Africa's football giants gear up for AFCON quarterfinals

Eight teams booked their spots in the quarterfinals of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) after a thrilling Round of 16 ended on Tuesday, setting the stage for another round of high-stakes clashes. The second knockout stage promises high-octane clashes as the tournament edges closer to its decisive moments.

In the first quarterfinal on Friday, Mali will face off against 2021 champions Senegal in an all-West African affair. Mali made it to the last eight after overcoming Tunisia 3-2 on post-match penalties, after the match had ended 1-1 after both normal and extra time. Senegal survived an early scare, coming from a goal down to beat Sudan 3-1.

The second quarterfinal takes place later on the same day as five-time winners Cameroon play hosts and pre-tournament favorites Morocco. Cameroon edged South Africa 2-1, and Morocco defeated Tanzania 1-0.

On Saturday, the third quarterfinal pits 2019 champions Algeria against three-time winners Nigeria. Algeria scored a late winner in extra time to beat the Democratic Republic of Congo 1-0. Nigeria put on an excellent attacking display to thrash Mozambique 4-0.

The fourth and final quarterfinal will see record seven-time winners Egypt play against defending champions Cote d'Ivoire. Egypt needed extra time to beat Benin 3-1, while Cote d'Ivoire hammered Burkina Faso 3-0.

The winner of the Mali-Senegal match will play against Egypt or Cote d'Ivoire on January 14. Meanwhile, the winner of the game between Cameroon and Morocco will face either Algeria or Nigeria.

The final will be played on January 18 in Rabat, while the third-place playoff will be played a day earlier in Casablanca.