Tunisia book quarter-final berth with 4-2 win

By Mark Gleeson LIBREVILLE (Reuters) - Tunisia kept up an impressive recent record of African Nations Cup quarter-final appearances by thumping Zimbabwe 4-2 with a flurry of first-half goals to come second in Group B on Monday. Naim Sliti, Youssef Msakni, Yassine Khenessi and Wahbi Khazri, with a penalty, wrapped up the win before the break to send Tunisia through with six points, a point behind Senegal. The Tunisians now stay in the Gabonese capital to meet Burkina Faso on Saturday in the first of the quarter-finals. Algeria finished third with two points and went out without winning a game after drawing 2-2 with a much-changed Senegal side in Franceville. Zimbabwe ended bottom with one point. It is the fifth time in the last seven tournaments that Tunisia have got past the first round. The north Africans are making a 13th successive tournament appearance. They needed just a draw to ensure progress but were in no mood to sit back and scored after 10 minutes. A corner was cleared but the ball fell perfectly for the on-rushing Sliti to blast home from outside the penalty area. Tunisia's lead was doubled 12 minutes later as playmaker Msakni showed his full array of skills before burying the ball. It was 3-0 in the 36th as Khenessi slipped behind the Zimbabwe defence and slid the ball home. Knowledge Musona pulled a goal back when he cleverly cut past two defenders before scoring in after 42 minutes. But any glimmer of hope was snuffed out as Zimbabwe's Costa Nhamoinesu gave away a penalty when he pulled Sliti back. Ivorian referee Denis Dembele at first turned down Tunisian appeals but changed his mind on the advice of his linesman. Sunderland winger Khazri converted the spot kick to make it 4-1 just before the break. After the break, Zimbabwe brought on striker Tendai Ndoro and he took just 13 minutes to make his mark, finishing a swift passing move to score again reduce the deficit. Khnessi then hit the post with a diving header and Msakni had a point-blank header saved by Zimbabwe's Tatenda Mkuruva as Tunisia were prevented from increasing their tally. (Editing by Ken Ferris)