AFCON 2019: Quarter-Final Scores, Results and Updated Schedule

Idrissa Gueye netted in the 70th minute to earn Senegal a 1-0 win over Benin at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations on Wednesday and propel his side into the semi-finals.

The Everton midfielder fired into the corner after a neat exchange with Sadio Mane at Cairo's 30 June Stadium before Benin's Olivier Verdon was sent off late on.

Nigeria needed a late William Troost-Ekong goal to beat South Africa 2-1 in the tournament's second quarter-final on Wednesday at the Cairo International Stadium.

Extra time looked to be beckoning after Bongani Zungu cancelled out Samuel Chukwueze's opener, but goalkeeper Ronwen Williams missed a corner into the box in the 89th minute and Troost-Ekong bundled home the winner. 

Wednesday Results

Senegal 1-0 Benin

Nigeria 2-1 South Africa

Thursday Schedule

Ivory Coast vs. Algeria: 6 p.m. local time, 5 p.m. BST, 12 p.m. ET

Madagascar vs. Tunisia: 9 p.m. local time, 8 p.m. BST, 3 p.m. ET

Wednesday Recap

Senegal went into the tournament as one of the favourites and are now just two wins away from a maiden AFCON triumph.

At No. 22 in the world, they are 66 places higher than Benin in the FIFA rankings, but they were made to work for their victory over Les Ecureuils.

Alfred Gomis had to make several decent saves to keep the score at 0-0, and moments before Gueye's breakthrough, the Senegal goalkeeper almost gifted Benin the lead.

He sliced a routine clearance under pressure from Huddersfield Town's Steve Mounie, and the ball only narrowly slid past his post.

Minutes later, Senegal had their lead. Gueye started and finished the move, feeding Mane before receiving the return ball, bursting into the box and rifling in a right-footed shot:

Mane was subsequently denied a goal on two occasions, first by a fine Saturnin Allagbe save and then by the video assistant referee:

Benin were still in the game while it was just 1-0, but Verdon was sent off in the 82nd minute for pulling Gueye down at the edge of the box.

Senegal comfortably saw out the game to take their place in the last four, where they will play either Madagascar or Tunisia. 

Nigeria's opener came in the 27th minute when Chukwueze latched on to Alex Iwobi's cutback from the left and side-footed home from six yards after his first attempt deflected back into his path off Buhle Mkhwanazi.

South Africa did not respond well, and in the second half, it seemed more likely the Super Eagles would increase their lead rather than an equaliser would be scored:

In the 51st minute, only a brilliant save from Williams prevented Peter Etebo's free-kick from scoring.

But Zungu netted with a looping header in the 71st minute. Initial replays seemed to show he was some way offside in the buildup, but VAR eventually let the goal stand as the ball had deflected off Odion Ighalo's back.

Bafana Bafana had their lifeline and looked to have forced an extra half hour. But minutes before the final whistle, Moses Simon's corner was missed by Williams, and an unmarked Troost-Ekong bundled home off his knee to send Nigeria into the last four.