Libreville - 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
on 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.