AFCON: The Journey So Far as eight Teams Jostle for Glory
The 33rd edition of the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) currently ongoing in Cameroon has had its fair share of historic moments, iconic displays, controversies, sublime goals, world-class saves and rich cultural showcase from the fans, among others.
So far, eight teams have secured their places in the quarter-finals, having progressed from the round of 16 stages and will be seeking to go further in the competition in a bid to be crowned the King of African football.
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The quarter-finalists include Cameroon, Gambia, Burkina Faso, Tunisia, Senegal, Morocco Egypt and Equatorial Guinea. Each of these teams have shown their determination for the coveted AFCON trophy amid stiff competition from their previous opponents.
Here’s a review of the journey so far for each team:
Cameroon
The tournament hosts have been impressive in the competition and remain unbeaten in their quest to lift the AFCON trophy for the sixth time on home soil. Boosted by the goalscoring form of Aboubakar Vincent, the tournament’s top scorer, the Indomitable Lions have brushed past Ethiopia, Burkina Faso in the group stage and Comoros in the rounds of 16 while settling for a draw with Cape Verde.
A quarter-final bout against another debutant, The Gambia, is the next hurdle for the Cameroonians. No doubt, the Cameroonians are one of the tournament favourites and will be seeking to avoid a shock exit against the minnows.
Gambia
The debuting Scorpions have shown that they are no easy opponents to face in the competition. They have maintained their unbeaten run in the competition and secured an unexpected 1-0 win over Tunisia and Guinea in the round of 16.
Tom Saintfiet's men will need to put up another spirited, organised and tactical display against Cameroon if they wish to further progress to the semi-finals in their first-ever appearance at the AFCON.
Burkina Faso
The Stallions of Burkina Faso have shown grit and defensive discipline in their run to the quarter-finals. Having progressed from a group that had Cameroon and Cape Verde, they needed spot kicks to claim victory over Gabon in the round of 16.
However, with rising political tension back home after the country’s military staged a coup d’état, there are concerns that the 2013 finalists may not be mentally ready for their quarter-final match against Tunisia.
Tunisia
The North Africans have had a rollercoaster ride in the tournament. They have gone from finishing third place in the group stage to pulling a shocking victory over the Super Eagles of Nigeria, thanks to their defensive organisation.
The Carthage Eagles will be hoping to repeat history. The last time they won the AFCON trophy in 2004, they defeated Nigeria in the semi-finals. Now they have to prove their mettle against the Stallions of Burkina Faso in the quarter-finals.
Egypt
The seven-time champion, Egypt, has so far struggled for goals in the tournament despite having Liverpool’s talisman, Mohammed Salah, in the squad. Carlos Queiroz's men have scored just two goals from four matches in the tournament and they needed victory from penalties to knock out Ivory Coast.
The Pharaohs will need their best performance against Morocco to get a place in the Semi-finals.
Morocco
The Moroccan national team has established itself as one of the tournament favourites, following three victories in four matches. Paris Saint Germain’s right back, Achraf Hakimi, scored a beautiful free-kick against Malawi to secure a quarter-final showdown with Egypt.
This team will be hoping to become the first Moroccan team to lift the AFCON trophy.
Senegal
The Lions of Teranga booked a place in the quarter-finals at the expense of Cape Verde to maintain their unbeaten run in the competition. The 2019 finalist currently boasts experienced players such as Liverpool’s forward, Sadio Mane, Napoli’s Kalidou Koulibaly and FIFA’s Best Goalkeeper Edouard Mendy in its rank.
The Senegalese team must challenge Equatorial Guinea for a place in the semi-finals and prove themselves capable of lifting the AFCON trophy for the first time, having gone close at the last edition in Egypt.
Equatorial Guinea
The Equatorial Guineans have been one of the giant slayers in the competition after they defeated reigning champions, Algeria, in the group stage and defeated Sierra Leone to finish second place. They followed up with a penalty shootout win over Mali in the round of 16 to prove their group stage performance was not a fluke.
Their next hurdle would be to defeat Senegal in the quarter-final to continue their AFCON journey.
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