Hosts, Egypt, and many other big names in the African football are already out.
Quarterfinal fixtures set
Yesterday was a day of rest before action returns to the pitch for the eight teams that remain in the competition. West Africa has four, north and southern Africa with two each.
Senegal vs. Benin in Cairo July 10
Nigeria vs. South Africa in Cairo July 10
Algeria vs. Ivory Coast in Suez July 11
Madagascar vs. Tunisia in Cairo July 11
Quarterfinal Day 1: All you need to know
Senegal vs. Benin
This fixture takes place at the 30 June Stadium in Egypt’s capital, Cairo pitting the Lions of Teranga Senegal against the Squirrels of Benin.
The two teams, who have never won the prestigious prize, will be hoping to book a place in the semi-finals and take a step towards making history.
Sadio Mane’s Senegal go into the match as favourites, but will be wary of a Benin side that is yet to win or lose a match at the tournament, having held football giants like Cameroon, Ghana and Morocco to stalemates.
‘‘We should give every team its right and respect Benin. There are no small teams in Africa, the quality is very similar. While we might be favourites on paper, papers don’t decide anything,’‘ said Senegal’s coach Aliou Cisse.
‘‘Our presence at this stage is not out luck, we worked hard and I believe in my players,’‘ argued Benin’s coach, Michel Dussuyer.
Squirrels made it to this round by tying every group stage match and then using penalty kicks to beat favored Morocco. Simply put: they are survivors. It’ll take more than that against Sadio Mane and Senegal, one the favorites to lift a trophy this summer.
Senegal and Benin have not met before in AFCON history.
Nigeria vs. South Africa
Three-time African champions Nigeria, will take on South Africa’s Bafana Bafana who won the tournament when they hosted it in 1996.
The Super Eagles who overcame their nemesis Cameroon in the Round of 16 will be hoping to avoid the fate of hosts Egypt, who were upset by South Africa in the previous stage.
Finally out of their scoring doldrums, the Super Eagles outlasted Cameroon in a 3-2 thriller and now face a South Africa side which stunned Mohamed Salah and hosts Egypt. Bafana Bafana has only allowed two goals in four tournament matches, but Nigeria will put that to the test with Golden Boot co-leader Odion Ighalo.
‘‘We’re preparing very well for the game because it will be very difficult and against a strong team,’‘ Nigeria’s star forward Odion Ighalo said ahead of the July 10 fixture at the Cairo International Stadium.
South Africa beat Nigeria away in their opening match of the AFCON qualifiers in June 2017, and were held 1-1 in the return fixture.
‘‘Nigeria is one of the best teams in the tournament and it’s going to be a difficult match,’‘ conceded South Africa’s coach, Stuart Baxter.
Head to Head record
Nigeria 2-0 South Africa, semi-final in 2000
Nigeria 4-0 South Africa, group stage in 2004
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