The Africa Cup of Nations has been full of surprises, with unexpected twists and upsets along the way. Former champions Ghana, Algeria, and Tunisia were among the teams eliminated in the group stage. Now, eight more teams will be eliminated in the round of 16, which kicks off on Saturday. The host nation, Ivory Coast, will face defending champions Senegal, while Nigeria and Cameroon, two of the tournament’s most successful teams, will go head-to-head.
Here’s a preview of the eight matches before the start of the knockout stage:
Angola vs Namibia:
Angola, who reached the quarter-finals twice, will face Namibia in an advanced match on Saturday. Namibia is entering uncharted territory as they advance to the knockout stage for the first time.
Nigeria vs Cameroon:
Three-time African champions Nigeria will take on five-time champions Cameroon on Saturday. Both teams are hoping for improvement after lackluster performances in the group stage.
Equatorial Guinea vs Guinea:
Equatorial Guinea finished their group undefeated ahead of Nigeria, Ivory Coast, and Guinea-Bissau. They will face Guinea on Sunday, who welcomed back striker Serhou Guirassy from injury.
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Egypt vs DRC:
Egypt, beset by injuries during the group stage, will face the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) on Sunday. Both teams are yet to secure a win in the tournament.
Cape Verde vs Mauritania:
Cape Verde, one of the surprise teams, will face Mauritania on Monday. Cape Verde topped a group including Egypt, Ghana, and Mozambique, while Mauritania eliminated Algeria in the group stage.
Senegal vs Ivory Coast:
Reigning champions Senegal, the only team with a perfect group stage record, will take on Ivory Coast on Monday. Ivory Coast only qualified for the round of 16 thanks to results in other groups.
Mali vs Burkina Faso:
Burkina Faso suffered a setback in their final group match, losing to Angola. They will now face a strong Mali team on Tuesday.
Morocco vs South Africa:
Morocco, known for their recent success in reaching the World Cup semi-finals, will play against South Africa on Tuesday. South Africa is coached by Hugo Broos, who led Cameroon to the title in 2017.
These matches are sure to bring intense competition and excitement as teams fight for a place in the quarter-finals of the tournament.
