The TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations 2021 group stage was concluded on Thursday evening and now the tournament is headed towards the knockout stage.
There have been a few shocks already, with heavyweights Ghana and holders Algeria being eliminated, while a few of the relatively smaller teams are still in contention.
Winners and runners-up from each of the six groups qualified for the last 16 of Afcon 2021 and they were joined by the four best-ranked third-place teams.
Cameroon and Burkina Faso advanced from Group A, while Senegal and Guinea progressed from Group B. Morocco and Gabon qualified from Group C, while Nigeria and Egypt advanced out of Group D.
Ivory Coast and Equatorial Guinea landed 1st and 2nd respectively in Group E and Mali finished top of Group F ahead of Gambia.
Cape Verde, Malawi, Tunisia and Comoros ended up finishing in the best third-place finish spots the end of the group stage.
Burkina Faso and Gabon will collide in the last 16, in what was the first knockout game to be confirmed.
Nigeria have landed Tunisia, Guinea will take on the runners-up from Group F in Gambia and Cameroon will lock horns with Group C’s third-place side Comoros.
Senegal, who advanced from Group B as winners, will play the third-placed team from Group A in Cape Verde, while Group C winners Morocco have been pitted against Malawi.
In the final two last-16 ties, Group E winners Ivory Coast will meet Egypt and Mali are due to clash with Equatorial Guinea as the competition starts to heat up.
Round of 16 fixtures
Sunday 23 January 2022
Burkina Faso v Gabon (Limbe Stadium, Limbe)
Nigeria v Tunisia (Roumde Adjia Stadium, Garoua)
Monday 24 January 2022
Guinea v Gambia (Kouekong Stadium, Bafoussam)
Cameroon v Comoros (Olembe Stadium, Yaounde)
Tuesday 25 January 2022
Senegal v Cape Verde (Kouekong Stadium, Bafoussam)
Morocco v Malawi (Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium, Yaounde)
Wednesday 26 January 2022
Cote d’Ivoire v Egypt (Japoma Stadium, Douala)
Mali v Equatorial Guinea (Limbe Stadium, Limbe)
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