Cairo (AFP)

Tunisia and Nigeria will try to console themselves by taking the 3rd place of the African Cup of Nations during the "small final" Wednesday, after semifinals with twists and cruel denouements.

The Carthage Eagles had an insane match against Senegal: a penalty missed by each team, an overtime, a goal against their side in the 100th minute and a penalty for them first whistled and then canceled after recourse to assistance video at the 115th. And the dream of a second title flies away.

A csc also for the Super Eagles against Algeria, but early in the game, then a penalty obtained thanks to the video to equalize and finally a great free kick from the Algerian Riyad Mahrez cashed at the last minute. And also the hope of a fourth coronation.

Before reaching the last square, Tunisia had been laborious. After three draws and a qualification by the small door in the eighth, she used the penalty shootout to dismiss Ghana and finally won his first game in the quarter against surprise Madagascar (3-0).

More convincing in pools, Nigeria then out the defending champion, Cameroon, in eighth and South Africa in quarters before a elimination against Algeria, the most impressive team of this CAN.

"We played against the strongest team of the tournament but we were also very good, now we want to come back with the third place", hoped the German coach of Nigeria Gernot Rohr in press conference.

Faced with Tunisians, Nigerians can rely on their experience of "small finals". They have already finished seven times in the third place of the CAN against once for the Tunisians in ... 1962. But the coach of Tunisia, the French Alain Giresse, has already won bronze in the competition, it was with Mali in 2012.

"The match will be very difficult physically, but we will try everything to reach the third place," warned the former glory of the Blues.

Another stake of this match, the place of best scorer of this edition, coveted by the Nigerian Odion Ighalo. Only at the top of the standings with 4 goals, the striker will try to outrun the Senegalese Sadio Mané and Algerians Riyad Mahrez and Adam Ounas, in ambush with three goals and who clash in the final on Friday.

Note that in this match for third place, if both teams are tied at the end of regulation time, they will play a penalty shootout without going through overtime.

. Wednesday, July 17 (Al-Salam stadium, Cairo)

(21h00 / 19h00 GMT)

Third place match: Tunisia-Nigeria

. Friday July 19th (International Stadium, Cairo)

(21h00 / 19h00 GMT)

Final: Senegal-Algeria

© 2019 AFP