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Tunisia on verge of Nations Cup quarters but Zambia in peril
Tunisia's soccer team players attend a training session in Bata, January 24, 2015. PHOTO BY REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh
By Mark Gleeson
26/01/2015
EBEBIYIN, Equatorial Guinea (Reuters) - Tunisia will only require a draw to reach the quarter-finals of the African Nations Cup but 2012 winners Zambia face early elimination for a second successive tournament if they do not win their last Group B game on Monday.
Zambia, who lie at the bottom of the standings, must beat the Cape Verde in Ebebiyin to stand any chance of progress to the last eight but even then, they could be thwarted if the Democratic Republic of Congo win their game against Tunisia, which will be played in Bata.
That scenario would leave the Congolese as group winners with five points and Tunisiaand Zambia tied on four – but because Tunisia beat Zambia 2-1 on Thursday they would advance.
The Zambians’ failure to register a win yet means their fate is no longer in their own hands and their woes have been exacerbated by injury to both Nathan Sinkala and Emmanuel Mayuka, who are considered as two of their key players in Equatorial Guinea.
DR Congo also have injury concerns with Premier League duo Yannick Bolasie and Youssouf Mulumbu both doubtful against the tough Tunisians.
Congo and Equatorial Guinea became the first countries to qualify for the quarter-finals as the top two finishers in Group A.
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