TAMALE - Angola qualified for the quarter-finals of the African Nations Cup for the first time in their history on Thursday after playing out a goalless draw with Tunisia in Tamale.
It was only the second goalless draw of the tournament, but the point apiece was enough to hand both teams a place in next week's knockout stage at the expense of South Africa and Senegal, who drew 1-1 in Kumasi.
The Angolans will now play Egypt on Monday, while group winners Tunisia will face Cameroon.
Heading into the game, both sides knew that a draw would be enough regardless of the outcome in the other Group D game.
Roger Lemerre's Tunisia created the first chance after six minutes when Saber Ben Frej flashed his header wide after managing to climb highest from a Kamel Zaiem corner.
In the 17th minute hesitation by Rui Marques in the Angola defence allowed Mohamed Chermiti to pick up the scraps and fire in a low shot from the edge of the penalty area that drew a good save from Joao Lama.
Seconds later the Etoile du Sahel forward missed a straightforward chance when he nodded Yassine Mikari's free-kick from point-blank range across the face of goal.
Batista Ze Kalanga should have scored shortly after the half hour mark when he latched onto a Flavio Amado pass from the left inside the penalty area and cut inside Radhi Jaidi before hitting a powerful shot that Hamdi Kasraoui somehow managed to keep out with his feet.
Eight minutes before the break, Manucho Goncalves should have done better after a free-kick fell to him in the penalty area, but put his eight-yard shot wide.
Another free-flowing Angolan move shortly after saw Flavio almost get onto the end of a header that was towered away by Jaidi.
The Tunisians ended the half with a bang after Zaiem unleashed a powerful 30-yard strike from the right that swerved in the air and forced Lama to acrobatically punch away with one hand.
Jomaa missed the first real chance of the second half after Mikari's flighted pass to the back post was blasted wide.
Angola responded in speedy fashion when Flavio, Manucho and Ze Kalanga were all involved to tee a shot up for Norberto Maurito on the edge of the penalty area that was again excellently kept out by the Tunisia goalkeeper.
Flavio missed the best chance of the second period in stoppage time after he was picked out in the box, but put his shot straight at Kasraoui as the game laboured to a dull draw.
