The Round of 16 of the AFCON 2023 is starting to take shape, with Nigeria and Cameroon taking the most real estate on the marquee.
Regardless of the absence of Mo Salah, Egypt still managed to squeeze past the group stages and advance to the Round of 16 despite failing to tally a single win thus far.
Meanwhile, a couple of exciting matchups are already set for the knockout stages, headlined by Osimhen and his Nigeria’s main-event tier bout against Onana’s Cameroon to kick off the Round of 16.
A number of teams, like Morocco, are still in the running to qualify for the Round of 16, but first, read below for a thorough run-through of the latest news and updates in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.
Egypt qualified but are not dominant
Egypt left the gear on neutral and cruised through the group stages with three draws. One of the AFCON 2023 odds favourites to win the tournament failed to tally a win in their three group stage matches, but lucky for them, they still qualified to the knockout stages thanks to the tepid performances of Ghana and Mozambique.
The Pharaohs lost their king, Mohammed Salah, during their Matchday 2 bout against Ghana. Egypt hung on thanks to the late-game heroics of Mostafa Mohamed in minute 74, who scored an equaliser, ending the game in a 2-2 draw.
They would need to brace tougher competition in the knockout stages with the fact that Mo Salah has already departed from the team and gone back to England to continue his rehabilitation with Liverpool.
It is still yet to be known who the Pharaohs will have to face in the Round of 16, but luckily, SBOTOP perpetually provides in-depth news and updates on the Africa Cup of Nations.
Morocco now out of the woods
The World Cup semifinalists are at the top of Group F with four points, sitting as the favourites to win the cluster after two group stage matches. But the formidable Atlas Lions aren’t out of the woods just yet.
Congo and Zambia hold two points apiece, tallying a draw in their first two matches. With just two points behind Morocco, the Leopards and the Copper Bullets still have a chance to overtake the group leaders, Morocco, if they both win the last match of the group stages.
This might come as a headscratcher for most, given that Morocco have been one of the best and most consistent clubs on the continent. Their Cinderella run to the 2022 FIFA World Cup semi-finals is an attestation of how dominant the Atlas Lions can be.
For now, football fans can only wait for the results of the last group stage matchday to see if Morocco can continue their stretch of impressive international football and advance to the AFCON Round of 16.
Nigeria vs Cameroon
Nigeria finished the group stages with two wins, tallying seven points and ultimately placing in second place, trailing Equatorial Guinea by goal difference.
The Super Eagles looked sturdy in the first stage of the prestigious tournament even without the services of Leverkusen’s Victor Boniface and Leicester’s Wilfred Ndidi.
With key players dealing with injuries, Nigeria were only able to score a total of three goals (one own goal) in three matches, but it was all they needed to secure their spot in the knockout stages.
Napoli hero Victor Osimhen remains the tip of the spear for the Super Eagles, and they would heavily rely on the decorated striker to produce favourable AFCON 2023 results for the ailing Nigerian outfit.
Like Nigeria, Cameroon also secured their spot in the Round of 16 by finishing second in their cluster. The Indomitable Lions won their crucial Matchday 3 clash against Gambia to secure the much-needed three points.
Gambia were leading 2-1 after a minute-85 goal by Ebrima Colley, but the resilient Cameroon got a strike of luck after James Gomez scored an own goal in minute 87 and Christopher Wooh’s winning goal in added time.
Both clubs show promise, so it’s safe to say that Nigeria vs Cameroon is must-see TV.
Equatorial Guinea vs Guinea
National Thunder’s Emilio Nsue looked like the best player in the entire competition during the group stage, leading the AFCON 2023 Golden Boot race with five goals in just three games.
With his five goals, Equatorial Guinea’s goal difference skyrocketed to six, placing them above Nigeria in the Group A standings.
The National Thunder are keen to continue their dominant form as they will go against their rivals across the Atlantic, Guinea, in the knockout stages.
Guinea had a lackluster performance in the first round of the tournament, finishing the group stage third in their cluster with a 1-1-1 record. Despite finishing third in Group C, the Black Stars advance to the knockout stages based on rankings.
This Guinea derby will definitely be one of the matchups to watch in the Round of 16.
Cape Verde vs Mauritania
Cape Verde emerged as the winners of one of the most competitive clusters in the tournament. The Blue Sharks towered over Egypt and Ghana, two of the favourites to go on a deep run this term.
In fact, Cape Verde are the only side to tally a win in their cluster! They started the tournament on a strong note and never looked back.
They scored seven goals in three games while conceding the fewest goals in Group B to boot. This dominance could possibly carry over to the knockout stages as they face scrappy Mauritania in the Round of 16.
Mauritania managed to edge out Algeria with a competitive 1-0 win in their last group stage match. With those three points, they secured the third spot in Group D and advanced to the Round of 16 based on rankings.
These clubs showed polar-opposite forms in the group stages, and it’ll be interesting to see how Mauritania would fare against tougher competition in the next stage of the tournament.
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