AFCON 2020 Matches 33 and 34: Comoros v Guinea and Tunisia v Burkina Faso

The following article provides an oversight for matches and tournaments taking place in 2020.

AFCON 2020 Matches 33 and 34: Comoros v Guinea and Tunisia v Burkina Faso

Scoreless Draw and Four-Goal Rout Round out Group F

June 25, 2020

Comoros 0 Guinea 0

 

The Comoros and Guinea both progressed to the Round of 16 with a scoreless draw in Egypt.

 

Group F, the most even group going into the final Match Day, meant that a win for the four sides would guarantee a place in the knockout stages. A draw would probably mean the same for Tunisia, the Comorans and Guinea.

 

Both the Comoros and Guinea made minor changes to their sides for the encounter, and the west Africans looked dangerous as a result. All the Comorans could do against the attacks was to defend like stalwarts and thwart any real shots.

 

Three offsides in quick succession became the order of Guinea’s play, unable to breach the Comoran back four.

 

In the 27th minute, Ibrahima Traoré had the best chance, gifted a through ball as he ran from the midfield. However, his shot was too powerful and flew over the crossbar.

 

The remainder of the first half was played in the middle of the park, leading to no more close chances.

 

Soulaimana Ibouniyamine had the Comorans best chance of the match in the 57th minute, though his shot flew over the crossbar as well. Ibroihim Youssouf also had a chance two minutes later, again set up by a long ball from right midfielder Faïz Selemani. However, Guinean goalkeeper Ali Keita was up to the challenge.

 

As the match ticked into the 90th minute, Simon Falette had a quick shot at goal, only to also fire over the top of goal. Neither side looked like taking the true risks to bring forth a goal, in the hope of also not giving away a goal, and trusting either Tunisia or Burkina Faso to win in their encounter.

 

 

Important aspects of the match:

            Yellow card to Guinea’s Falette.

            Only one shot on target each.

            Same low passing accuracy of 69%.

 

Comoran Soulaimana Malaga Player of the Match in defence.

 

Tunisia 4 Burkina Faso 0

 

Tunisia brought about the win that the Comoros and Guinea both needed to score four goals against a hapless Burkina Faso.

 

The north Africans made one change, while Burkina Faso wanted to keep the same line up that romped Guinea. However, two injuries saw Ismaël Zagrè and Bertrand Traoré take centre stage.

 

Tunisia went on the attack early, scoring via Ali Maâloul after sustained pressure had the Burkina Faso defence all over the field and not in their traditional positions.

 

Taha Yassine Khenissi then set up incoming Saifeddine Khaoui, only for the Burkina Faso goalkeeper, Hervé Kouakou Koffi, to reach the ball first after Khalil’s first touch was too strong to keep proper possession.

 

The second time round soon followed. This time, Khaoui made no mistake as Maâloul set him up in front of goal. The left foot shot easily found the back of the net, as Koffi was out of place.

 

Khenissi made it three goals after Wahbi Khazri’s initial shot was parried straight to him; the tiniest of touches sent the ball over the line.

 

In the 36th minute, Khazri nearly had his own, but the ball sailed barely to the left of goal. Khalil tried for a second goal from a tight angle; again, the shot missed.

 

After the break, Burkina Faso, based on what was happening in the other match, could sense their campaign for African glory slipping away.

 

After the hour mark, Ismahila Ouédraogo had two shots on goal, only for goalkeeper Farouk Ben Mustapha to halt them. On either side of these shots, Bertrand Traoré had pings himself, but to no avail.

 

Tunisia, content to sit back and absorb any pressure, were in a position to block any potential shots. Then, as the game trickled into the last few seconds, Mohamed Dräger came off the bench and chipped Koffi, thus gaining a fourth for his side and stamping their authority on the tournament after their first-game loss to Guinea.

 

 

 

Important aspects of the match:

            Maâloul’s goal in the eighth minute.

            28th-minute goal from Khaoui.

            Khenissi’s 30th-minute goal.

            Additional-time goal for Dräger.

 

            Tunisia’s best afield: Oussama Haddadi at right back with an assist; Khaoui with his goal, three key intercepts and a clearance, Ben Mustapha.

            Ellyes Skhiri with most passes and equal most dribbles for his side.

            Ayman Ben Mohammed with most tackles for Tunisia at left back.

            Youssef Msakni with four key intercepts.

            Yassine Meriah with three key clearances, two intercepts and a block.

 

            Burkina Faso’s best afield: Issa Kaboré with three key intercepts and three clearances; Alain Traoré with two key intercepts and two clearances; Edmond Tapsoba with most passes, tackles and dribbles for Burkina Faso.

 

	Group F	Pl	W	D	L	Pts	GD
1	Tunisia	3	2	0	1	6	+4
2	Comoros	3	1	1	1	4	0
3	Guinea	3	1	1	1	4	-2
4	Burkina Faso	3	1	0	2	3	-2

 

Tunisia now face in five days’ time one of the third-placed sides in the Round of 16. The Comorans, defying all odds, tackle Algeria on July 1. As for Guinea, they will know tonight their opponent: Ghana, Cameroon or the winner of Group E.