As the Africa Cup of Nations reaches its quarterfinal stage, the tournament has been marked by the unexpected exit of many highly-rated teams. The upcoming weekend’s matchups promise more excitement and the potential for further upsets, with hosts Ivory Coast seeking to continue their surprising redemption story.
Nigeria is set to face Angola, and DR Congo will take on Guinea on Friday. The winners of these clashes will meet the victors of the Cap Verde versus South Africa and Mali versus Ivory Coast games, scheduled for Saturday.
While several past champions remain in contention, the tournament has witnessed a series of shocks as heavyweight teams exit, creating a captivating spectacle for fans. Ivory Coast, in particular, experienced a setback with a 4-0 defeat by Equatorial Guinea, the heaviest ever inflicted on a host team in finals history. However, they rebounded with a dramatic penalty shootout victory against holders Senegal in the last-16, setting the stage for a derby clash against Mali on Saturday.
Among the four previous winners still in the tournament are Ivory Coast, Democratic Republic of Congo (formerly Zaire), and South Africa. Nigeria, boasting three past triumphs, emerges as the current favorite after defeating Ivory Coast in the group phase and eliminating Cameroon in the second round. Their next challenge is the formidable Angola in Abidjan on Friday.
DR Congo faces Guinea, and South Africa encounters Cape Verde Islands, a team that has already proven to be giant-killers by defeating Ghana in the group phase. Despite being the smallest country in the 24-team field, with a population of around 600,000, Cape Verde has demonstrated resilience in their fourth tournament appearance.
Notably, none of the quarterfinalists from the previous edition in Cameroon and none of the five countries representing Africa at the last World Cup in Qatar have made it to the last eight this time. However, this pattern reflects the unpredictable nature of tournament competition rather than a significant shift in the balance of footballing power on the continent.
The winners from the weekend’s matches will advance to the semifinals on Wednesday, with the final set to take place in Abidjan on February 11. The stage is set for an exciting culmination of the Africa Cup of Nations with unpredictable outcomes still in store.
