The defending titleholders, Côte d’Ivoire, have successfully punched their ticket to the quarterfinal stage of the Africa Cup of Nations following a dominant performance on Tuesday. Competing across various Moroccan host cities, the Ivorian squad secured a 3–0 victory over Burkina Faso in their Round of 16 encounter to keep their championship hopes alive.
Ivorian Dominance and Next Opponents
The scoring opened in the 20th minute when Amad Diallo found the back of the net. Yann Diomande extended the lead with a second goal in the 32nd minute, before Bazoumana Touré put the match to rest with a late strike in the 88th minute. Côte d’Ivoire, who finished at the top of Group F with seven points—edging out Cameroon on goal difference—are now scheduled to face Egypt in the quarterfinals. The Egyptian side earned their spot by defeating Benin 3–1 after the match went into extra time.
Algeria and Nigeria Advance
In a separate Round of 16 fixture held earlier on Tuesday, Algeria progressed to the final eight by clinching a 1–0 win over the Democratic Republic of Congo after extra time. Following 90 minutes of scoreless play, Adel Boulbina delivered the decisive blow in the 119th minute. The Algerian team maintains their strong form after finishing the group stage with a perfect record. They will now prepare for a showdown against Nigeria, who advanced after a convincing 4–0 win against Mozambique.
Quarterfinal Lineup and Schedule
With the inclusion of Côte d’Ivoire, the quarterfinal bracket is now complete. The remaining eight contenders for the trophy are Morocco, Egypt, Algeria, Cameroon, Senegal, Nigeria, Mali, and Côte d’Ivoire.
The quarterfinal matches are set to begin this Friday, featuring Mali against Senegal and Cameroon taking on the host nation, Morocco. The final two berths for the semifinals will be decided on Saturday, as Algeria meets Nigeria, followed by the highly anticipated clash between Egypt and Côte d’Ivoire.
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