As the stage is set for Cote d’Ivoire 2023 knockout stages

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The stage is officially set for the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations Cote d’Ivoire 2023 knockout stages after the third and final round of group matches on Wednesday, 24 January, to confirm the 16 teams that qualified for the round of 16.

CAFOnline looks at the highlights of the final round of group fixtures.

1. Mauritania qualified for the round of 16 for the first time. Against Algeria, they also obtained their first-ever TotalEnergies CAF AFCON win in eight matches.

2. This is also the first time Senegal has made 3 out of 3 in the competition’s group stage. The Lions of Teranga did this with eight goals scored against 1 conceded.

3. It is the second consecutive TotalEnergies CAF AFCON that Algeria has been eliminated in the group stage without any victory. 2021 the Fennecs collected 1 point; in 2023, they collected two points.

4. Three goals were scored from penalties between Mozambique (1) and Ghana (2), the highest total in a single TotalEnergies CAF African Cup of Nations match.

5. Equatorial Guinean Emilio Nsue finishes the group stage with five goals. He is the second player to achieve such a performance at this stage of the competition since the Ivorian legend Laurent Pokou (7 goals in 1970).

6. Nigeria has reached the knockout stage in their last 15 appearances, the longest in the tournament.

8. Against Equatorial Guinea, Cote d’Ivoired’Ivoired its biggest defeat. The Elephants had never lost a TotalEnergies CAF AFCON match by a margin of 4 goals.

9. Five coaches left their post at the end of the group stages. Tom Saintfiet (Gambia), Chris Hughton (Ghana), Jalel Kadri (Tunisia), Djamel Belmadi (Algeria) and Jean-Louis Gasset (Cote d’Ivoire)

10. Three matches finished 0-0 in the final round of group matches. Namibia – Mali, Tanzania – DR Congo and Tunisia – South Africa

11. Twenty-four goals were scored, fewer than during the first day of the group stage. The second day saw 38 goals.