Rohr pays a tribute as Gabon and Tunisia advance

By Peter Auf der Heyde Jan 27, 2012, 23:11 GMT

Libreville, Gabon - Co-hosts Gabon and Tunisia both advanced to the quarter-finals of the Africa Cup of Nations in dramatic fashion as they scored injury time winners.

Tunisia beat first-timers Niger 2-1 in Friday's early match in Libreville's Stade de l'Amitie, while Gabon came from behind and won 3-2 against Morocco with Bruno Zita Mbanangoye scoring a free-kick five minutes into injury time.

Gabon and Tunisia lead group C with six points, while Niger and Morocco have no points.

Gabon coach Gernot Rohr paid a tribute after the match to the 40,000 strong crowd that had rallied behind the team.

'I think the turning point of the game was when we scored our equalizer. You could feel an energy go through the crowd and the players felt it too.

'After that the crows pushed us forward. They really were our 12th man today.'

The capacity crowd had been disappointed at the start of the match, though, as the Panthers failed to convert any of the chances they had in the first half.

Instead, it was Moroccan captain Houssine Kharjah who ran onto a cross from Younes Belhanda before scoring past Didier Ovono midway through the first half.

Rohr brought on Daniel Cousin for the second half and the striker immediately made an impact, as the crowd urged their side forward.

They were rewarded for their efforts in the 77th minute as Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang found an equalizer.

The goal was followed by chaotic scenes as Aubameyang rushed to the stands, where dozens of fans jumped over the railings to go and celebrate with the players.

As orderlies tried in vain to get the situation under control, Aubameyang was buried under a pile of fans and players.

Once the fans had retreated back to the stands, the game continued and Gabon were soon on the attack and just two minutes after leveling matters, Cousin scored to put the hosts ahead.

This time, even more fans rushed onto the field as orderlies struggled to keep them off.

There was more drama to follow though as Morocco were thrown a life-line in the last minute of the game as referee Gassama Bakary pointed to the spot for handball.

Kharjah made no mistake to make the score 2-2, but as the referee decided on five minutes of injury time, Gabon had another chance as they were awarded a free-kick in the fifth minute of injury time and substitute Zita Mbanangoye curled the ball into the back of the net.

As a huge cordon of soldiers and policemen had surrounded the field at this stage, the fans stayed behind the railings and did not run onto the pitch.

Moroccan captain Kharjah, who has scored three goals in his two matches, said he would gladly give up those for success for the team. 'We have fallen very low from a very high place.

'My individual success means nothing if the team has not achieved anything and we have failed. We came here with huge expectations and now they have not been met.'

In the earlier match, Tunisia took an early lead through Youssed Msakni, but allowed Niger back in to the game through William Tonji Ngounou, before Issam Jemaa broke Nigerien hearts with his goal in the 90th minute.

Tunisian coach Sami Trabelsi, who brought on Jemaa for the second half, complimented his side and said they played well. 'They never gave up and in the end they got the goal. Our opponents were strong and I am happy that we got the three points,' he said.

Co-hosts Equatorial Guinea on Wednesday had become the first team to qualify for the knock-out stage after beating Senegal, while Ivory Coast advanced on Thursday with a victory against Burkina Faso.