Tunisia through to Cup of Nations quarter-finals

Libreville, Gabon | AFP | 

Tunisia became the first team to score four goals in a 2017 Africa Cup of Nations match as they beat Zimbabwe 4-2 in Libreville Monday to seal a quarter-finals place.

The Carthage Eagles, who led 4-1 at half-time, finished Group B runners-up behind Senegal and play Burkina Faso at the same stadium Saturday.

Naim Sliti, Youssef Msakni, Taha Yassine Khenissi and Wahbi Khazri scored for Tunisia and Knowledge Musona and substitute Tendai Ndoro for Zimbabwe.

Senegal topped the Group B standings with seven points followed by Tunisia with six, Algeria two and Zimbabwe one.

Tunisia began the match at the Stade de l’Amitie knowing a draw would suffice to clinch second place and reach the knockout phase.

But there was never a hint from the north Africans that they were playing for a point and Sliti scored via a deflected shot on nine minutes.

Sliti set up the second for Msakni on 22 minutes and Khenissi beat goalkeeper Tatenda Mkuruva at his near post for the third Tunisian goal on 36 minutes.

A superb Musona goal three minutes before half-time offered Zimbabwe a glimmer of hope only for Khazri to convert a 45th-minute penalty.

The tempo inevitably slowed after half-time with both teams playing for the third time in nine days and Ndoro scored the lone second-half goal.

#CAN2017 ?? v ?? [ST 2-2] No dio tiempo a festejar: @19Sow aprovechó la nula cobertura argelina para marcar el 2-2 parcial pic.twitter.com/XrgcSPzF4C

— Camino a Rusia (@caminoarusia) January 23, 2017

Africa Cup of Nations quarter-finals line-up in Gabon (times GMT):

Jan 28

At Libreville

Burkina Faso v Tunisia 1600

At Franceville

Senegal v Cameroon 1900

Jan 29

At Oyem

Group C winners v Group D runners-up 1600

At Port-Gentil

Group D winners v Group C runners-up 1900