We’ve made it through to the knockout phase of Africa Cup of Nations 2021, but not everybody has!
Both Ghana and Algeria were dumped out of the tournament at the group stage. And if that wasn’t enough of a surprise, we saw the demise of highly fancied Nigeria in the round of 16 on Sunday night, so the Africa Cup of Nations 2021 betting odds have already taken a shift towards the likes of Senegal, Morocco and the Ivory Coast.
By Wednesday night we’ll know who the last eight are, but in the meantime let’s pick out some of the teams and players who have already made their mark.
Tunisia
Nigeria had the best set of Africa Cup of Nations 2021 results in the group stages as the only team to collect a maximum nine points, but it all went pear-shaped as soon as the Super Eagles reached the knockout phase. So hats off to Tunisia, who stunned the highly fancied team with a battling 1-0 victory.
Nigeria started the game as strong favourites, not least because the Tunisians were without seven first-team players due to Covid.
But the underdogs stuck it out in the first half and went ahead shortly after the break when Youssef Msakni fired in an arrow from outside the penalty area into the bottom corner to give the Nigeria keeper no chance.
Everton wide man Alex Iwobi made it harder for Nigeria when he was sent off for a reckless challenge midway through the second half and as the Super Eagles threw the kitchen sink at it, Tunisia hung on to book a quarter-final spot.
Burkina Faso
And it is minnows Burkina Faso who await Tunisia as they earned their place on a drama-packed night against Gabon. Captain Bertrand Traore gave the Stallions a first-half lead, which they held on to until injury time, but Bruno Ecuele Manga levelled despite his side going down to ten men when Sidney Obissa was red-carded.
Burkina Fas held their nerve to win the penalty shoot-out 7-6 and they go on the last eight of a competition they’ve reached the final in just nine years ago in 2013. We can’t write the Stallions off, though it may have been a different story had Gabon’s star man Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang been available.
We’ll never know, but Burkina Faso won’t care as their competition continues.
Morocco
The Atlas Lions topped their group with seven points, and they look likely to make it to the last eight as strong favourites in tie against Malawi.
Morocco have some fine players including PSG’s wingback Achraf Hakimi and Sevilla forward Youssef En Nesyri, but they are missing star man Hakem Ziyech. Former Southampton winger Sofiane Boufal has taken his chance, scoring twice already. The Atlas Lions are looking for a first AFCON title since 1976.
Vincent Abubakar: Cameroon
Liverpool’s Mo Salah and Sadio Mane are both at the tournament and would have been decent bets for the Golden Boot, but it is Cameroon’s Abubakar who has taken the lead having bagged five goals in his first three appearances.
The 30-year-old Cameroon skipper was the first player to reach that mark since 2000 and he is now the fifth-highest scorer in the Indomitable Lions’ history; he needs four more to take the legendary Roger Milla’s record of 36.
Nicolas Pepe: Ivory Coast
Since his £72m switch from Lille to Arsenal, Nicolas Pepe has struggled to live up to expectations at the Emirates, but his form at the Africa Cup of Nations might just be the spark he needs to launch his Premier League career. He scored a brilliant solo goal as Ivory Coast swept Algeria aside 3-1 to send the defending champions home.
Algeria came into the tournament with a 35-match unbeaten run, but they had already been beaten by Equatorial Guinea, and the Ivory Coast made light work of the champions as Pepe put in a man-of-the-match performance.
Edouard Mendy: Senegal
He only made an appearance in Senegal’s final group game, after seeing off his Covid infection, but Chelsea goalkeeper Edouard Mendy was in superb form as the highly fancied Senegal made it through to the knockout phase thanks to 0-0 draw with Malawi.
At 20th in the FIFA World Rankings, the Lions of Teranga are the highest-ranking team in Africa, and while they have some frightening attacking talent, including Liverpool’s Mane, it is their defence which has starred and has yet to concede a goal. They had Mendy to thank after he pulled off some good saves in the first half to keep out Malawi and see Senegal through with a 0-0 draw.
Mendy has recently been crowned FIFA’s Best Men’s Goalkeeper and he could be the man to lead Senegal to glory.
And here at SBOTOP we’ll be back, later this week. with a preview of the quarter-finals as we move to the business end of Africa’s showcase tournament.
●●●
CHECK OUT OUR BLOG FOR MORE FOOTBALL STORIES & ODDS
Stay updated with everything sports and betting.
Follow us on social Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
