Host nation Côte d’Ivoire have Morocco to thank for making it out of the group phase of the 34th edition of the Africa Cup of Nations, which will have its first Round of 16 game on Saturday. The Elephants will face the Teranga Lions of Senegal, who are defending their title.
Group F concluded the 36 matches of the first phase on Wednesday night with Tanzania v DR Congo and Zambia v Morocco on show. With the competition turning out to be one of shocks, Côte d’Ivoire required two days of waiting to confirm their progression to the knockout stage.
Nigeria’s Super Eagles, who emerged from Group A as runners up behind Equatorial Guinea, are among the 16 nations who will remain in Côte d’Ivoire, while eight others take their exits. From Group A also came Côte d’Ivoire, who went through as one of the best four third placed sides.
Leading the knockout phase qualifiers are Senegal, the only side to have recorded maximum points among the 24 nations at the competition. The Sadio Mane-captained team overcame Gambia (3-0), Cameroon (3-1) and Guinea (2-0) in Group C.
From Group B are Cape Verde, who shocked Egypt and Ghana to finish on top of the table. Egypt, the most successful team of this competition with seven titles, had to bow to the new wave, represented by the likes of Cape Verde. While the Pharaohs were second best in the group, it was worse for the Black Stars of Ghana, who had lifted the continental trophy four times. The West Africans were so poor in third place that they could not progress to the Round of 16.
In addition to Senegal, the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon and Guinea were the others Round of 16 qualifiers from Group C. In spite of their pedigree as five-time winners of the competition, Cameroon had to struggle to progress, losing 1-3 to Senegal, beating Gambia courtesy of an added minute goal in their last group match, and forcing Guinea 1-1.
Group D produced Angola (surprise leaders), Burkina Faso and Mauritania.
In Group E, Mali won one and drew their other two matches to top the table, while South Africa’s one win, one draw and one defeat saw them in as runners-up. Third place Namibia also pulled through.
Morocco’s lone goal ended Zambia’s hope of reaching the Round of 16 in third place, and handed that advantage to Côte d’Ivoire. DR Congo also qualified from that group for the knockout phase as runners-up.
