The round of 16 at the 2023 AFCON is well underway, with four teams - Nigeria, Congo, Angola, and Guinea - all having secured their places in the quarter-finals.
Monday will present two more fixtures, as four additional teams - Cape Verde, Mauritania, Senegal, and the Ivory Coast - all vie for the opportunity to join those sides in the quarter-finals and perhaps beyond.
Here's all you need to know.
Cape Verde vs Mauritania: Two teams attempting to change the narrative
First up will be yet another clash featuring two minnows, with Cape Verde and Mauritania seeking to keep their respective 2023 AFCON tournaments going. Cape Verde really impressed during the group stages, as they managed to top a quartet that featured both Egypt and Ghana - two teams who have won the AFCON on multiple occasions.
The Blue Sharks kicked off their group stage campaign with a shock 2-1 win over Ghana thanks to a stoppage time goal from Garry Rodrigues. They then showed that this was no fluke with a very comfortable 3-0 rout of Mozambique before successfully holding Egypt to a two-all draw to head into the round of 16 as winners of Group B.
Meanwhile, Mauritania had a rockier group stage campaign, with back to back losses to Burkina Faso (1-0) and Angola (3-2). It looked like that the Lions of Chinguetti were destined for another early exit before Mohamed Dellahi Yali wrote his name in the history books with his first half goal against Algeria. Not only was it a huge upset to send the Desert Foxes out of the competition, but also marked the first time Mauritania had won a game at the AFCON and thus sent them into the knockout rounds for the first time in national history.
The winner of this tie will take on either South Africa or Morocco in the next round. Will Mauritania, encouraged by their crucial win on matchday three, continue writing their story as they navigate through unchartered territory? Or will Cape Verde, who have impressed so far at the 2023 AFCON, see off their opponents to book a spot in the quarter-finals?
Match facts: Cape Verde vs Mauritania
- Mauritania are featuring in the knockout rounds at the AFCON for the first time in team history
- Cape Verde are hoping to win a knockout round match for the first time in team history
- This will be the third meeting between Cape Verde and Mauritania
- So far, Cape Verde have yet to beat Mauritania, with one draw and one loss from their last two meetings
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Senegal vs Ivory Coast: Reigning champions against the tournament hosts
The second of the two round of 16 games on Monday is set to be an exciting one as Senegal and the Ivory Coast renew acquaintances. It's no surprise that the Lions of Teranga, who are the reigning AFCON champions, and Les Éléphants, who are hosting the latest iteration of the continental competition, are quite familiar with each other on the international stage.
Monday's meeting will be the 26th meeting between the two West African nations, with the Ivory Coast enjoying 14 wins versus Senegal's eight. However, the Lions of Teranga have been in imperious form as of late. They haven't lost a match since being beaten 3-0 by England at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, and cruised through their group stage campaign at this year's AFCON thanks to three comfortable wins over Gambia (3-0), Cameroon (3-1), and Guinea (2-0).
Meanwhile, the Ivory Coast have not had the best start to their competition, and narrowly qualified for the round of 16 as one of the best third-placed teams. They did start off on a bright note, earning an expected 2-0 win over Guinea-Bissau. Although they lost 1-0 to Nigeria on matchday two, it didn't really set off too many alarm bells as many expected both the Ivory Coast and Nigeria to be the two teams battling for top spot in Group A.
The 2023 AFCON hosts were given a huge shock as they were thrashed 4-0 by Equatorial Guinea to leave them dangerously close to what would have been a humiliating early exit. As such, the pressure will be on them to get back on track against a Senegal side who have already sent a clear signal to the rest of the field that they will not be giving up their AFCON crown easily.
Match facts: Senegal vs Ivory Coast
- This will be the 26th meeting between Senegal and the Ivory Coast
- Ivory Coast have won 14 times versus Senegal's eight
- Senegal are hoping to become the first team since Egypt to win back to back AFCON titles
Broacast info: Senegal vs Ivory Coast
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Match details, result and original broadcast info
Senegal 1 - 1P Côte d'Ivoire
January 29, 2024 3:00pmStade Charles Konan Banny de Yamoussoukro (Yamoussoukro)This match has ended. Below are the original Live broadcast details for this match.
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