Angola Advances
KUMASI, Ghana – Angola and Tunisia both advanced to the quarter-finals of the African Cup of Nations on Thursday after a 0-0 draw.
The result was enough to send both teams into the last eight with five points, with Tunisia finishing at the top of Group D on goals scored.
Senegal, a semifinalist two years ago, and South Africa were eliminated following a 1-1 draw in Kumasi.
"We did our best," said Senegal coach Lamine Ndiaye, who took over following Henryk Kasperczak’s resignation Monday. "The performance was just not good enough."
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Angola will next meet defending champion Egypt on Monday while Tunisia takes on Cameroon on the same day.
Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Guinea and host Ghana have also qualified for the last eight.
South Africa took the lead in the 15th minute when Elrio van Heerden converted Tim Modise’s cross from the left wing, but Henri Camara replied for Senegal in the 40th by scoring from the edge of the box after Aaron Mokoena had failed to make a clearance.
"I was happy with the performance in the first half," South Africa coach Carlos Alberto Parreira said. "This was good experience for the young players but it’s unfortunate we have to go home early."
Angola, which is making its fourth tournament appearance, has never gone beyond the first round.
"This game was very tactical," Angola coach Luis Oliveira Goncalves said. "The result is fair because the best two teams in the group advanced."
Goncalves and Egypt’s Hassan Shehata are the only African coaches to advance. The remaining six are either French or German.
In Tamale, Tunisia coach Roger Lemerre left top scorer Francileudo Santos on the bench, preferring Issam Jomaa in attack.
Sabeur Frej headed wide from a corner in the seventh minute, and Amine Chermiti forced a save from Angola goalkeeper Lama in the 16th.
"Although we were not able to perform very well, we are qualified for the next round," Tunisia coach Roger Lemerre said.
Nsimba Baptista had Angola’s best chance of the first half when he ran through on goal but could only direct a weak shot straight at goalkeeper Hamdi Kasraoui.
Source: Draw gets Tunisia, Angola into quarters
