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Senegal fall to minnows

Senegal fall to African minnows

01/25/2012 10:58:20 PM

Favourites Senegal crashed out of the Africa Cup of Nations after a 2-1 loss to minnows Equatorial Guinea.

Despite creating plenty of chances throughout the game, Senegal struggled to stamp their authority and were punished by a second-half goal from Iban Iyanga.

Substitute Moussa Sow netted an equaliser just before injury time, but David Alvarez popped up with the winner for Equatorial Guinea, who moved into the quarter-finals.

Senegal went all guns blazing right from the start, with the pace and skill of winger Issiar Dia causing plenty of trouble for Equatorial Guinea.

Laurence Doe made a couple of crucial interventions at the back early on as he first out-jumped Demba Ba to head away a dangerous cross in the fifth minute, and shortly after superbly dispossessed Dia.

Senegal created yet another chance shortly after as a cross from Dia found Ba completely free inside the box, but the Newcastle striker could only strike wide from 11 yards out.

Equatorial Guinea improved significantly after the break, and created a good chance in the 57th minute through Javier Balboa, who delivered a solid pass from the right wing for Thierry Fidjeu, but Souleymane Diawara was first to the ball.

The home side was rewarded moments later as a cross by David Alvarez was headed home by Iyanga from inside the box to put Senegal on the brink of elimination.

Cisse missed a great chance in the 71st minute, when he was released near the penalty spot, but chose to pass back instead of shoot from eight yards.

Senegal found the goal they deserved in the 89th minute through substitute Sow, who scored with an acrobatic finish.

Alvarez, however, had the final say scoring with a thunderous long-range strike in injury time.

Laurence Doe was sent off moments later, but it mattered little as Equatorial Guinea progressed.

In the rain-affected earlier game, Libya midfielder Ahmed Saad Osman gave his country the lead twice, but Zambia grabbed a share of the spoils in a 2-2 draw.

Walid Al Khatroushi provided a defence-splitting pass for Osman who slotted past badly-positioned Zambia goalkeeper Kennedy Mweene.

Zambia equalised through an acrobatic Mayuka volley on 28 minutes after Rainford Kalaba had provided an intelligent cross into the penalty box.

Libya surprised their opponents with another Osman goal three minutes into the second half.

Chisamba Lungu’s failed clearance allowed the Club Africain player to wriggle his way past a second defender, slicing his shot in off the post.

The north Africans' lead lasted even less than their first one, though, and it only took nine minutes for the Zambians to pull level again, this time through a Katongo header off a spectacular Mayuka scissor-kick cross.

The result leaves the Zambians on four points and severely dents the Libyans' already slim chances of qualifying.

 
Photograph Copyright : Getty Images

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