2012+AFRICA+CUP+OF+NATIONS

Co-hosts Equatorial Guinea reached the 2012 Orange Africa Cup of Nations quarter-finals on Wednesday and eliminated Senegal with a shock 2-1 triumph at rain-soaked Estadio de Bata. Midfielder Iban Randy Iyanga put the Nzalang Nacional ahead on 62 minutes, Moussa Sow equalised a minute from time and David Alvarez snatched the winner four minutes into stoppage time. The result ensured the highly rated Senegalese become the first casualty at a tournament they were tagged amongst the favourites. The co-hosts, who are debuting at the tournament, are also the first team to reach the last eight of the competition. It was an improved performance from the Senegalese compared to their opener against Zambia last Saturday, but they face in the Equatoguineans an equally formidable side. Newcastle United new recruit Papiss Demba Cisse started for the first time at the tournament with Moussa Sow dropped to bench whilst Turkey-based Issiar Dia operated on the flanks The changes reflected in the performance of the team with Cisse, Demba Ba and Dame Ndoye coming close at breaking the deadlock. Senegal was the better side as they pressed the hosts to their half but failed to break through. Two minutes past the hour mark, the Nzalang Nacional surprisingly took the lead through Iyanga who headed home from Alvarez s cross from the right. The Teranga Lions roared louder but their aerial balls were not working as lanky Equatorial Guinea defender Da Gracia Fernarndo weathered the storm in the air constantly. Sow and captain Mamadou Niang came on as Senegal coach Amara Traore threw in all. But they had to wait till a minute from time before Sow silenced the host crowd with the equalizer from a goal mouth scramble. Just when the Senegalese appeared to find comfort in the draw, Alvarez struck the winner in added-on time with a thunderbolt that beat Senegal goalie Coundoul Bouna. The stadium erupted into ecstasy as the Nzalang Nacional booked their place into the last eight with the result and cut short the campaign of the Teranga Lions.

  
 * CAN 2012 - Quart de finale - Coupe d'Afrique ||
 * = Dimanche 05 février 2012 ||
 * > Gabon ||= 1 - 1 || Mali * ||
 * > Ghana ||= 2 - 1 || Tunisie ||


 * CAN 2012 - Demi-finale - Coupe d'Afrique ||
 * = Mercredi 08 février 2012 ||
 * > Zambie ||= [[image:http://www.matchendirect.fr/image/commun/score.png caption="Zambie Ghana" link="@http://www.matchendirect.fr/live-score/zambie-ghana.html"]] || Ghana ||
 * > Mali ||= [[image:http://www.matchendirect.fr/image/commun/score.png caption="Mali Cote d'Ivoire" link="@http://www.matchendirect.fr/live-score/mali-cote-d-ivoire.html"]] || Cote d'Ivoire ||

=Gabon 1-1 Mali (Mali win 5-4 on penalties) =
 * ** Quarter Finals – ¼ de finale ** ||
 * ** 25. ** || ** [|ZAMBIA 3-0 SUDAN] ** || ** 04/02/2012 ** || 17H:00 || ** Bata ** ||
 * ** 26. ** || ** [|COTE D'IVOIRE 3-0 GUINEA EQ.] ** || ** 04/02/2012 ** || 20H:00 || ** Malabo ** ||
 * ** 27. ** || ** [|GABON 1-1(4-5pen) MALI] ** || ** 05/02/2012 ** || 17H:00 || ** Libreville ** ||
 * ** 28. ** || ** GHANA 2-1 TUNISIA ** || ** 05/02/2012 ** || 20H:00 || ** Franceville ** ||
 * ** Semi-Finals - ½ Finale ** ||
 * ** 29. ** || ** ZAMBIA vs. GHANA ** || ** 08/02/2012 ** || 17H:00 || ** Bata ** ||
 * ** 30. ** || ** MALI vs. COTE D'IVOIRE ** || ** 08/02/2012 ** || 20H:00 || ** Libreville ** ||
 * ** 3rd Place **** match – Match de classement ** ||
 * ** 31. ** || ** Loser 29 vs. loser 30 ** || ** 11/02 **** /2012 ** || 20H:00 || ** Malabo ** ||
 * ** Final/Finale ** ||
 * ** 32. ** || ** Win. 29 v Win. 30 ** || ** 12/02/2012 ** || 20H:00 || ** Libreville ** ||

Mali edged through to the Africa Cup of Nations semi-finals after beating co-hosts Gabon 5-4 on penalties. The game had finished 1-1 after Mali's Tidiane Diabate cancelled out Eric Mouloungui's opener with five minutes left on the clock. Neither side could break the deadlock in extra-time, and Mali knocked out the co-hosts after Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang missed his spot-kick. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em;">Mali will now meet Ivory Coast in the last four in Libreville on Wednesday. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">

DID YOU KNOW?
Gabon were also beaten on penalties, by Tunisia, in their sole previous Nations Cup quarter-final appearance, in 1996. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em;">Gabon, who are co-hosting the tournament with Equatorial Guinea and have never reached the semi-finals, had looked on course for their fourth successive win at the tournament when Mouloungui scored from a pull-back pass from team-mate Aubameyang. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em;">Earlier in the game, the Gabonese had squandered a host of chances as Aubameyang and captain Daniel Cousin both saw their shots bounce back off the post. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em;">Mali, whose defence looked disorganised for much of the game, created few chances but might have equalised had Modibo Maiga not scuffed his shot. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em;">However, the visitors snatched an equaliser when substitute Diabate struck in the 85th minute. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em;">After extra-time passed without any goals, Seydou Keita scored the decisive kick in the shoot-out after Aubameyang had his effort saved. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em;">The loss silenced the Libreville crowd, who had seen their team come within just minutes of a last-four place for the first time. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em;">Mali and Barcelona midfielder Keita admitted his side's victory was not attractive, but that his team had done well to overcome the determined co-hosts. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em;">"It was not easy but we have reached the semi-finals," Keita said. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em;">"It was not Barcelona or Brazil but we worked within our capabilities." <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em;">Gabon coach Gernot Rohr, meanwhile, rued his team's missed opportunities, particularly Cousin and Aubameyang's efforts which hit the woodwork. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em;">"Had those two chances gone in, it might have been a different result," Rohr said.

=<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 2.308em;">Ghana 2-1 Tunisia (AET) =

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 1.462em;">Ghana qualified for the semi-finals of the Africa Cup of Nations after edging past Tunisia 2-1, following extra-time. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em;">Black Stars captain John Mensah put his side ahead after nine minutes, before Sabeur Khalifa equalised for Tunisia just before half-time. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em;">The game ended 1-1 after 90 minutes, and remained level until a Tunisia mistake gifted Ghana the winner. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em;">Carthage Eagles goalkeeper Aymen Mahtlouthi spilled a cross for Andre 'Dede' Ayew to tap home. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em;">Ghana had started brightly with Mensah marking his return from suspension and injury by heading strongly from a corner into the Tunisian net from close range. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em;">Tunisia struggled to find their feet in the game early on, but had a penalty turned down, after the Ghana defence were caught napping. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em;">Youssef Msakni took a free-kick quickly from midway in the Ghana half to Khalifa, who was helped off the ball by Samuel Inkoom in the area, only for the referee to wave away Tunisian appeals. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif;">

DID YOU KNOW?
Ghana have never lost to Tunisia in a Nations Cup match <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em;">But it served Ghana with a warning, which was quickly followed by an equaliser for Tunisia. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em;">Zouhaier Dhaouadi chipped in a delicious cross to the back post for Khalifa, who headed in decisively past the diving Adam Kwarasey in the Ghana goal. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em;">The second-half was a tight affair with both sides trying to edge ahead, but unable to create enough openings. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em;">Asamoah Gyan tried to get in on the action but struggled to get the better of Ayman Abdennour in the Tunisian defence, who marshalled the Al Ain man well all night. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em;">Tunisian substitute Issam Jemaa then unleashed a fierce shot, which Kwarasey palmed away at the near post. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em;">Neither side was able to break the deadlock, as extra-time was need for the second quarter-final in a row, after Gabon and Mali's tie had also ended 1-1 earlier in the day, with penalties eventually deciding that game. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em;">And Tunisia had the ball in the net almost immediately in extra-time through Issam Jemaa, but he was adjudged just offside. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em;">But with the game on a knife-edge, Mahtlouthi's mistake handed the lead to Ghana. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em;">The Tunisia keeper, who had been excellent all night in goal for the Tunisians, dropped the ball horribly from a harmless cross to the far post from Emmanuel Agyemang Badu, right in front of Ayew, who tapped in gratefully. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em;">The Tunisians struggled to recover and could not find a reply, with the game becoming heated towards the end of extra-time, after Aymen Abdennour's elbow on Ayew earned him a red card. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em;">The Black Stars held out to progress, as they look to end a 30-year wait for another Nations Cup triumph, and will take on Zambia in Bata in the first semi-final on Wednesday. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 1.077em;">Mali and Ivory Coast will meet in the second semi-final in Libreville, also on Wednesday.