Saturday marks the start of
the Africa Cup of Nations round of 16 as we reach the business end of what has
been a hugely entertaining continental finals to date.
There are eight tough ties
that await and if the tournament in the Ivory Coast have shown us anything so
far, it is to expect the unexpected. Here is a look at the last-16 match-ups.
ANGOLA VS NAMIBIA
Saturday (20h00 EA time) –
Stade de la Paix, Bouaké
An all-Southern African tie
between Group D winners Angola and Namibia, who reach the knockout rounds for
the first time in their history after stunning Tunisia in the pool phase.
Considering these neighbours have competed almost annually in the COSAFA Cup
for the last three decades, they have met on surprisingly few occasions. Their
last meeting in the regional championship was 20 years ago in 2004, and their
last clash of any sort was a friendly in 2011. Namibia’s blow-out 4-0 loss to
Bafana Bafana aside, they have looked solid in the competition.
NIGERIA VS CAMEROON
Saturday (23h00 EA time) –
Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium, Abidjan
Nigeria coach Jose Peseiro
will hope his side can finally click after three ‘so-so’ performances to date,
and there is no doubt they have the talent in their squad to go all the way int
eh Ivory Coast. Cameroon have also been iffy; they needed a dramatic 3-2 win
over Gambia to advance in their final pool match. They will welcome back
talismanic forward Vincent Aboubakar injury and hope he can be the catalyst for
what would be a surprise win. Their last competitive meeting was in the round
of 16 in 2019 when Nigeria came out 3-2 winners.
EQUATORIAL GUINEA VS GUINEA
Sunday (20h00 EA time) –
Alassane Ouattara Stadium, Abidjan
Remarkably, these two sides
have never met in international football before. Equatorial Guinea have been
the surprise package of this tournament and a revelation with their
free-flowing football. They were the leading scorers in the group stages with
nine goals, including back-to-back 4-2 and 4-0 wins over Guinea-Bissau and
hosts Ivory Coast respectively. Their forward Emilio Nsue plays in the lower
leagues in Spain, but currently leads the Golden Boot race with five goals.
Guinea rather limped over the line to make the knockouts and will have to
improve drastically to beat the confident National Thunder.
EGYPT VS DR CONGO
Sunday (23h00 EA time) –
Laurent Pokou Stadium, San Pédro
Injury-hit Egypt will be
without Mo Salah and goalkeeper Mohamed El-Shennawy, while impressive
midfielder Emam Ashour is also a doubt after he suffered a concussion following
their last game. The Pharaohs had three successive 2-2 draws in the pool stages,
unusual for a side that has for so long provided itself on a stout defence. DR
Congo are a tricky side who can match anyone on their day, and got three
successive draws in the pools. So, neither of these sides has a win between
them in the Ivory Coast so far. Egypt beat DR Congo 2-0 in the pool stages in
2019 and have not lost to their Central African opponents since they were
beaten in the Cup of Nations semifinals 50 years ago in 1974.
CAPE VERDE VS MAURITANIA
Monday (20h00 EA time) – Felix
Houphouet Boigny Stadium, Abidjan
Cape Verde navigated their
pool with surprising ease to finish top of Group B, scoring a healthy seven
goals and claiming seven points in three games. Mauritania’s first ever victory
at the finals, a 1-0 success against Algeria, ensured they finished third in
Group D. They lost their two games before that. These two sides have met 10
times before in all competitions with Cape Verde leading the head-to-head 4-3
and a further three draws.
SENEGAL VS IVORY COAST
Monday (23h00 EA time) –
Charles Konan Banny Stadium, Yamoussoukro
A heavyweight west African
clash between the defending champions Senegal and hosts Ivory Coast, who have
much work to do to restore public faith. The Elephants sacked coach Jean-Louis
Gasset in the wake of their humiliating 4-0 loss to Equatorial Guinea in their
final pool match, their biggest ever defeat at home and the largest lost for a
Cup of Nations host. They squeezed into the last-16 as the last of the four
best third-placed finishers. Senegal were the only team to record a full haul
of nine points in the pool stages and are just starting to purr, so all the
smart money will be on them. But can you write off a home side, and one with
such talent, on paper at least, that the Ivorians possess? There have been 19
previous meetings between the sides in all competitions, with the Ivorians
leading the head-to-head 8-7 and four draws.
MALI VS BURKINA FASO
Tuesday (20h00 EA time) –
Amadou Gon Coulibaly Stadium, Korhogo
Mali improved in the second
half to beat Bafana Bafana 2-0 in their opener, but then recorded two draws to
top the pool, but not in convincing fashion. Burkina Faso have also looked
‘so-so’ with four points from their three pool games, making this one a tough
game to call. Neither side has been particularly inspiring so far, but you
would say Mali have the greater capacity to improve with a squad packed with
talent that have yet to shine. They have also never lost a competitive fixture
against the Burkinabe in four previous meetings, though they have met 31 times
with many friendlies down the years, and Mali lead the head-to-head 16-11.
MOROCCO VS SOUTH AFRICA
Tuesday (23h00 EA time) –
Laurent Pokou Stadium, San Pédro
Bafana Bafana have shown a
steel that we have not seen in many years during this tournament, and they will
need it against World Cup semifinalists Morocco. The north Africans are
palpably the better side, but can they match Bafana’s organisation and desire,
with coach Hugo Broos knowing this would a be a big scalp and an open run to
the final on their side of the draw should they advance. These two sides met in
the qualifiers and both teams recorded 2-1 home wins, though Bafana only lost
it late in Morocco. The North Africans will also be without coach Walid
Regragui as he serves his touchline ban. This is by no means a forgone
conclusion.
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