5 months ago
Senegal v Sudan, Sat 4pm (all times GMT)
Senegal, winners of nan Afcon successful 2022, person arguably nan champion postulation of players, including nan acquisition of Sadio Mané and nan explosive talent of Nicolas Jackson, and are superior to their eastbound African opponents. But Sudan, who qualified for nan tourney contempt nan calamity of a horrendous warfare successful their country, surely lucifer nan Lions of Teranga successful fortitude. Sudan, coached by nan Ghanaian Kwesi Appiah, who led his location state astatine nan 2014 World Cup successful Brazil, played each their qualifiers distant from home, pinch nan war, which began successful April 2023, shutting down a thriving home league. The Sudan striker John Mano told nan BBC: “Some of them [people successful Sudan] cannot watch nan matches … They can’t moreover perceive connected nan power … We are trying to free our country, done nan shot way.” An triumph for Sudan would beryllium 1 of nan fairytales of nan tournament.
Mali v Tunisia, Sat 7pm
This is going to beryllium 1 of nan tastier games of nan round, pinch Mali, coached by nan Belgian Tom Saintfiet, having nan extent of talent and beingness of characteristic to hit a Tunisian broadside who showed only glimpses of their imaginable successful a melodramatic 3-2 group conclusion by Nigeria. Mali’s free-flowing football, charismatic to nan eye, is an ever-present threat to their opponents, and their players see Tottenham’s Yves Bissouma and nan Auxerre striker Lassine Sinayoko, who leads nan guardant line. Tunisia, led by their 1998 World Cup subordinate Sami Trabelsi, are yet to show nan shape that enabled them to suffice pinch comparative easiness for this summer’s World Cup. If they tin rediscover their mojo, they could beryllium a astonishment squad of nan title because they person nan equilibrium to thrive.
Morocco v Tanzania, Sun 4pm
There could not person been an easier crippled for nan big federation astatine this shape aft a testy mediate group crippled against Mali, which rattled nan nerves of their manager, Walid Regragui, and thousands of Moroccans. The firepower of Brahim Diaz, return of Achraf Hakimi and nan goal-poaching talent of Ayoub El Kaabi, who has scored arguably nan champion extremity of nan title truthful far, mean nan crippled should beryllium small much than an enhanced believe convention for nan Atlas Lions. Tanzania, building a squad for nan 2027 Afcon they are co-staging pinch Kenya and Uganda, made history by qualifying for nan knockout shape for nan first clip successful their 45-year tourney history.
South Africa v Cameroon, Sun 7pm
Hugo Broos, nan South Africa coach, led Cameroon to their past Afcon triumph, successful Gabon successful 2017, truthful nan Belgian is acutely alert of what his squad will beryllium up against. “We must study to person concentration,” Broos said aft Bafana-Bafana’s unconvincing 3-2 triumph complete Zimbabwe successful their last group match. “We can’t play for illustration that against them [Cameroon]. If we do that, we person nary chance to win.” Cameroon person held their ain astatine nan tourney contempt sacking their Belgian coach Marc Brys connected 1 December and replacing him pinch nan 56-year-old Cameroonian David Pagou. The astir successful sub-Saharan team, 5 times African champions, person pedigree and are led by Manchester United’s Bryan Mbeumo. But South Africa’s shot nether Broos, who leaves nan occupation aft nan World Cup, has been connected nan ascendant, making what should ordinarily beryllium Cameroon’s crippled very adjacent to call.
Egypt v Benin, Mon 4pm
For nan Pharaohs, managed by nan aggregate Afcon victor Hossam Hassan and pinch players specified arsenic Omar Marmoush of Manchester City, Trézéguet and Mohamed Salah, this should beryllium an easy time astatine nan office. But it will beryllium thing but that, if Gernot Rohr, nan head of nan first Benin broadside to suffice for nan knockout stages, has thing to do pinch it. “This is going to beryllium a large game, a awesome crippled for our country,” Rohr told nan Guardian. “Of course, we cognize nan large players they person … We cognize that it will beryllium difficult to hit them. But arsenic outsiders, we will person our chance.”
Nigeria v Mozambique, Mon 7pm
Nigeria, three-time Afcon winners, earned their spot successful nan past 16 successful emphatic style, gaining maximum points against Tanzania, Tunisia and Uganda. With Victor Osimhen of Galatasaray, Ademola Lookman of Atalanta and Samuel Chukwueze of Fulham forming arguably Africa’s champion onslaught force, Mozambique are, connected paper, nary lucifer for them. Mozambique mislaid to Cameroon and Ivory Coast and went done arsenic nan champion third-placed team, courtesy of a 3-2 daze triumph complete Gabon. Nigeria’s caput coach, Éric Chelle, is wary, however. “The group stages person ended and different tourney starts,” he said. “We conscionable person a fewer days to beryllium ready. For sure, this crippled would beryllium tough.”
Algeria v DR Congo, Tues 4pm
This will beryllium a conflict of tactical minds: Vladimir Petkovic connected nan Algerian broadside and Sébastien Desabre connected nan Congolese side. Their expertise to utilization nan holes successful their opponents, to salary attraction to nan mini specifications successful what is apt to beryllium an highly tight game, could beryllium decisive. Both teams, pinch talented players specified arsenic Riyad Mahrez and Fiston Mayele respectively, play pinch verve and daring adventure. Their passionate fans will besides bring colour to what should beryllium a spectacle.
Côte d’Ivoire v Burkina Faso, Tues 7pm
This crippled betwixt neighbouring westbound African countries, whose group stock connection and taste similarities, could spell either way, moreover though Côte d’Ivoire are nan defending champions and Burkina Faso person not made an Afcon last successful 12 years. The Côte d’Ivoire manager, Emerse Faé, has not retained nan assurance of his compatriots since unexpectedly winning nan tourney successful Februay 2024 and is wished to beryllium that triumph was not nan fluke astir successful nan African shot organization judge it was. It took a adjacent conclusion against Gabon, successful their last group game, to shingle his players retired of complacency. Burkina Faso person started strongly, a melodramatic triumph complete Equatorial Guinea and a triumph against Sudan sandwiching nan arguable nonaccomplishment to Algeria that put them 2nd successful their group. Brama Traoré, nan caput coach of nan Stallions, will beryllium relying connected nan protect stalwart Edmund Tapsoba, of Bayer Leverkusen, and nan attacking talent of Bertrand Traoré, Dango Ouattara and Pierre Landry Kaboré.
