AFCON 2023: Surprises galore as tournament reaches last eight
The 34th edition of the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) will likely go down as the tournament with the most shocking results after several powerhouses failed to make it to the quarterfinal.
The likes of Morocco, Senegal, Tunisia, Algeria, Egypt, and Cameroon have all fallen off the wayside leaving only Nigeria, Mali, and hosts Cote d’Ivoire as the only remaining top-ranked teams in the competition.
The tournament resumes this Friday with the quarterfinal pairings that have no places for any of the teams that made it to the quarterfinals of the 2021 edition.
Nigeria enters Friday’s last eight encounter with Angola as the overwhelming favorites but the remaining top-ranked team in the competition will be extra cautious in order to avoid another upset in the competition.
The Super Eagles will fancy their chances of winning their fourth continental title, but they will need to take care of business against the Angolans before harnessing the dream of a fourth title.
Guinea and Congo DR will also do battle on Friday to determine who books a ticket to the last four.
Hosts Cote d’Ivoire will be counting on their home fans to spur them to victory over a tough Malian side on Saturday before the intriguing battle between Cape Verde and South Africa.
