Cameroon goalkeeper Fabrice Ondoa (KHALED DESOUKI/AFP/Getty)
The 2017 Total Africa Cup of Nations has reached the knockout stage, with eight teams surviving the 16-team group stage in hopes of becoming the continent’s best team. Defending champions Cote d’Ivoire and host Gabon were among the eight teams eliminated in the group stage, with sides such as Burkina Faso and DR Congo among those that advanced.
Below are the group standings as well as updated knockout stage results.
Group A
Standings
Burkina Faso 1-2-0 5 points (GD: +2)
Cameroon 1-2-0 5 points (goal differential: +1)
Gabon 0-3-0 3 points (GD: 0)
Guinea-Bissau 0-1-2 1 point (GD: -3)
Burkina Faso advance as group winners, based on their superior goal differential. Cameroon, which needed an incredible save by Fabrice Ondoa in stoppage time to salvage a draw, advance as runners-up. Burkina Faso will face the Group B runner-up in the quarterfinals, with Cameroon drawing the winner of Group B in its quarterfinal. Gabon become the first host since Tunisia in 1994 to fail to advance out of the group stage.
Group B
Standings
Senegal 2-1-0 7 points (goal differential: +4)
Tunisia 2-0-1 6 points (GD: +1)
Algeria 0-2-1 2 point (GD: -1)
Zimbabwe 0-1-2 1 point (GD: -4)
With its 2-2 draw with Algeria, Senegal finished atop Group B and will face Cameroon in the quarterfinal round. Also advancing is Tunisia, which finishes second in Group B on six points. Tunisia will face Group A winners Burkina Faso in the quarterfinal round. Algeria, which needed a win and some help from Zimbabwe on Match Day 3, fails to advance.
Group C
Standings
DR Congo 2-1-0 7 points (goal differential: +3)
Morocco 2-0-1 6 points (GD: +2)
Cote D’Ivoire 0-2-1 2 points (GD: -1)
Togo 0-1-2 1 point (GD: -4)
DR Congo locked up the top spot in Group C with its 3-1 victory over Togo. Also advancing to the knockout stage is Morocco, which defeated Cote d’Ivoire 1-0. Cote d’Ivoire’s elimination means that there will be a new champion, as the Ivorians won the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations. DR Congo will face the Group D runner-up in the quarterfinal round, with Morocco drawing the winner of Group D.
Group D
Standings
Egypt 2-1-0 7 points (GD: +2)
Ghana 2-0-1 6 points (GD: +1)
Mali 0-2-1 2 points (GD: -1)
Uganda 0-1-2 1 point (GD: -2)
With Wednesday’s results, Egypt goes through as the winner of Group. Mohamed Salah’s goal in the first half was the difference in Egypt’s 1-0 win over Ghana, which will go through as runners-up. Mali, which faced long odds of progressing, and Uganda both fail to advance into the knockout stage.
Quarterfinal Matchups
January 28: Burkina Faso 2, Tunisia 0
January 28: Senegal 0, Cameroon 0 (Cameroon win on penalties, 5-4)
January 29: DR Congo 1, Ghana 2
January 29: Egypt 1, Morocco 0
Semifinal Matchups
February 1: Burkina Faso vs. Egypt, 2:00 p.m. Eastern
February 2: Cameroon vs. Ghana, 2:00 p.m. Eastern
