Tunisia rally to defeat Zambia on Yassine Chikhaoui's late goal

Yassine Chikhaoui scored a late goal as Tunisia came from behind to beat Zambia 2-1 in African Nations Cup Group B on Thursday.

Southampton striker Emmanuel Mayuka had put Zambia ahead just before the hour mark after a scrappy first half but Tunisia hit back through 10 minutes later when Ahmed Akaichi equalised from a corner.

The game finally came alive and Chikhaoui made sure Tunisia came away with victory after a superb header with just two minutes of normal time remaining to claim victory for the Eagles of Carthage.

Tunisia have now won both of their first two games in the tournament and finish off the group stage against DR Congo.

Zambia have just a point after their 1-1 draw with DR Congo, and their loss against Tunisia was made even worse after Mayuka left the stadium in an ambulance with a potentially serious groin injury -- after celebrating his goal with a series of backflips.

The first half had little quality and both sides struggled to make an impact.

Zambia midfielder Rainford Kalaba had the first real chance when got a shot away after some good play down the left and stung the palms of goalkeeper Aymen Mathlouthi, who was forced to make his first real save of the match midway through the first half.

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Lubambo Musonda then sent the ball across goal where Given Singuluma took a shot but fired into the ground, allowing the Tunisia goalkeeper to get a hand on it.

At the other end, Youssef M'Sakni made a mazy run down the left and got a shot away far too easily, but there was no-one waiting for it in the box and it rolled out of play, much to the relief of Zambia goalkeeper Kennedy Mweene.

Zambia striker Mayuka then made a great run into the box and found himself in acres of space, but could not direct a header past Mathlouthi despite being under no pressure from the seemingly absent Tunisia defence, and headed the ball straight into the goalkeeper's arms.

After the break the scrappy nature of the game continued as both sides struggled to make the breakthrough.

Mayuka had a shot on goal in the 56th minute from 18 yards but Mathlouthi made a comfortable save.

However, Zambia finally found the back of the net three minutes later after a great bit of skill from Kalaba, who received the ball on the edge of the box, chested it down and surged forward before beating three Tunisia defenders. He chipped it to the other side of the area where Mayuka fired into the top corner and celebrated with a series of backflips.

That seemed to be his undoing, as 10 minutes later he was forced off the pitch with a groin injury.

Zambia's lead did not last long, though, as Tunisia found a simple equaliser from the set piece when Akaichi was unmarked at the far post and slotted in from Mohamed Ali Moncer's 70th minute corner.

Tunisia substitute Ali Moncer saw his calls for a penalty turned down with 10 minutes remaining as both sides strived to find the winner, and it came in the 88th minute when Chikhaoui found the net.

M'Sakni sent in a superb ball from the left and FC Zurich midfielder Chikhaoui made a perfect run and headed in from close range.