Equatorial Guinea made their first appearance in Malabo in Group B play, serving as the hosts against Sierra Leone. The first half was replete with goals. Juvenal opened the scoring for the home side, but he saw his team give up two goals in the following twenty minutes. Juvenal found his second goal as the half was nearing its conclusion, and the eventful period ended level at two goals apiece.
Ibrahim Kargbo got himself sent off the pitch for a red card in minute 52, leaving Sierra Leone to cope on the road with only ten men. Oddly, Equatorial Guinea were able to do more damage with eleven than they were with ten as no second-half goals were to be found for the home side despite the advantage. Sierra Leone and Equatorial Guinea tie 2-2.
The Blue Sharks of Cape Verde welcomed Group B favorites Tunisia to Praia. The Blue Sharks swarmed up the field early during the first half, applying high pressure to rattle the Tunisian passing attack. Anis Ben Htira (pictured, white) did not mind, threading a looping cross to the far post where he found a sprinting Saber Khalia for the finish and the 1-0 lead. The Blue Sharks switched tactics and started sending long balls forward, and this led to an equalizer twelve minutes after the Tunisian opener. A free kick from their own half bounced over the Tunisian defense and their goalkeeper, allowing Odair Fortes to curl in the equalizer from the baseline.
In the second period, Tunisia wasted no time regaining control. Issam Jomaa played a one-two-one with Hamdi Harbaoui to get himself alone with the goalkeeper, and Jomaa made no mistake with the finish, restoring Tunisia's lead to 2-1. Play opened up with Cape Verde streching themselves for the equalizer and Tunisia finding many counterattacks available. However, goalkeeper Aymen Mathlouthi was up to the task for Tunisia, turning away a shot from his doorstep midway through the period. Cape Verde were unable to protect their home turf and suffer their first home loss in four years, 2-1.
Tunisia 6 pts +3
Sierra Leone 4 pts +1Equatorial Guinea 1 pts -2
Cape Verde 0 pts -2
Goals
Equatorial Guinea
Juvenal 13, 41
Sierra Leone
Samuel Barlay 23
Ibrahim Bangura 30
Tunisia
Saber Khalifa 14
Issam Jomaa 46
Cape Verde
Odair Fortes 26
Match Reports:
http://www.awoko.org/2012/06/11/equatorial-guinea-force-a-10-man-leone-stars-to-a-draw/
http://www.goal.com/en-india/match/77966/cape-verde-vs-tunisia/report
Highlights:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MurAOQQIbAk (Tunisia v. Cape Verde)
Full Match Video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJCBkKHOEgU (1st half - Tunisia v. Cape Verde)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zKFUrojGuUk (2nd half - Tunisia v. Cape Verde)
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