While the Africa Cup of Nations is generally popular for its flamboyance, the 2023 edition in Ivory Coast has undoubtedly delivered some of the most eye-catching moments in recent memory. There is more good news by the way – we're only at the quarter-final stage of the tournament! The Round of 16 saw African giants Cameroon, whose football federation is led by the legendary Samuel Eto'o, crash out of the competition following a 2-0 loss to Nigeria, while reigning champions Senegal suffered a penalty shootout defeat to the host nation, but our attention has now turned to that which awaits us. The next round of fixtures promises more dazzling entertainment, with South Africa set to meet Cape Verde and Ivory Coast preparing for a challenge against Mali! To preview the upcoming round is Soccer Laduma's international team.
QF1: Nigeria v Angola
2 February (19h00)
Nigeria and Angola face off in the first quarter-final fixture of the tournament on Friday at the Stade Felix Houphouet-Boigny. The Super Eagles head into the match having won each of their past three games in the tournament, including a convincing 2-0 win over Cameroon in the round of 16! Having won the competition three times (1980, 1994, and 2013) already, the west African giants' best finish at the showpiece since then came in the 2019 edition, when they finished as bronze medallists. Although the side is, so far, not as free-scoring as many had expected given the prowess of their talisman, 2023 CAF Men's Player of the Year Victor Osimhen, they have been solid in defence, conceding just one goal and keeping three clean sheets in the process. Angola are expected to pose a significant threat to the Nigeria defence, though, as they have one of the most prolific attacks at the tournament, having scored nine goals in four matches so far, including three against Namibia in the previous round. The coastal nation have also kept things tidy in defence, conceding only three times. History beckons for Angola as a win over Nigeria would see them achieve their best-ever result at an Afcon, having never progressed beyond the final eight. Striker Gelson Dala is a player to watch as his four goals and one assist make him a huge threat for the Nigerian backline. The two teams have previously met four times, with each side picking up one win, while the other two games ended in a draw. Ranked 117th in the world by FIFA, Angola will be aiming for another big scalp!
QF2: DR Congo v Guinea
2 February (22h00)
DR Congo and Guinea are set to butt heads in what promises to be an enthralling quarter-final tie. Judging by what has transpired thus far in the tournament – all the shock results and upsets – this fixture will be difficult to predict. The National Elephants placed third in Group C before going on to defeat Equatorial Guinea by a goal to nil in the Round of 16 to retain their dream of lifting the continental title. The closest the nation has ever come to winning the competition is the semi-finals, which they last reached in 1976, so the current Guinea squad will be determined to etch their names in history. DR Congo, though, will be intent on standing in their way. The Leopards seem to have luck on their side as they are yet to win a game in regulation time yet they've managed to make it this far! They went into the Last 16 against Egypt as underdogs, but, with the eyes of the entire continent on them, managed to hold their nerve and beat the north African giants in a dramatic penalty shootout. Having reached the final eight, both sides will want to go a step closer to achieving the impossible. To do so, however, key players will need to rise to the occasion. Leopards goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi Nzau scored the winning penalty that catapulted his team into the next round, but he will likely have to be a hero once more as his side looks to silence the potent Guinea attack led by VfB Stuttgart forward Serhou Guirassy, who will be eager to score his first goal of the tournament.
QF3: Mali v Ivory Coast
3 February (19h00)
Mali cemented their spot among the final eight following a victory over Burkina Faso on Tuesday, a game in which in-form attacker Lassine Sinayoko, who plays his club football for Auxerre in France's Ligue 2, scored his third goal of the tournament. The Eagles laid down an early marker when they beat South Africa 2-0 in their opening match of this year's Afcon, and have managed to remain unbeaten, but they'll need to be more clinical in front of goal if they're to go one better than they did 1972, the year the west African nation finished as runners-up. Mali have since placed third on two occasions, including in 2012 following a semi-final defeat to Ivory Coast, who they've never beaten in five attempts at the Africa Cup of Nations! The Elephants, meanwhile, are perhaps fortunate to even still be in the competition after staring elimination in the face following an incredibly underwhelming showing in Group A. The host nation scraped through with three points, and off the back of a humiliating 4-0 loss to Guinea-Bissau in their final group game. That result cost French tactician Jean-Louis Gasset his job mid-tournament, before the Ivorians advanced to the Last 16 as one of the best third-placed teams. Ex-assistant boss Emerse Fae has since been appointed as the Elephants' caretaker manager and goes into this weekend's quarter-final encounter looking for a second victory, having overseen their penalty shootout triumph over reigning champions Senegal. Fae will be hoping to continue his record and help Ivory Coast become the first host country since Egypt in 2006 to lift the trophy.
QF4: Cape Verde v South Africa
3 February (22h00)
Many of the nations competing at this stage of the competition have been here before, but not Cape Verde, whose 1-0 win over Mauritania in the Last 16 was their first-ever Africa Cup of Nations knockout triumph in their history! A late penalty, converted by experienced international Ryan Mendes, was enough for the west African nation to advance to the quarter-final round, but there are some who believe Pedro 'Bubista' Brito's team could spring one or two more surprises. Starting three of his country's four matches so far, 33-year-old winger Bebe continues to prove his doubters wrong after his disappointing four-year spell at Manchester United between 2010 and 2014, while 22-year-old Benfica loanee Benchimol is currently averaging a goal contribution every 30 minutes! Their next opponents, South Africa, will be full of confidence heading into Saturday's encounter following their 2-0 victory over Walid Regragui's Morocco. Goals from Evidence Makgopa and Teboho Mokoena helped Bafana Bafana to their seventh quarter-final in the nine editions they've participated in, an impressive record for a country with only a single AFCON title! Heading into the next round, no goalkeeper has kept more cleansheets (three) in this year's competition than Mamelodi Sundowns' Ronwen Williams, while his club teammate Themba Zwane has been inspirational in midfield, with the 34-year-old having claimed two Man of the Match awards for the 1996 winners. Cape Verde and SA have only met once before in the Africa Cup of Nations, a group match in 2013 that ended goalless. Out of all the games to be played over the coming days, South Africans will be paying this one the closest attention!
