AFCON 2015: EQUATORIAL GUINEA SEND TUNISIA PACKING AS HISTORY IS MADE

by
Collins Okinyo
February 1, 2015

By Fredrick Nadulli aka Razor,Tunisia 1-2 Equatorial Guinea

Hosts Equatorial Guinea had to use every trick in their bag to turn tables on pre-match favourites Tunisia and make history by qualifying for the semi finals,albeit in controversial circumstances.Javier Balboa produced a class act,the dreadlocked midfielder covering every blade of grass and signing off with two goals on a humid night in Bata.

It was the Carthage Eagles who went ahead,Ahmed Akaichi getting infront of his marker to tap home on sixty nine minutes off a fine cross from Esperance teammate Ali Yaacoubi.The Tunisians subsequently passed the ball around to run down the clock as well as frustrate the hosts.

Toni Bolado appeared to go down softly in the area on ninety minutes from a Ben Youssef tackle.Javier Balboa kept a cool head to send Aymen Mathlouthi the wrong way and the stadium into rupture,to push the game into extra time.

Tunisia,perhaps infuriated at the referee,lost their heads and gave away many fouls.It was from one such,thirty yards out,that Javier Balboa found the top corner to give Equatorial Guinea the edge.

Felipe Ovono kept out Sayed Maaloul’s freekick at the other end and Tunisia were on their way home
The victory means the hosts have gone a step further from their last feat,when they were eliminated in the quarters.

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Collins Okinyo

Ex- CAF Media Expert. An expert on African football with over 15 years experience ,always with an ear to the ground with indepth knowledge of the game. I have worked for top publications including 7 years at www.supersport.com until i founded www.soka25east.com to quench the thirst of football lovers across the continent. I have trained young upcoming journalists who are now a voice in African football.I have covered World Cup,AFCON,CHAN,Champions League,Confederations Cup,Cecafa,Cosafa,Wafu and many other football tournaments across the World. Founder Football Africa Arena(FAA),Founder www.afrisportdigital.com