Lucky Benin qualify, as Gambia, Tunisia seal quarterfinal spots

U-20 AFCON Lucky Benin qualify, as Gambia, Tunisia seal quarterfinal spots

Jidechi Chidiezie 23:29 - 27.02.2023

The group stages of the thrilling age-grade competition came to an end on Monday.

The group stages of the 2023 Africa U-20 Cup of Nations came to a deserving end on Monday with two more teams securing their places in the knockout stages of the competition.

Monday saw Tunisia and Benin Republic join already qualified Gambia as teams from Group C to make the quarterfinals.

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While for Tunisia it came easy, for Benin, it was sheer luck. Here's a quick roundup of how things panned out.

Unstoppable Gambia finish with clean slate

Despite being unable to stop high-flying Gambia in a 1-0 defeat at the Haras El Hodoud Stadium in Alexandria, Benin earned qualification to the quarterfinals on Monday.

U-20 AFCON: Gambia 1-0 Benin

The Young Cheetahs came into the match with two points from their successive draws against Zambia and Tunisia and hoped to get more points to see them comfortably make it through.

However, it was not to be so as an 88th-minute own goal by Tamimou Ouorou meant that already-qualified Gambia would finish the group with nine points.

Luck however, was on Benin's side as the result in Tunisia's game with Zambia was enough to see the Young Cheetahs finish their group campaign as the second of two best losers and set up a quarterfinal clash with Senegal.

Tunisia fight back against Zambia

U-20 AFCON: Tunisia 2-1 Zambia

Zambia's Young Copper Bullets bowed out of the competition on Monday following a 2-1 defeat at the hands of Tunisia's Young Carthage Eagles at the Cairo International Stadium.

Goals from Jibril Othman and Mohamed Dhaoui on either side of Kingstone Mutandwa equaliser were enough to give Tunisia their first win of the tournament and send them through in second place behind leaders Gambia.

They would now proceed to the quarterfinals where they would take on Uganda in Suez, on Thursday.

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