A bittersweet day for Dango Ouattara. He scored the decisive goal, a wonderful mixture of pace, skill and calm decision-making, sending a couple of Tunisian defenders off to the shops. But he’ll miss next week’s semi-final against either Senegal or Equatorial Guinea, having been given his marching orders for crumping his elbow onto Ali Maaloul’s jaw. Ah well, he’s the hero tonight, and he’ll always have Garoua. Thanks for reading this MBM. Nighty night!
FULL TIME: Burkina Faso 1-0 Tunisia
The referee blows the full-time whistle with 16 seconds of added time still remaining! Told you he does things his way. Burkina Faso reach the semi-finals for the third time in the last nine years!
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90 min +3: Koffi delightedly flops on an aimless long ball. Another chance to run down some of those precious seconds.
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90 min +2: Burkina Faso win a corner, and take it short in the time-management style. Tick, tock.
90 min +1: The first of four extra minutes passes by without incident. Burkina Faso will be delighted it’s just four; there have been plenty of substitutions plus two pauses for VAR.
90 min: Khazri dribbles into the Burkina Faso box down the right. Tapsoba sticks to him like glue, and he’s forced to turn tail.
89 min: Maaloul threatens to break down the left but doesn’t back himself. He dribbles inside to little effect.
87 min: One of the Burkina Faso subs, Bande, warming up behind the goal, takes his sweet time to return the ball that had been uselessly dispatched into the darkness by Rafia. The referee comes over and books him. Tell you what, you wouldn’t try anything on with this referee. He’s brooking no nonsense, and does it his own way. He is nails.
86 min: The corner’s worked back to Rafia, who completes an undistinguished 60 seconds by hoicking deep into the stand behind the goal.
85 min: Rafia is immediately in the thick of the action, tearing down the right and entering the box. He’s got options in the middle, but can’t find any of them. Just a corner.
84 min: Tunisia make another change, throwing on Rafia in place of Skhiri.
RED CARD! Dango Ouattara (Burkina Faso)
82 min: Yep. It’s a red. VAR gets the referee over to the screen again, but this time he’s more than happy to change his mind. Dango properly crumped his elbow into Maaloul’s boat, and the young goalscorer walks. He’ll miss the semi should his team-mates see this out with ten men.
81 min: Bayala and Dango are booked in short order, for a tackle and a swinging arm respectively. The latter is fairly fortunate not to see red, having elbowed Maaloul squarely on the jaw. That could have been a red card.
79 min: ... but while that usually means an overturned decision, the referee sticks with his original take. No penalty! No sending off! Just a throw!
78 min: The referee draws a telly box in the sky, and trots across to the monitor. He’s been asked to take a look by VAR.
77 min: VAR’s going to check this, though. Soumaila bashed the ball away, but on the follow through, wrapped his legs around Khazri’s standing leg. Was he out of control?
76 min: Konate’s presence out on the left allows Yago to break into some space on the wing. Yago’s dinked cross evades Dango in the middle. Tunisia counter, Khazri sashaying down the inside-left channel and entering the box, only to show too much of the ball to Soumaila Ouattara, who steps across and blooters clear.
75 min: Tunisia replace Jaziri with Jebali.
74 min: Konate makes good down the left and rolls infield for Dango, on the edge of the D. A heavy touch allows Ifa to intercept and clear, when a better one would have set up a shooting chance.
72 min: Burkina Faso make their first change, replacing the hard-working striker Djibril with Konate.
70 min: Laidouni floats a pass down the right channel for Khazri, who spins this way and that before being awarded a corner. It looked as though he’d run that out of play himself, so it’s probably for the best that nothing comes of the corner.
68 min: Maaloul curls the free kick low and hard towards the bottom right. Koffi turns it around the post in a slightly unorthodox style, but gets the job done. Nothing comes of the resulting corner.
67 min: Tapsoba is booked for clipping the heels of Jaziri, who was attempting to break into space down the right. A free kick just to the side of the D.
66 min: Yako whips a glorious cross in from the left. Djibril waits to slam home from six yards. Ifa nips in just in time to hook clear. That was marvellous football all round.
64 min: Koffi spots Djibril free on the halfway line and pearls a long kick down the right wing. Said races out of his box to clear, then overruns the ball, checks back, and clears his line at the second attempt. Djibril was a yard away from nicking that ball and rounding the keeper.
63 min: This one bobbles around a crowded box, before Burkina Faso finally manage to larrup clear. They’re clinging onto their lead a bit here.
62 min: The corner’s pulled back for Khazri, who scuffs a shot from the edge of the box. The ball pinballs through the box and out for another corner. Take two.
61 min: Msakni twists down the right and earns Tunisia yet another corner. Burkina Faso are struggling to get out again.
59 min: Tunisia have been the better side since the break, even if Burkina Faso have had the best chance.
57 min: Tunisia should be level. Slitl strides down the inside-right channel and takes a shot. It’s going wide left, but drops to Khazri on the edge of the six-yard box. Khazri opens his body and slices a dreadful effort wide right. He might have been offside anyway, but he wouldn’t have known at the time. Awful miss.
55 min: Tunisia win their fifth corner of the game, out on the left. They play it short and pull back for Sliti, who floats a cross into the mixer. Nobody in red responds, and Burkina Faso are able to clear their lines.
54 min: Tunisia have also replaced Slimane with Sliti.
52 min: Tunisia go straight up the other end and nearly fashion a chance themselves, but Jaziri is caught offside with Burkina Faso there for the taking.
51 min: Acres of space for Djibril down the left ... and even more space for Bayala down the middle! Djibril’s pass pushes Bayala a little bit to the right, which pushes him wide, though he’s still one on one with Said when he reaches the edge of the six-yard box. He lashes goalwards, but straight at the keeper, who stands firm and parries. What a crucial save that could be.
50 min: A long pass down the Burkina Faso left nearly releases Djibril. Said comes romping out of his box to blooter clear, just in time. Tunisia are really struggling with Burkina Faso’s pace.
48 min: The resulting free kick leads to a corner that leads to nowt.
47 min: Laidouni concedes a garden variety foul in the midfield, then argues the toss a bit too forcefully with the referee, who brandishes the yellow card. He continues to gesticulate and rant, right up in the referee’s grille. He’s really pushing his luck.
Burkina Faso get the second half started. A change for Tunisia, as Maaloul replaces Haddadi.
Half-time entertainment. A night at the opera, anyone?
HALF TIME: Burkina Faso 1-0 Tunisia
That’s the last kick of the half. Tunisia trudge off deflated; Burkina Faso are still celebrating as they head down the tunnel. What a time to score the opener!
GOAL! Burkina Faso 1-0 Tunisia (Dango Ouattara 45+2)
This is a lovely goal! Toure latches onto a loose ball in the centre circle and pings it down the right. Suddenly Dango is clear! He enters the box, then checks to see off a couple of chasing defenders, and having sent them the wrong way, lashes past Said. What a finish by the young man!
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45 min +1: The first of two added minutes sees Kabore cross viciously from the right. The ball flies all the way through to Said, who thankfully for Tunisia was concentrating and isn’t surprised.
45 min: Kahzri slaps the free kick straight into the wall, though the ball flies out for a corner. He takes long, hoping to find Bronn at the far post. Tapsoba flicks a header clear.
44 min: Jaziri chases a long ball down the left. Koffi comes out of his box and brings him down. It’s a yellow card - there were defenders in the middle - and a free kick in a very dangerous position, just to the left of the box. Khazri to take.
42 min: Sangare spins with sweet skill out on the left wing to escape the clutches of three Tunisians and set his team on the attack. A few passes later, he gets the ball back, and, high on life, tries his luck from 35 yards. Nope, but he’d earned the right to try.
40 min: Yago clips another lovely looping pass down the inside-left channel. Djibril meets the dropping ball with a volley from a tight angle. He connects well, but it’s straight at Said, who gathers without fuss.
38 min: Kabore turns on the jets and zips past Haddadi down the right with absurd ease. He reaches the byline but Ifa has read the danger, coming across just in time to get in the way and shepherd the ball out for a goal kick.
36 min: Bayala’s low cross from the left sits up invitingly for Djibril, but the striker is surprised to see the ball get past Bronn. Unprepared, he shins it out of play.
34 min: Tapsoba slices what appears an easy clearance behind for a corner on the right. Khazri takes. The ball makes it all the way through to Laidouni at the far post. A lack of composure sees him hoick the ball out for a goal kick from six yards.
33 min: Yago wedges a glorious pass down the inside-left channel for Dango, who nearly executes a perfect mid-air trap and spin as the ball drops over his shoulder. But the ball then runs away from him as he prepares to shoot. That could have been something.
31 min: Haddadi’s long pass down the left looks to have released Jaziri, but the flag goes up belatedly for offside. There wasn’t a lot in that.
30 min: Tunisia let their opponents out.
29 min: The busy Khazri wins a free kick out on the right. He swings it deep. Burkina Faso struggle to clear. They hack it away from immediate danger, but this is a good spell of pressure from Tunisia, who aren’t letting their opponents out.
28 min: Nothing comes of the resulting corner.
27 min: This would have been something, too. Tunisia have a free kick, 35 yards out. It’s surely too far for a direct strike, but Khazri thinks otherwise, and sends a vicious heatseeker towards the top right. Koffi is behind it all the way, and tips over.
26 min: A sensational barrelling run by Tapsoba from the right-back position, all the way to the edge of the Tunisian box. A one-two with Bayala en route. His shot is blocked. Shame, because that would have been one of the goals of the tournament.
24 min: Bayala turns Drager with absurd ease down the left. He enters the box and tries to nutmeg the keeper Said at his near post. Said blocks out for another corner, from which nothing comes. Burkina Faso are getting plenty of joy down both wings.
23 min: Now it’s Burkina Faso’s turn to waste a corner.
22 min: Haddadi slings a couple of crosses in from the left. The first is only just hacked clear by a skittish Burkina Faso defence. The second earns a corner. Koffi claims it easily enough, then, when looking for the quick throw out, nearly runs out of his own box with the ball still in his hands. He puts the brakes on, just in time.
20 min: Toure rakes a pass down the left for Djibril, who drifts infield, then slips a clever ball down the channel for Dango. The resulting cross is cleared, but that was a lovely move by Burkina Faso, who have settled the better.
18 min: Khazri is the recipient of a no-nonsense lecture from the ref. He’s made a few fouls already, and one more will surely see him go into the book.
17 min: Tapsoba belts the free kick straight at the wall. The ball ricochets to Guira, who sends a dribbler towards the bottom left. Easy for Said.
16 min: Koffi doesn’t want to miss out on one of the biggest games of his life, and will battle on.
15 min: Some hot #28 on #28 action, as Laidouni clumsily clatters Dango in a central position, 25 yards out. A dangerous free kick to give away. But before it can be taken, Koffi needs more treatment for that leg. He might not be able to continue.
14 min: Dango spins and sends a looping shot off Skhiri’s shin and towards the top right. Said is behind it all the way.
12 min: Kabore tears down the inside-right channel with an amazing burst of speed. He reaches the byline and wedges back to nobody in particular. Tunisia half clear. Burkina Faso come again down the same flank, Dango this time whistling a dangerous ball through the six-yard box. Nobody in white had taken the gamble. Had they done so, they’d have had a tap-in.
10 min: Koffi’s pass out from the back is nearly intercepted by Msakni. The keeper may still be feeling that sore leg.
8 min: Koffi stays down receiving treatment, having taken a knee in the thigh. Plenty of cooling spray is applied, and the keeper is quickly back up and running.
6 min: Khazri makes good down the right and cuts back for Msakni on the penalty spot. The Tunisian captain takes a heavy touch but chases after 50-50 ball. He clatters into the Burkina Faso captain Koffi in goal. For a second, it looks as though he’ll be able to force the ball under the keeper and over the line, but the whistle goes for a free kick.
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4 min: The corner’s slipped short to Dango Ouattara, who turns cutely, reaches the byline, and looks for his namesake Djibril Ouattara. He overhits the cross, but that was a lovely little bit of skill.
3 min: Yago is tugged back by Khazri as he tries to make his way down the Burkina Faso left. The resulting free kick is swung into the box, where it’s hacked out for the first corner of the game.
2 min: Both teams take the opportunity to get an early feel of the ball, stroking it around the back to little real effect.
Tunisia get the ball rolling. It’s a warm but not oppressive night at the Roumdé Adjia Stadium in Garoua.
The teams are out! Both are in their change strips. Burkina Faso wear all white, Tunisia all red. We’ll be off once anthems are sung, pennants exchanged, hands shaken and coins tossed. Here’s Peter Oh: “Burkina Faso have scored exactly one goal per match so far. And aside from a four-goal haul against Mauritania in the group stage, Tunisia have also not been banging them in, scoring a goal or less in their other matches. I suppose we’re not likely to see a glorious feast for the eyes. An attritional, scrappy, cagey display capped off by a fortunate goal from a deflection, and the subsequent parking of a gigantic bus is more likely, I reckon.”
Burkina Faso came second in Group A behind hosts Cameroon. They led the hosts in the tournament opener through a Gustavo Sangare goal, only for Vincent Aboubakar to slot two penalties during the last knockings of the first half. They followed up that 2-1 defeat with a 1-0 win over Cape Verde and a 1-1 draw with Ethiopia. In the round of 16, they were taken to penalties by Gabon after a 1-1 draw, and won the shootout 7-6.
Tunisia squeezed through Group F as one of the best third-placed nations. They lost 1-0 to Mail, beat minnows Mauritania 4-0, and went down 1-0 to Gambia. But they pulled off perhaps the shock of the tournament so far by beating Nigeria 1-0 in the round of 16, captain Youssef Msakni the goalscoring hero.
The prize for winning this quarter-final: a semi-final match against either Senegal or Equatorial Guinea next Thursday. We’ll go to extra time and penalties if necessary.
The teams
Burkina Faso: Koffi, Kabore, Tapsoba, Soumaila Ouattara, Yago, B Toure, Sangare, Guira, Dango Ouattara, Djibril Ouattara, Cyrille.
Subs: Sawadogo, O Traore, Malo, Simpore, B Traore, Konate, Nikiema, Tapsoba, Sanogo, I Ouedraogo, Bande, F Ouedraogo.
Tunisia: Said, Hadadi, Bronn, Ifa, Drager, Slimane, Laidduni, Skhiri, Msakni, Jaziri, Khazri.
Subs: Jemal, Jebali, Dahmen, Mathlouthi, Maaloul, Khaoui, Rekik, Sliti, Mejbri, Romdhane, Rafia, Chaalali.
Referee: Joshua Bondo (Botswana).
Preamble
Burkina Faso, runners-up in 2013, play Tunisia, champions in 2004, for a place in the 2021 semi-finals. History is on Burkina Faso’s side: they’ve faced Tunisia twice at the Afcon, in 1998 and 2017, winning on both occasions. But perhaps Tunisia have the wind behind, having seen off the hotly tipped Nigerians in the last round. They’re slight favourites with the bookies as a result, but this is likely to be a close one. Kick off is at 8pm at the Roumdé Adjia Stadium in Garoua, Cameroon, 7pm GMT. It’s on!
