The group stage of the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast concluded with a series of surprises, shocks, and thrilling events, indicating that the current edition of the vital African tournament will be exceptional.
The championship witnessed major upsets and the early exit of some powerhouse teams, while others struggled to advance.
Simultaneously, some teams secured their place among the Round of 16 elites for the first time.
Massive Surprises
The most significant shock of the tournament occurred in Group A, with Ivory Coast, the host nation, suffering a staggering 4-0 defeat to Equatorial Guinea.
The result left more than 40,000 Ivorian fans at the Hassan Wattara Stadium in complete disbelief.
Although Ivory Coast faced the brink of elimination with their second loss against Nigeria, they secured a spot among the best four teams by finishing third in the group.
In Group B, Cape Verde topped the table with an undefeated record of 7 points, eliminating powerhouses Egypt and Ghana.
This marked one of the major surprises, with Ghana managing only two draws against Egypt and Mozambique, leading to their early exit from the tournament.
The most significant upset in Ivory Coast was the early elimination of Algeria, the champions of the previous edition.
Algeria struggled with two narrow draws against Angola and Burkina Faso, needing only a draw in the final match to progress.
However, they suffered a harsh 1-0 defeat to Mauritania, finishing at the bottom of Group D.
Strong Injuries
Despite the continuation of their national teams in the tournament, some players were forced to depart early from Ivory Coast, notably Egypt’s star Mohamed Salah, who sustained a hamstring injury in the second round, preventing his further participation.
Salah returned to Liverpool for treatment, hoping for a comeback in the final match if Egypt advances.
In the same vein, Egypt faced another setback in the third round when their first-choice goalkeeper, Mohamed El-Shenawy, suffered a severe injury in the final minutes against Cape Verde.
El-Shenawy promptly traveled to Germany for treatment, with the possibility of undergoing shoulder surgery.
Morocco’s Nacer Mazroui is racing against time for a swift recovery, aiming to assist his team in the later stages of the tournament.
He has not played so far due to a thigh muscle injury and inflammation of the heart membrane.
Winless Struggle
Ten teams failed to secure a victory in the tournament’s group stage. Despite this, two of them managed to advance to the Round of 16 without a single win.
Egypt, finishing second in Group B with 3 points, had three draws with identical 2-2 scores.
Their advancement was assured by the failure of their group rivals, Ghana and Mozambique, to achieve any victories, coupled with their two losses against Cape Verde.
A similar scenario unfolded in Group F, where the Republic of Congo secured second place with 3 points, drawing all three matches.
They advanced to the Round of 16 without a win, as neither Zambia nor Tanzania managed to secure a victory in the group.
The tournament now sets the stage for a decisive clash between Egypt and the Republic of Congo in the Round of 16, where a draw is not an option for either team, necessitating a victory for progression to the quarter-finals.
Top Scorer Race
Despite the presence of world-class forwards like Mohamed Salah and Victor Osimhen in the Africa Cup of Nations, the leading goal-scorer in the tournament comes from Spain’s third-tier league.
Equatorial Guinea’s striker, Emilio Nsue, playing for Inter City, has netted five goals for his team, leading the race for the Golden Boot by a two-goal margin.
In second place is Egypt’s Mustafa Mohamed, a forward for French club Nantes, with three goals, sharing the spot with Algeria’s Baghdad Bounedjah, who exited the competition after the group stage.
Eight players have managed to score two goals each in the group stage.
Perfect Record
Only one team achieved a flawless record in the group stage: the defending champions, Senegal. They secured 9 points with three consecutive victories against Cameroon, Guinea, and Gambia.
Despite a shocking 4-0 defeat to Equatorial Guinea, Ivory Coast, the home team, managed to secure their place in the Round of 16.
The tournament now awaits an intense clash between Senegal and Ivory Coast to determine which team advances to the quarter-finals.
As the Africa Cup of Nations enters the knockout stage, the excitement and unpredictability promise thrilling matches ahead, and football enthusiasts eagerly await the unfolding drama of the continent’s premier football tournament.
