Algeria were the better side over 90 minutes, but could not make much of their possession, and were undone in the end by a moment of class from Msakni.
Tunisia coach Sami Trabelsi had to make a first substitution after just 16 minues, when Issam Jemaa was forced off after a clash with Essaid Belkalem. He was replaced by Hamdi Harbaoui.
Algeria hit the woodwork on the half-hour mark, when Sofiane Feghouli sent in a great cross that was met by Islam Slimani, who watched his header bounce off the crossbar.
The Fennec Foxes followed that up with a couple more chances as they started to probe the Tunisian defence. First, Mejdi Traoui cleared Djamel Mesbah's cross out of danger with an acrobatic header. A few minutes later the ball fell to Foued Kadir in the box, but the midfielder kicked and missed and it went out for a goal-kick.
Tunisia had their first real chance of the match just before half-time, when Hamdi Harbaoui showed his pace before unleashing a shot – straight at Rais Mbolhi.
Djamel Mesbah had a free-kick from 30 metres for Algeria at the start of the second half, but his delivery was woeful – low and wide. A few minutes later he went on a purposeful run, and his shot at the end of it was closer, but still wide of the mark.
Half an hour into the second half Algeria’s Adlene Guedioura let loose with a thunderous shot from 25 metres out that dipped behind the goalkeeper’s head, but flew inches over the bar.
Hamdi Harbaoui should have made it 1-0 to Tunisa a few minutes later, when he received a pin-point pass from Oussama Darragi, but the striker hit just wide from close range.
Then, deep into injury time, Youssef Msakni unleashed a rocket of a ball, curling it in from outside the box and into the top corner.
The ‘Little Mozart’s’ topless goal celebrations earned him a yellow card but the Carthage Eagles came away with an invaluable three points in the 2013 Afcon 'group of death'.




Your comments on this story...
Now that the 1st round of games have come & gone, I'm still struggling to identify that which will push the African game over the edge to finally overcome our more illustrious European & South American opponents...
It's difficult to come with some sort of conclusion at this stage cause the 1st round of games by their very nature are a tentative affair... over the next 2 rounds hopefully I will conjure a more informed dialysis of the edge we need to finally have an African World Champion at senior level...
But the hypotheses is this... African football has reached its limit...?!
Now that we have seen all the teams, only Ethiopia and DR Congo have so far put on a show to behold and their players are based here in Africa. Not to bash Europe but teams that have players based there have so far played the most boring football.
Not sure who posed the question about who said Congo are the team to watch but the answer is Champ Marapo. Dude really knows his football which is not surprising because he's a buccaneer
Ooooh it's Champ Marapo...! I asked the question My Champ... where's that man..? I need to shower him with Gold medals...!!
I hope your analysis of the first round is spot on regarding them being tentative because only two matches so far have for me been great to watch. I don't think I can endure another round of dull football. I noticed Flavio the Angolan is not in their squad hehehe so there might be lifeline for the zebras after all
The Wolf Zebra will huff & Puff then the little piggy will walk out the house smoking a cigar with a glass of single malt in the other hand, kick the Wolf-Zebra in the nuts & say f*ck off......
Ain't no lifeline for them zebras....