There are 16 groups left on the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
The event, being hosted in Morocco and for the primary time in December, has introduced with it the nice, dangerous and ugly.
Nevertheless, one factor we haven’t had are shock exits.
Pre-tournament favourites like Nigeria, Egypt, Algeria, Morocco and Senegal additionally negotiated their passage into the knockout rounds.
“AFCON has been nice, when it comes to the standard on present, identical to the final event in Côte d’Ivoire,” Clinton McDubus, a prime soccer analyst and podcaster, tells DAILY POST.
“The vibe has been a bit completely different, particularly with the dearth of serious upsets.
“Nevertheless, I feel it simply reveals that the larger groups recognise that they can not afford to be complacent.
“The hole between the elite and the remaining is quickly closing. The standout gamers, for me, have been Azzedine Ounahi, Brahim, Ademola Lookman, Alex Iwobi, Maza and Ernan.
“A major low level continues to be the attendance situation that has continued by way of AFCON tournaments.
“It impacts the environment in video games, nevertheless it’s not a soccer situation. It transcends soccer and is a troublesome downside to unravel exactly due to that.”
The presence of the heavyweights within the Spherical of 16, will present a number of thrilling matches to followers.
However it does seem the one fixture that pundits particularly are is the conflict between South Africa and Cameroon.
The 2 international locations haven’t precisely pulled up timber within the event, however this may very well be the sport to set it off.
“I feel we’re going to have a bunch of blockbuster video games, due to the dearth of upsets,” McDubus added.
“All the large groups superior, and most of them are assembly each other.
“I feel solely Senegal and Morocco have comparatively simple match-ups, based mostly on workforce high quality and stage proven on the event up to now.
“I’m predicting that the sport of the spherical would be the South Africa – Cameroon sport.
“Whereas South Africa are a formidable aspect on their day, Cameroon are a workforce you possibly can by no means write-off as they’ve proven up to now.
“Regardless of all the interior points they’ve handled and the absence of some massive names for non-footballing causes, they’ve remained formidable.
“I anticipate an interesting tactical battle and a sport selected little or no margins.”
Nevertheless, for Nigerians, all eyes can be on Monday when the Tremendous Eagles play Mozambique of their last-16 fixture.
Eric Chelle’s males are the one workforce that gained all their group matches and the expectations are starting to rise.
“Mozambique are usually not a straightforward workforce to face,” McDubus warned.
“They’re daring and fearless, exhibiting no respect for his or her extra illustrious opponents. Each workforce they’ve confronted up to now had a troublesome time.
“Nevertheless, they’ve obtrusive defensive vulnerabilities that play proper into Nigeria’s fingers.
“The Tremendous Eagles are superb at matching their opponents and no matter they convey.
“I feel we are going to see a dominant efficiency that forces the Mozambique workforce into give up. The workforce has a very good likelihood of constructing the semi finals, no less than, regardless of being on the extra daunting aspect of the draw.
“Probably dealing with hosts Morocco at that stage is a headache, but when there’s any workforce that may do it, it’s Nigeria.
“Morocco themselves don’t scare me. I don’t assume they’re pretty much as good as their file profitable streak initially prompt, they usually’ve regarded even much less spectacular at this event.
“I consider this Nigerian workforce continues to be fairly underrated. Now we have an incredible likelihood of profitable the trophy.”
