The two losing semifinalists will, on Wednesday, do battle for the bronze medal at the Africa Cup of Nations to take home as consolation.
Tunisia held Senegal to a goalless draw in regulation time but lost to an unfortunate own goal after extra time in the first semifinal match.
They now meet a Nigeria side that lost 2 – 1 to fellow North Africans Algeria.
Soccernet’s Imhons Erons focuses on all the championship encounters between these two former AFCON champions.
Nigeria’s ever appearance at the AFCON was in 1963, where they were the whipping boys in a group of three nations. The team lost both of their games and conceded ten goals.
The Green Eagles did not return to Afcon for another 13 years.
The wait was worth it though as the side ended the 1976 tournament in third place.
By the time Ghana hosted the AFCON two years later, the Nigeria football team was ready to win the title. But it was not to be.
Uganda got the better of the Eagles in the semifinal.
Tunisia thereafter ambushed Nigeria in a tension-soaked third place match and took the lead within 20 minutes.
But the Nigerians regrouped and fired in the equalizer just before half time.
The goal did not sit down well with the North Africans.
And when the referee refused to chalk off the goal, the Carthage Eagles walked off the pitch.
CAF would eventually award the match and medal to Nigeria while Tunisia were banned from the next tournament.
Nigeria went on to host and win the next edition of the tournament.
#youtube 2000 January 23 Nigeria 4 Tunisia 2 African Nations Cup https://t.co/hlHBo9W0gN
— Imhons Erons (@Imhons) July 16, 2019
Nigeria hosted, together with Ghana, the Africa Cup of Nations with one goal in mind: to lift the trophy.
Grouped alongside Tunisia, Morocco and Congo, it was obvious that the target will not be easy to meet.
The tournament opener, in the refurbished National Stadium Lagos, was against the Carthage Eagles.
A first half Okocha strike got the over 80,000 partisan crowd in the mood.
A Tunisian equalizer early in the second half momentarily silenced the Nigerian supporters but Okocha once again restored the advantage.
Two more goals from Victor Ikpeba sealed the win, and rendered a 90th minute Baya goal useless.
#youtube CAN 2004 Tunisie- Nigeria 1-1 p 5-3 https://t.co/6POWmyIX2t
— Imhons Erons (@Imhons) July 16, 2019
After 48 years of the existence of the Confederation of Africa Football, one of its founding members – Tunisia – had still not won the coveted trophy.
In 1994, when it first hosted the continental championship, it was Nigeria who crashed the party and went all the way, beating all-comers.
Another chance was presented to the North Africans as hosts yet again in 2004 and there in the semifinal perched the Super Eagles, boasting the tournament’s best player Austin Jay Jay Okocha.
It took 67 minutes but the goal’s opening goal eventually arrived off the boots of that mercurial midfielder Okocha.
But the hosts dug deep, fought back and restored parity late in the game.
The Carthage Eagles then went on to win on penalties with Odemwiengie losing his spot kick.
#youtube Can 2006 Tunisia Vs Nigeria 1 – 1 TAB 6 – 7 https://t.co/o9YOR5g9YY
— Imhons Erons (@Imhons) July 16, 2019
The last time these two nations met was when Egypt hosted (4th time) and won (5th title) the Africa Cup of Nations.
All the big, strong countries where in with a chance to claim glory. Senegal, Ivory Coast, Egypt, name them.
Nigeria had already seen off Ghana in the group stage when the defending champions surfaced in the quarterfinals.
It turned out to be another epic battle.
With only 6 minutes on the clock the Super Eagles were ahead thanks to Obinna Nsofor.
The Carthage Eagles yet again launched a comeback and within minutes of the restart, Karim Haggui netted the equalizer.
Full time scores stood at one-all and it remained unchanged even after extra time.
Nigeria, however, triumphed on penalties in dramatic fashion.
Losing two of their first three spot kicks, the end seemed near for the West African.
But the North Africans then somehow managed to lose three of their last six kicks to send the Super Eagles to the semifinal.
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