Abidjan (AFP) – Former champions Nigeria, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ivory Coast and South Africa have earned the right to be favorites in the Africa Cup of Nations quarter-finals on Friday and Saturday.
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But given a tournament in which seven of the top 10 ranked teams, led by 2022 World Cup semi-finalists Morocco, have been eliminated, that tag could prove to be a curse.
Here, AFP Sport previews ties with Guinea and Mali hoping to go one step further after previously being runners-up, while Angola and Cape Verde seek first ever semi-final appearances.
Nigeria – Angola
Napoli star Victor Oshimen came into the tournament as a prolific goalscorer but it is his incredible industriousness in the heat that epitomizes Nigeria’s title challenge.
William Troost-Ekong’s defensive concerns have proved unfounded with just one goal conceded in four games and, particularly against Cameroon, the Super Eagles impressed.
Angola are one of the nations who have made a mockery of form in Ivory Coast, winning three matches in a row after never managing more than one win at a time in eight other appearances.
Gelson Dalla is joint second top scorer with four goals and Mabululu has scored three goals ahead of a clash between the highest and lowest ranked survivors.
DR Congo v. Guinea
DR Congo coach Sebastien Desabre said before the tournament that his goal was a place in the quarter-finals for a country that won the tournament twice decades ago, known as Zaire.
Having achieved their primary objective, they can realistically believe that their first semi-final spot since 2015 is within reach and once again their opponent could be Ivory Coast.
While the Congolese overturned seven-time champions Egypt’s record after a penalty shoot-out, Mohamed Bayou grabbed an additional winner for Guinea against surprise Equatorial Guinea.
“It’s not a gift to face us,” warned Guinea coach Kaba Diawara, who kept Bundesliga goalscorer Serhou Guirassy on the bench for most of the last 16 encounter.
Mali – Ivory Coast
After going into the knockout stages as the third-placed qualifiers with the worst record, Ivory Coast stunned title holders Senegal and are now being talked about as potential champions.
“We are not going to get carried away,” emphasized Emerse Fae, given the task of coaching a senior team for the first time since Jean-Louis Gasset was sacked after the group.
The return to fitness of Borussia Dortmund striker Sebastien Haller and Brighton winger Simon Adingra increases attacking options, while Mali rely heavily on Lassine Sinayoko for goals.
A Mali side coached by Abidjan-born Eric Chelle are seeking a first win over Ivory Coast at the tournament having drawn and lost four of their previous Cup of Nations encounters.
Cape Verde – South Africa
Cape Verde may be ranked 73rd in the world, but coach Pedro ‘Bubista’ Brito told his players ahead of the Nations Cup that he expected them to reach at least the semi-finals.
It seemed a tall order for a collection of footballers who play for mostly middling clubs across Europe and were born there to a Cape Verdean parent or had a grandparent from the island nation.
But after beating Ghana, then record seven-time champions Egypt, despite resting several first-choice players, South Africa have been warned not to underestimate the Blue Sharks.
“Our victory over Morocco is history. Cape Verde are as determined as us to reach the semi-finals and we dare not underestimate them,” said coach Hugo Broos, a 2017 AFCON winner with Cameroon.
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