Esteban Becker refused to get into a debate about the referee after his Equatorial Guinea side beat Tunisia 2-1 after extra time in a controversial Africa Cup of Nations quarter-final on Saturday.
The tournament hosts trailed heading into injury time in Bata, only to win a soft penalty for a foul on Ivan Bolado by Hamza Mathlouthi.
Javier Balboa converted from the spot and then netted a wonderful free-kick in extra time to take Equatorial Guinea through 2-1.
“Tunisia played very well. They have players who play at a high level, while we only have one who plays in a top division in Europe, and that’s Javier Balboa,” said the Argentine Becker, whose side will face either Ghana or Guinea in the semi-finals.
“To beat Tunisia is an achievement, almost a miracle.
“Thanks to the players, the people, the people at the federation, their president and of course the president of the Republic.”
Of Tunisia’s angry reaction at full-time, Becker added: “I understand the Tunisians’ anger at having lost, because they had the potential to win by several goals.
“But they didn’t do it and in the end the game went our way.
“Everyone will contest a penalty that goes against them. In the last minute, who would not protest? I would have protested too.
“But you still need to score the penalty and luckily we have a specialist in Javier Balboa.
“If we spent all our time scrutinising refereeing, we wouldn’t be able to play football anymore.
“It was the team ranked 30th (Tunisia are 22nd) in the world against the 118th, and they couldn’t beat us in 120 minutes.
“At the moment I am the happiest man in the world.”
Match-winning hero Balboa said: “The free-kick was without doubt the goal of my life, for what it represents for the country and because it has taken us into the semi-finals.”
DR Congo meanwhile ended the fairytale run of neighbours Republic of Congo on Saturday when they came from behind to win 4-2 and qualify for the semi-finals of the Cup of Nations.
Congo, who were only reinstated in the qualifying tournament of this competition after Rwanda were disqualified for fielding an ineligible player, led this battle of the Congos 2-0 before DRC fought back to win with four goals in the last 25 minutes.
Following a flat first 45 minutes in a largely deserted Estadio de Bata, this derby clash came to life after the break, with Ferebory Dore volleying Congo in front 10 minutes into the second half.
Thievy Bifouma then doubled their lead just after the hour mark, but DR Congo were back in the game on 65 minutes when Dieumerci Mbokani found the net.
Loteteka Bokila equalised with 15 minutes remaining before substitute Joel Kimwaki Mpela put Florent Ibenge’s side ahead and Mbokani then clinched the win.
The result sees DR Congo advance to the last four for the first time since 1998, while the adventure ends here for Claude Le Roy’s team.
The first half never really got going, with both sides playing with caution and at a slow pace.
Congo almost went in front just before the interval, though, when a free-kick from outside the box by the towering Dore passed just over the bar.
But, in contrast, the second half was a remarkable affair.
In the 52nd minute, Mbokani headed down for Bokila, who crashed a volley against the underside of the bar, before Congo opened the scoring at the other end moments later.
Delvin Ndinga swung a free-kick into the box and Dore got in behind his marker to volley past veteran goalkeeper Robert Kidiaba.
Bifouma then doubled Congo’s lead in the 62nd minute when he latched on to a loose ball inside the area after Kidiaba had saved from Dore to grab his third goal of the tournament.
However, DR Congo pulled a goal back on 65 minutes when Mbokani was left with a simple finish following superb work by Yannick Bolasie on the left.
DR Congo now had the momentum on their side and Bokila made up for his earlier miss when he turned inside the box and fired home the equaliser.
For a short while extra time loomed, but then Kimwaki put DR Congo ahead for the first time when he rose unmarked to head home a free-kick past the stranded Christoffer Mafoumbi in goal.
And Mbokani got his brace to complete the turnaround in stoppage time as he finished after Mafoumbi had stopped his initial effort.
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