Algeria’s strong start, Tunisia have had the better of things, their midfield unit moving the ball around neatly.
Cynics might have expected this game to be ... errr ... cynical but it's fast, slick and open so far. Mahrez just missed decent opportunity.
— Nick Ames (@NickAmes82) January 19, 2017
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26 mins: Another soft free kick presents Khazri with another crossing opportunity. Abdennour puts Asselah under pressure, but is penalised for roughing up the Algeria keeper.
25 mins: Tunisia’s Naguez times his overlap nicely to latch onto a through ball, and his cross is a whisker away from connecting with Akaichi!
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24 mins: Slimani takes the ball out wide, then picks out Mahrez in the centre with a neat cut-back. 18 yards out, on his weaker right foot, Mahrez still tests Mathlouthi with a low shot towards the right corner.
Around Franceville
The golden statue in Franceville of Omar Bongo giving a controversial lbw decision. pic.twitter.com/Gd9XcwFEwd
— Jonathan Wilson (@jonawils) January 19, 2017
22 mins: Khazri didn’t start against Senegal, but has been key for Tunisia early on. Here, he picks up a short pass from Sliti, cuts inside and blasts a low shot – but straight at Asselah.
21 mins: Khazri’s corner is poor, squirting towards the near post, but an instinctive flick from Msakni befuddles Asselah, the ball spilling beyond him and across the goal-line! At the far post, Akaichi is just unable to turn the ball back into the net.
20 mins: Khazri’s free kick thwacks into Slimani’s armpit, the striker’s arm above his head. Another free kick, ten yards closer to goal, is deflected wide off a Tunisian player – but the referee awards a corner!
19 mins: Slimani comes back to help out the defence, and is penalised for a high boot on Sassi. Not much help, really.
17 mins: Tunisia are looking to sit deep and break, and Akaichi forces Meftah to clear for a corner. It comes to nothing, and Algeria race upfield again, Ben Amor tugging Mahrez’s shirt to stop a dangerous break.
16 mins: Brahimi’s free kick from the right is drilled towards the penalty spot, but Mathlouthi is well placed to gather it.
15 mins: Ghezzal wriggles free in the box, but his attempted chip across to Slimani is overhit.
13 mins: Guedioura is booked for a tussle with Ben Amor; this referee is a stickler, to put it mildly. Tunisia’s Abdennour is the only player on either side booked in their first game, and therefore at risk of suspension.
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11 mins: Bentaleb, disappointingly wearing No10, looks to have been held in the area, but it’s the Algeria midfielder who’s penalised. It’s been a cracking start.
10 mins: The sweetest of hits from Adiène Guedioura, who collects a pass from Bentaleb, steps forward and pounds a shot that Mathlouthi does well to get anything behind, clearing it away for a corner.
8 mins: Guedioura tussles with Msakni, scorer of the winner in 2013 and concedes a free kick on the edge of the box. Khazri shoots, and Asselah, not looking supremely confident, pushes it away from his near post.
7 mins: Sliti is in space on the left of the area from a quick breakaway, but fails to bring the long ball down, and Algeria recover. Tunisia’s forward line, particularly Ahmed Akaïchi, were guilty of so many misses against Zimbabwe.
5 mins: Brahimi, Ghezzal and Mahrez stand over it, and it’s Brahimi who takes it, Mathlouthi leaping to turn it over the bar. From the corner, the Tunisian captain makes an even better save, turning away Slimani’s header from point blank range!
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4 mins: Algeria starting with plenty of attacking intent, and Slimani draws a cheap foul from Abdennour, presenting Mahrez with a chance to shoot from the edge of the box...
3 mins: Mahrez’s free kick is cleared, but Mandi is flagged offside from Brahimi’s cross. He was about three yards onside.
2 mins: Algeria win a free kick, Ben Amor penalised for not much in a challenge on Ghezzal.
1 min: Slimani, who didn’t have the best time against Zimbabwe, is penalised for an early foul on Abdennour.
Peep!
We’re off. Algeria are in all-white with green trim, Tunisia in all red.
Four minutes until kick-off: just enough time to enjoy this banger from Algeria’s ‘raï king’, Khaled.
The players are in the tunnel in Franceville, in front of a disappointly sparse scattering of locals and fans of either team. It’s a sweaty 27 degrees, with a chance of storms...
@niallmcveigh Today should be a good game, arguably one of the best games of this group stage. Cant wait for Mahrez to turn on his magic.
— Youssef amin (@youssefmessi710) January 19, 2017
Three changes for Algeria, with Malik Asselah in goal ahead of Raïs M’Bolhi, Rennes’ Mohamed Meftah replacing Mokhtar Belkhiter in defence, and Lyon’s Rachid Ghezzal coming in for qualifying top scorer El Arabi Soudani, who like M’Bohli is injured.
For Tunisia, Sunderland’s Wahbi Khazri replaces Larry Azouni and Mohamed Ben Amor comes in for Hamza Lahmar, his team-mate at the beautifully named Tunisian side Étoile du Sahel.
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Team news
LINE UP | The starting XI for the match Algeria - Tunisia #CAN2017 #ALGTUN pic.twitter.com/lhbMEtyWZM
— CAF (@CAF_Online) January 19, 2017
Previous
North African teams are enduring a barren run at the Africa Cup of Nations, and these two have to take their share of the blame. No side north of the Sahara has reached the semi-finals since Egypt completed a hat-trick of wins in 2010. Both of these nations have won Afcon once, when they were hosts – Algeria in 1990, Tunisia in 2004. Since their victory, the Carthage Eagles haven’t won a knockout game, but did beat Algeria in a 2013 group game, thanks to a stoppage-time screamer from Youssef Msakni:
Preamble
Hello. These two North African neighbours are, on paper at least, among this tournament’s heavyweights. Ranked fourth and fifth on the continent, both qualified for Gabon in style; Algeria scored 25 goals in six games, Tunisia conceded just three. Then, the draw grouped them together, alongside Africa’s top-ranked team, Senegal. After both failed to win entertaining opening matches, this derby suddenly has an all-or-nothing edge to it.
Algeria’s new coach, Georges Leekens, has to work quickly with a side that’s less than the sum of its parts; few squads have so many names from Europe’s larger leagues, led by unanimous African player of the year Riyad Mahrez. The Leicester winger showed his class with two goals against Zimbabwe, but the Fennecs had to settle for a 2-2 draw in a helter-skelter match either team could have won by a hefty margin.
By contrast, Tunisia’s team are short on household names, but marshalled by a coach who has a season ticket to this particular rodeo. Henryk Kasperczak has managed at seven Afcon tournaments, but despite creating a host of chances, his team slipped to defeat against Senegal, their defence punctured twice inside half an hour.
All of which means that there’s much more than Mahgreb bragging rights up for grabs today in Franceville. Kick-off is at 4pm GMT, 5pm local; team news to come.
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Read Nick Ames’s glorious interview with none other than Emmanuel Adebayor:
A short walk downhill from the Togo team’s hotel in Bitam, northern Gabon, a graffiti artist has been at work. “Adebayor le meilleur” – Adebayor the best – is the scrawl on the side of a breeze-blocked structure, accompanied by a telephone number.
Someone is clearly keen to discuss the striker’s merits and this would not be a bad day for it: 24 hours previously it may have been a stretch to envisage Emmanuel Adebayor, without a club since leaving Crystal Palace in June, looking up to speed at the Africa Cup of Nations but his performance in a surprise goalless draw with Ivory Coast was eye-catching and the applause he received on his late substitution was anything but sentimental.
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