The final set of group games for the 2023 TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations, is currently in progress in Ivory Coast. All teams have completed at least two matches, with only a select few securing spots in the knockout stages. The competition, however, is far from over and unexpected twists are still in store.
Hosts Ivory Coast find themselves outside the top two after a disastrous 4-0 defeat by Equatorial Guinea on Monday, January 23. Similarly, Ghana, Cameroon, Algeria, Tunisia, and Zambia are facing early exits due to disappointing performances.
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The goose is cooked for both Ghana and Ivory Coast, who are on the brink of elimination after faltering in their final group matches. The two teams have done all they can, with the only hope now in securing a favourable outcome from the rest of the remaining group fixtures.
The top two teams from each of the six groups, along with the four best third-placed teams, will advance to the AFCON Round of 16. This setup implies that some prominent teams might miss the knockout stage.
Let’s review who has secured qualification, who has been eliminated, and who is in contention for a third-place finish.
Yesterday’s AFCON results;
- Cape Verde 2 – 2 Egypt
- Mozambique 2 – 2 Ghana
- Equatorial Guinea 4 – 0 Ivory Coast
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Who Has Qualified For the Round Of 16?
The following teams have already secured their places in the Round of 16, with more results expected to determine additional qualifiers as the tournament progresses:
- Senegal: The best-performing team, winning 2 out of 3 games and aiming for a 100% win record in the group stage.
- Cape Verde: Surprising the football world by finishing on top of their group, ahead of powerhouses Egypt and Ghana.
- Equatorial Guinea: A remarkable performance from the underdogs in Group A, securing first place with the highest number of goals in the group stage (9), and their top scorer, Emilio Nsue (5).
- Nigeria: A fortunate own goal propelled Nigeria to the Round of 16 at the expense of hosts Ivory Coast.
- Egypt: Despite relying on Cape Verde, Egypt advanced thanks to Mozambique’s last-minute heroics that forced an equalizer.
Who Still Has A Chance?
The following teams are assured of finishing at least third in their groups, though their progression to the next round depends on results in other groups:
- Ghana
- Ivory Coast
- Guinea
- Angola
- Burkina Faso
- Mali
- Morocco
Who Has Been Eliminated?
Two teams have been eliminated from the competition:
Guinea-Bissau: Lost all three games in qualifiers, earning 0 points with a goal difference of -5.
Mozambique: Drew twice but suffered a 3-0 defeat to Cape Verde on matchday 2.
How Does the Third Place Ranking Work?
With 24 teams in the AFCON, it’s not only the top two from each group that advance to the Round of 16. In addition to the 12 teams from group winners and runners-up, four more teams from third-place finishers will qualify.
Currently, Ivory Coast, Namibia, Algeria, and Zambia are in line to qualify, while Ghana and Cameroon are at risk of missing out.
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Today’s fixtures;
- Guinea vs Senegal – 20:00 EAT
- Gambia vs Cameroon – 20:00 EAT
- Mauritania vs Algeria – 23:00 EAT
- Angola vs Burkina Faso – 23:00 EAT
