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The group stage of the 2023 Cup of Nations in Cote d’Ivoire concluded on Wednesday night, setting up some mouth-watering knockout stage clashes.
The group stage produced stellar shocks, goals, records, history and passionate fans turning up at match venues.
In the marquee match of the round, defending champions Senegal will take on tournament hosts Cote d’Ivoire.
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The Elephants suffered a shock 4-0 thrashing by Equatorial Guinea in their final group game but still advanced. They now face the daunting task of overcoming an in-form Senegalese side yet to drop points.
Two more African heavyweights will collide when Nigeria meet Cameroon. Both teams had uneven group stages but remain continental powerhouses.
Elsewhere, Morocco topped their group without conceding and will look to continue their fine form against South Africa.
After surprisingly winning Group A undefeated, underdogs Equatorial Guinea will try to cause another upset against Guinea. In their first time in the knockouts, Namibia face a stern challenge from two-time quarterfinalists Angola.
Despite an underwhelming group stage, Egypt’s pedigree as the most successful Afcon team makes them dangerous opponents for DR Congo.
Other intriguing clashes see Mali take on Burkina Faso while Cape Verde battle Mauritania.
Nigeria v Cameroon
Despite a shaky start, the two giants managed to reach the round of 16 on the final day of their group stage action.
Nigeria are hoping to end a decade without an Afcon trophy. Rigobert Song is under pressure to give Cameroonians a better performance in the knockout stage after struggling in the group stage, where they won just one game.
Sadly, one of these powerhouses will be eliminated at the Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium in Abidjan on Saturday.
Cape Verde v Mauritania
After a shocking run in the group stage, which saw Cape Verde go unbeaten and leading a group involving two previous champions — Egypt and Ghana — the Blue Sharks will have Mauritania to deal with in the round of 16.
Amir Abdou has already exceeded expectations by getting this far with Mauritania. They can, however, write more history as they face Cape Verde on Monday at the Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium.
Equatorial Guinea v Guinea
Equatorial Guinea shockingly managed to top a group involving hosts Côte D’Ivoire and Nigeria. They face a Guinean side who haven’t been consistent with results in this year’s Afcon.
The Syli Nationals will have the competition’s top scorer, Emilio Nsue, to deal with on Sunday at the Alassane Ouattara Stadium.
Angola v Namibia
Namibia made history by qualifying for the knockout stage for the first time since their 1998 debut. They face Angola, who topped a group involving Burkina Faso, Burkina Faso and Mauritania — with seven points.
Angola will want more based on their two quarterfinal appearances when the contest goes down at the Stade de la Paix in Bouake on Saturday.
Mali v Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso brought their group stage games to a disappointing end after losing 2-0 to Angola. Mali went unbeaten in the group stage games and will have the advantage of playing at the Amadou Gon Coulibaly Stadium in Kohorgo, where they are based. The game is on Monday.
Egypt vs DR Congo
Egypt qualified after drawing all group matches. It was not a good run for the Pharaohs. As the most successful country in the history of the competition, their presence in the knockout stage is a threat to any team they face and D.R Congo is no exception come Sunday at the Laurent Pokou Stadium.
Senegal vs Côte d’lvoire
Following their disappointing 4-0 defeat in the final group stage match — falling 4-0 to Equatorial Guinea — hosts Côte d’Ivoire squeezed through after Morocco beat Zambia 1-0 on Wednesday.
They have been handed a tough test against defending champions, Senegal, who had a 100 per cent record in the preliminary rounds. This will be a tough game for the Ivorians at the Charles Konan Banny Stadium on Monday.
Morocco vs South Africa
Morocco, the 2022 Fifa World Cup semifinalists are on track to win their second trophy (after 1976). On their way to achieving that feat, they will face South Africa in the Round of 16 at the Laurent Pokou Stadium on Monday.
However, the South African attack featuring Percy Tau and Themba Zwane will give the Moroccans lot of problems to deal with.
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Source: Star
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