AFCON offered quarterfinal fights. Which teams remain in contention for the title?

The Africa Cup of Nations, also known by the acronym AFCON, had quarterfinal matches on the schedule on Friday and Saturday. The home team of Ivory Coast is among the qualifiers. What were the results of all the second round play-off matches. And which teams will face each other in the semi-finals?

The top tournament for African national teams this year offers its 34th edition overall. For the second time in history, the championship is being hosted by Ivory Coast. The previous time the black continent’s football elite were there was in 1984.

Nigeria – Angola 1:0

The opening quarter-final of this year’s AFCON had a favourite in the form of the Nigerian national team, which has reigned overall three times in the past. After a 2:0 win over Cameroon in the semi-finals, they faced Angola from 6pm on Friday, who managed to equal their historic best by progressing past Namibia into the top eight teams.

The Eagles’ narrow victory in the important encounter was secured by a single goal. It was scored in the 41st minute by Atalanta striker Ademola Lookman. The Angolan players were unable to find an answer to his goal in the second half.

Democratic Republic of Congo – Guinea 3:1

On the same day at 21:00, a duel between the Democratic Republic of Congo, the penalty shootout winner against Egypt in the eighth round, and Guinea followed. The latter had beaten its (almost) namesake Equatorial Guinea in the previous round.

The Guineans had the better of the quarter-final. With Mohamed Bayo scoring from a penalty at the end of the opening 20 minutes to put them in front. However, Congolese goals from Chancela Mbemba in the 27th, Yoane Wissa in the 65th and Arthur Masuaku in the 82nd minute provided a turnaround and secured their progress to the semi-finals.

Mali – Ivory Coast 1:2 after extra time

There was even more drama in the opening game on Saturday. There was no goal in the first half, but there was no shortage of interesting situations. After a quarter of an hour of play, Odilon Kossounou fouled the home team in his own penalty area. But Adama Traoré of Mali did not convert the subsequent penalty. In the 43rd minute, Kossounou received a second yellow card and the Elephants finished with ten men.

That did not prevent them from achieving success, although Dorgeles Nene did give their opponents a one-goal lead in the 71st minute. However, Simon Adingra equalised at the end of regulation time and just before extra time expired, the Ivorians turned the score around. Oumar Diakité scored the winning goal, but he also saw a red card moments later.

Cape Verde – South Africa 0:1 after penalties

One of the most surprising quarter-finalists of the Africa Cup of Nations 2024 was the Cape Verde team. The team from the archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean defeated Mauritania 1: 0 in the eighth round and challenged South Africa, the winner of the previous match against Morocco, for a semi-final place.

No goal was scored during the ninety minutes or the thirty added on in the match played from 9pm, with the Cape Verdeans sending more shots. In the end, however, it was the South Africans who rejoiced as they handled the penalty shootout a little better. In the five series, only Bryan Teixeira of the Cape Verdean players scored, while Teboho Mokoena was accurate on the South African side, as was Mothobi Mvala.

Semi-finals of the AFCON

The semi-finals of the ongoing AFCON are scheduled for Wednesday. So how do the pairs of teams brought together by the tournament spider of the event ending on Sunday, February 11 look?

Three-time champions Nigeria will clash with South Africa, who reigned supreme in 1996, from 6pm. The duel, with kick-off at 9pm, will see the Ivory Coast national team, seeking a third African title at home, take on the Democratic Republic of Congo, whose predecessors won the prized trophy in 1968 and 1974.

Source: CAF