African Nations Cup: Senegal 0 - 1 Tunisia
Senegal lost their cool, then lost the plot, and as a result lost an ugly Nations Cup quarter-final they should never have let out of their reach. The 2002 Nations Cup runners-up and World Cup quarter-finalists had kept pace with hosts Tunisia for slightly over an hour, and had perhaps had the better of the chances. Then Tunisia midfielder Jawher Mnari headed in Zied Jaziri's overhead kick, and the Senegalese went berserk.
Senegal believed they should have been awarded a free-kick for Khaled Badra's firm challenge on El Hadji Diouf earlier in the move that ended with the game's only goal. Diouf led the protests as a group of players surrounded referee Ali Busjaim, from the United Arab Emirates. Players and coaches leapt off the Senegal bench to join the argument on the pitch, and a ring of orange-clad security guards had to keep the sides apart.
The Senegal back-up staff had to be forcibly restrained from confronting the referee. A burning crimson flare, released from the stands, landed within feet of the deserted Senegal bench.
The ensuing melée lasted nearly 10 minutes, and set up a last half-hour of tinderbox football. Diouf and his teammates were not afraid to add spark, and the remainder of the game contained very few flowing moves.
Senegal reacted furiously on the final whistle - after 10 minutes of added time - with players charging towards Busjaim again. The Tunisians, meanwhile, set off on a lap of honour to the delight of the vociferous 60,000 full house, and will play the winners of today's Cameroon-Nigeria tie in Wednesday's second semi-final.
Mali were extremely lucky to win 2-1 against a Guinea side who had much the better of the day's other quarter-final. Mali conceded an early goal to Pascal Feindouno, and although Frédéric Kanouté levelled, the Tottenham striker was lucky to play the full 90 minutes, having struck Guinea's Fodé Mansaré in the face. The referee reached for yellow.
The winning goal, scored by the Lyon midfielder Mahamadou Diarra in added time, came from a horrible error by Guinea keeper Kemoko Camara. Mali will play the winners of this evening's tie between Morocco and Algeria.
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