As quarter-final clashes confirmed in Morocco

The quarter-final line-up for the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025 has been confirmed, setting up a series of heavyweight clashes as Africa’s biggest football tournament enters its decisive phase, reports CAFonline.

Defending champions Cote d’Ivoire and record seven-time winners Egypt are among an imposing last-eight line-up that also includes former champions and established contenders Senegal, Cameroon, Nigeria and Algeria, alongside ambitious West African rivals Mali and tournament hosts Morocco.

The eight nations advanced to the quarters following Tuesday night’s conclusion of an absorbing Round of 16, as Africa’s flagship football competition continues to serve mouthwatering clashes.

Egypt, the most successful nation in AFCON history, booked their place with a hard-fought extra-time victory over Benin, while holders Cote d’Ivoire maintained their title defence by overcoming Burkina Faso 3-0 to keep alive hopes of back-to-back crowns.

Hosts Morocco, buoyed by home support and their historic status as the first African nation to reach a FIFA World Cup semi-final, edged past Tanzania to progress.

Senegal, crowned champions in 2021, extended their impressive consistency with victory over Sudan, while Mali continued their reputation as one of the tournament’s most resilient sides by defeating Tunisia on penalties despite spending large periods of the match with ten men.

Nigeria underlined their attacking credentials with a commanding win over Mozambique, inspired by a brace from Victor Osimhen, while Algeria required extra time to see off DR Congo, substitute Adil Boulbina striking late to secure progression.

Among the standout ties is a blockbuster meeting between Egypt, the tournament’s most successful nation with seven titles, and defending champions Cote d’Ivoire on Saturday.

Hosts Morocco will face a stern test against Cameroon, five-time African champions, in what promises to be one of the tournament’s most intense quarter-finals on Friday.

An all–West African showdown sees reigning champions Senegal take on a resilient and talented Mali side in Friday’s first game.

Elsewhere, Nigeria will meet Algeria in a clash between two continental heavyweights in the first match of Saturday.

The quarter-final schedule offers a series of exciting encounters as the competition builds towards its climax.

The quarter-finals will be played over two days, with the winners advancing to the semi-finals as the race for continental supremacy intensifies in Morocco.

AFCON 2025 Quarter-final fixtures

(All kick-off times are local time in Morocco)

Friday, 9 January
17:00 — Mali vs Senegal
20:00 — Cameroon vs Morocco

Saturday, 10 January
17:00 — Algeria vs Nigeria
20:00 — Egypt vs Côte d’Ivoire

Defending champions Côte d’Ivoire march into quarter finals

Algeria 1–0 DR Congo (AET)
Scorer: Adil Boulbina (118)

Substitute Adil Boulbina struck deep into extra time to send Algeria into the quarter-finals of the TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025, sealing a hard-fought 1–0 victory over DR Congo in Rabat, reports CAFonline.

With penalties looming after a tense and goalless contest, Boulbina delivered the decisive moment in the 118th minute, just five minutes after coming off the bench.

The forward cut inside from the right and curled a superb strike beyond goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi-Nzau, whose heroics had kept DR Congo level for much of the match.

The breakthrough finally separated two evenly matched sides who had cancelled each other out during regulation time and the early stages of extra time, in a contest defined by discipline, physicality and missed chances.

Algeria began on the front foot, enjoying early territory and possession, but struggled to create clear openings against a well-organized Congolese defence.

Despite sustained pressure, Mpasi-Nzau was rarely seriously tested in the opening exchanges.

DR Congo looked increasingly dangerous on the counter-attack. Cedric Bakambu came close midway through the first half, forcing Luca Zidane into a smart save before Axel Tuanzebe’s header from the resulting corner drifted narrowly wide.

Bakambu then headed just past the post again moments later from an Aaron Wan-Bissaka cross.

Algeria responded before the interval when Ibrahim Maza surged forward on the break, but his low effort slipped inches wide of the target.

The second half followed a similar pattern, with Algeria probing and DR Congo threatening sporadically.

Mohamed Amoura squandered a golden opportunity with 12 minutes remaining, failing to bend his shot beyond Mpasi-Nzau, while at the other end Zineddine Belaid produced a vital intervention to deny Fiston Mayele from close range.

As fatigue set in during extra time, the intensity increased. Mpasi-Nzau produced two outstanding saves to keep out Fares Chaibi and Baghdad Bounedjah, appearing to push the contest towards a penalty shootout.

Boulbina, however, had other ideas. His moment of quality in the dying minutes finally broke Congolese resistance and sparked celebrations among the Algerian players and supporters.

Algeria now advance to a quarter-final showdown against Nigeria in Marrakesh, as their bid for a second AFCON title in six years gathers momentum.

REACTIONS

TotalEnergies Man of the Match: Adil Boulbina 

“First of all, thank God. Congratulations to Algeria and to the fans. I came onto the pitch late and score but it is a collective effort and not about me. It is a great feeling for the team”

Sébastien Desabre – Head Coach, DR Congo

“We played a good second half after the changes we made, but during extra time there was a breakdown. We did an excellent job and now we are disappointed. I congratulate the Algerian team and wish them the best. We created scoring chances and could have scored goals, but we didn’t. We gave a good tactical display in the match, but unfortunately luck was harsh on us. I have nothing to reproach the players for, and we must keep our heads held high because we gave everything we had.”

Vladimir Petković – Head Coach, Algeria

“I believe we deserved to win based on what our players delivered, and I thank them for that. We controlled two-thirds of the match and played good football, even though we faced some challenges during the game. We played well as a group, dominated the match, overcame difficulties, scored a goal and managed to win and qualify. I think we managed the match professionally. Qualifying was important, and now we will think about the next match against Nigeria.”

Côte d’Ivoire 3-0 3-0 Burkina Faso
Goals: A. Diallo 20′, Y. Diomandé 32′, B. Touré 82′

Côte d’Ivoire’s quest for back-to-back TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) titles gathered further momentum on Tuesday night in Marrakesh, as the defending champions booked their place in the Morocco 2025 quarter-finals with a commanding 3-0 victory over Burkina Faso.

Once again, Amad Diallo was at the heart of the Ivorian display. The Manchester United winger opened the scoring and provided an assist for the second goal, underlining his growing influence as Les Éléphants continue to prove that their triumph on home soil was no coincidence.

The result sets up a tantalising quarter-final clash against record champions Egypt, scheduled for Saturday in Agadir.

Côte d’Ivoire began the contest at a relentless tempo, immediately pushing Burkina Faso onto the back foot. Diallo and Yan Diomandé were constant threats in advanced areas, stretching the Burkinabè defence with pace and movement.

The breakthrough arrived in the 20th minute following sustained Ivorian pressure. A brief ping-pong between two Burkina Faso defenders inside the penalty area allowed Diallo to pounce inside the six-yard box, delicately chipping the ball over the onrushing goalkeeper.

Twelve minutes later, Diallo turned provider with a moment of quality. He delivered a low, inviting cross across the face of goal for Diomandé, who took a composed first touch before drilling a low finish past the goalkeeper to double the advantage.

Burkina Faso came close to reducing the deficit just before the interval when Dango Ouattara surged down the right flank, but his low effort struck the post and rebounded safely into the goalkeeper’s arms.

The Stallions emerged with renewed intent after the break and enjoyed an improved spell, launching waves of attacks in search of a route back into the contest. However, they found an Ivorian backline in resolute mood, defending with discipline and composure.

Any lingering hopes of a comeback were extinguished three minutes from time. Breaking swiftly on the counter-attack, Ousmane Diomandé latched onto a precise pass from Odilon Kossounou before finishing confidently at the near post to seal the result.

With the outcome beyond doubt, Côte d’Ivoire calmly saw out the remaining minutes to secure a convincing victory and a well-earned place in the last eight.

Post-match quotes:

Amad Diallo – Man of the match
“First of all, we fought together as a team. Everyone is focused on contributing in whatever way they can. There is also a real chemistry on the pitch, a closeness between us that makes our play more fluid. There is a genuine connection, a certain rhythm in the way we play. No one is trying to be the hero or to shine individually for the country. If I have the chance to make the pass, I do it. It’s instinctive; I give him the ball. That’s how we play.”

Brama Traoré – Head Coach, Burkina Faso
“Unfortunately, things did not work out for us tonight. We were weakened by several key absences, and that was evident on the pitch. When you are without three important players, you inevitably feel that something is missing. From a tactical point of view, we were not good enough. The system we put in place did not work, and I take full responsibility for that.”

Emerse Faé – Head Coach, Côte d’Ivoire
“I really liked our reaction when we lost the ball. Every time possession was lost, the players reacted immediately. They were under pressure at times and put in difficult situations, but they made a real effort to recover the ball very, very quickly. There were many interceptions, duels won and balls regained directly from the opponent’s feet. That aspect of our game pleased me a lot. What truly makes me happy is that beyond individual performances, it was the strength of the team in entirety that really stood out tonight.”

 To fly into AFCON quarter-finals

TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025 Round of 16

The final Round of 16 fixture at the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025 will see West African neighbors Côte d’Ivoire and Burkina Faso face off at the Grand Stade Marrakech on 6 January 2026. Kick-off is scheduled for 20h00 local time (19h00 GMT), reports CAFonline.

The two nations share a 545-kilometre border, with Côte d’Ivoire lying to the south of Burkina Faso. The border runs west from a tree-point with Mali to another tree-point with Ghana in the east, underlining the close geographical and regional ties between the sides.

This will be the third meeting between the teams at the Africa Cup of Nations, having previously met in back-to-back group stage encounters in 2010 and 2012. Those meetings both came in the group phase, making this their first-ever AFCON knockout round clash.

In the 2010 finals, they were drawn in a three-team Group B alongside Ghana and met in their opening game in Lubango on 11 January, which ended goalless. Côte d’Ivoire progressed from the group along with Ghana. Current Côte d’Ivoire coach Emerse Faé was an unused substitute in that match.

They met again in Group B at the 2012 edition, where Côte d’Ivoire secured a 2-0 victory with goals from Salomon Kalou in the 16th minute and a Bakary Koné own goal in the 82nd minute. The Ivorians progressed from the group alongside Sudan. Côte d’Ivoire have kept a clean sheet in both previous AFCON meetings against Burkina Faso.

Overall, the two nations have met 20 times in all competitions. Côte d’Ivoire have recorded eight wins, Burkina Faso three, with nine matches ending in draws.

They were drawn together in qualifying for the 1996 AFCON, with both matches ending in draws as both nations qualified for the finals in South Africa. They also met in 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifying, where Côte d’Ivoire won both matches, 3-2 away and 5-0 at home.

The sides have twice been paired in CHAN qualifying, with Côte d’Ivoire progressing in 2022 and Burkina Faso qualifying ahead of the Ivorians in 2024.

PAST MEETINGS

OVERALL
Côte d’Ivoire: P20 W8 D9 L3 GF28 GA17 GD+11
Burkina Faso: P20 W3 D9 L8 GF17 GA28 GD-11

AFCON ONLY
Côte d’Ivoire: P2 W1 D1 L0 GF2 GA0 GD+2
Burkina Faso: P2 W0 D1 L1 GF0 GA2 GD-2

PAST AFCON MEETINGS
2010 – Group B, 11 January 2010
Côte d’Ivoire 0 Burkina Faso 0

2012 – Group B, 26 January 2012
Côte d’Ivoire 2 (Kalou 16’, Koné 82’) Burkina Faso 0

Côte d’Ivoire – Key Statistics

• Unbeaten in their last seven AFCON matches (W4 D3), including all three games at the current finals.• Have won five of their last seven AFCON games in open play (D2).
• Reached the knockout stage with group wins over Mozambique and Gabon, and a draw against Cameroon.
• Four of their five group-stage goals were scored in the second half; only Philippe Krasso’s 44th-minute goal against Mozambique came before the break.
• Eight of their last nine AFCON goals have been scored in the second half, six of them from the 65th minute onwards.
• Have scored in their last seven AFCON matches; their longest scoring run is nine games, spanning the 2013 and 2015 editions.
• Reached the Round of 16 for the fourth time; previously progressed at this stage in 2019 and 2023, and were eliminated in 2021.
• Defeated Mali 1-0 in the 2019 Round of 16, with Wilfried Zaha scoring in the 76th minute.
• Lost to Egypt on penalties in the 2021 Round of 16 after a 0-0 draw.
• Drew 1-1 with Senegal in the 2023 Round of 16 before winning 5-4 on penalties, after conceding in the 4th minute and equalizing through Franck Kessié’s 86th-minute penalty.
• Have never lost an AFCON Round of 16 match in open play, recording one open-play win and one penalty shoot-out victory.
• No defending champion has won a Round of 16 match at AFCON; the last to reach the quarter-finals were Egypt in 2010.
• Since 2010, five defending champions have failed to reach the quarter-finals: Zambia (2013), Côte d’Ivoire (2017), Cameroon (2019), Algeria (2021) and Senegal (2023).
• As defending champions, this is only the second time Côte d’Ivoire have progressed beyond the group stage, after being eliminated in the group phase in 2017.
• Have not lost in open play in their last 10 AFCON knockout matches, winning six in open play and one on penalties; their three defeats in this run all came via shoot-outs.
• Last open-play knockout defeat was a 2-1 loss to Nigeria in the 2013 quarter-finals.
• Have been involved in 11 AFCON penalty shoot-outs (W5 L6), with five coming before the semi-final stage.
• Won a Round of 16 penalty shoot-out against Senegal in 2023 after a 1-1 draw.
• Have won and lost a penalty shoot-out at every knockout stage: Round of 16, quarter-final, semi-final and final.
• Have won their last three knockout matches in open play, all at the 2023 edition from the quarter-finals onwards.
• Victory would send them to the AFCON quarter-finals for the 12th time (1992, 1994, 1998, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2019, 2023).
• Came from two goals down to defeat Gabon 3-2 in their final group game, the first time they have won an AFCON match after trailing by two or more goals.
• Won an AFCON match after trailing at half-time for the first time since the 2023 final against Nigeria.
• Amad Diallo has scored in both of his starts (2 goals) and could become the first Ivorian to score 3+ goals in a single edition since Didier Drogba in 2012.
• Yan Diomandé has completed the most dribbles for Côte d’Ivoire (10), with his per-90 average the highest at the tournament among group-stage players.
• Against Gabon, Emmanuel Agbadou and Diomandé recorded 102 touches each, with both attempting 91 passes.
• Côte d’Ivoire lead the tournament for passing accuracy at 90%.
• Diallo and Franck Kessié have each created seven chances, the most by any Ivorian players at the finals.
• Coach Emerse Faé is unbeaten at AFCON since his appointment during the last finals (P7 W5 D2).
• Under Faé, all five of Côte d’Ivoire’s open-play wins have been by a single-goal margin, and they have scored in all seven matches while keeping two clean sheets.

Burkina Faso – Key Statistics

• Progressed from the group stage with wins over Equatorial Guinea and Sudan, and a loss to Algeria.
• Have reached the Round of 16 in all three tournaments in which they have participated at this stage.
• Passed the Round of 16 in 2021 but were eliminated at this stage in 2023.
• In their first Round of 16 match in 2021, drew 1-1 with Gabon after extra time before winning 7-6 on penalties.
• Lost 2-1 to Mali in the 2023 Round of 16.
• A Burkinabè player has scored an own goal in both of their previous Round of 16 matches.
• Have conceded in both previous Round of 16 games and are yet to win at this stage in open play.
• Victory would take them to the quarter-finals for the fifth time (1998, 2013, 2017, 2021).
• Have won two of their three matches at the current finals; a third win would equal their best-ever tally in a single edition (2017).
• Have been involved in six AFCON penalty shoot-outs (W3 L3).
• None of their AFCON knockout matches have ended 0-0.
• Dango Ouattara has scored two of Burkina Faso’s four goals at the tournament and leads his team for chances created (6) and completed dribbles (7).
• Edmond Tapsoba leads all defenders for line-breaking passes (45) and progressive carries (53), and has attempted the most passes for his team (230).
• Issoufou Dayo, Hervé Koffi, Arsène Kouassi and Edmond Tapsoba have started all three of Burkina Faso’s matches so far.

Algeria – DR Congo: High fliers Algeria, DR Congo battle for destiny

Algeria and DR Congo will clash in the Round of 16 of the TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), Morocco 2025 in Rabat on Tuesday, each seeking their own path to destiny, reports CAFonline.

Both sides have been impressive so far in the tournament, and this high billed encounter is expected to bear fireworks at the Moulay El Hassan Stadium.

Algeria, title winners in 2019, had an impressive run in the group stages, winning all their games and conceding only once in the process.

It was a stark opposite of their performances since winning the title in Egypt 2019, where they struggled to string results and were increasingly under pressure.

But at this edition, Les Fennecs have been in sensational form, and have been heavily fancied as one of the favourites for the title.

With an experienced squad led by skipper Riyadh Mahrez, Algeria have shown attacking flair with a brilliant balance in defense so far. Seven goals scored in three matches has been a worthy return, and they will look to impose themselves against the Congolese.

They have not lost to the DR Congo in their last seven meetings, winning thrice while four games ended in draws. This will be a confident booster for them, hoping history will favour them against an equally resilient side.

DR Congo have shown their own credentials so far. They finished second in Group D with seven points off two wins and a draw, and only failed to top the group on goal difference.

Just like the Algerians, Les Leopards have had an equally mean defense, only conceding once in their 1-1 draw with Senegal. They have kept clean sheets in two matches and scored five times.

Two-time AFCON, DR Congo’s recent best ever performance was a third place finish in 2015. Under coach Sebastian Desabre, they are seeking to move back to the top.

With an experienced backbone especially offensively, driven by Cedric Bakambu and the evergreen Gael Kakuta, DR Congo will fancy their chances against Algeria.

Coach Desabre will have a strong squad to pick from, with a hungry lot keen to make their presence felt.

Pre-match quotes:

Vladimir Petković, Algeria Head Coach:

“Congo is a well-built team, and you can clearly see the coach’s influence. Offensively, they are especially dangerous down the right side. They attack with a positive approach and strong momentum, and this is reflected in their results, both in the qualifiers and in knockout matches. They may not be used to facing opponents of a certain caliber, but they are still capable of eliminating them.

Sébastien Desabre, DR Congo head coach:

“These are high-stakes matches, since a place in the quarter-finals is at stake against a very good African team. For us, we’re happy because it helps us continue to improve in match preparation. It will also give us a lot of experience in managing this kind of game. And for us, we keep going, we don’t feel any extra pressure. In Congo, we’re used to having high pressure in matches. The players know this, and we actually like it.”

Pre-match statistic:

Overall, the teams have met seven times. Algeria have recorded three wins, while DR Congo are winless, with four matches ending in draws. The last four meetings have all finished level, with the most recent three — all friendlies — ending 1-1. The last Algeria victory in this fixture came at the 1988 AFCON.

Determination and belief push Mounié and Benin in chase for AFCON glory

Benin striker Steve Mounié says belief and determination are driving the team in their quest for history at the TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), Morocco 2025, reports CAFonline.

The Cheetahs have already checked one historical milestone with their first-ever victory at the tournament, and now set their sights on a second objective: equaling their best-ever AFCON performance by reaching the quarter-finals.

They face Egypt in Agadir on Monday in the Round of 16, looking to bring all those ingredients together as they push for another historic result.

“We will approach this match with determination and the belief that we can qualify, fully confident in our strengths,” Mounié told CAFOnline. Those strengths, he added, are also drawn from the strong team spirit that has characterized the team since the start of the tournament.

“The group is doing really well. We share moments of joy together. At every meal, the players taking part in their first AFCON go through a bit of initiation, which creates a great atmosphere on a daily basis. It helps us release some of the mental pressure,” explained the Alanyaspor forward.

Aiming to do better than 2019

Benin qualified from Group F at AFCON 2025 after recording their first-ever victory in the group stage, and their first win from open play in the history of the competition. Mounié believes the Cheetahs are capable of achieving even more.

“We have already made history at this Africa Cup of Nations, but now we are thinking about what comes next and how we can do even better. Continuing to write the history of Beninese football is important to us, and qualifying against Egypt would be a resounding achievement,” he said.

The former Stade Brestois striker was part of the Benin squad in 2019, when the team, then known as the Squirrels, reached the AFCON quarter-finals for the first time in their history. The question now is whether they can repeat that feat.

“In 2019, we were mentally exhausted. We weren’t prepared to go that far, unlike in 2025. We had a very long preparation and a demanding campaign, which worked against us. This time, I hope we will be mentally and physically fresher to approach this match in the best possible way,” said Mounié, who remains a doubt for the encounter against the Pharaohs due to injury.

Rohr, the right man for the job

Despite their performances, the Cheetahs have not escaped criticism, something Mounié accepts but does not fully understand.

“I think some of the criticism has been a bit harsh. But people are free to say what they want. What matters is that we have achieved the objectives we set before the competition,” he said.

One thing is certain: Benin will give everything against Egypt, whether or not Mounié features on the pitch. Head coach Gernot Rohr will be on the touchline, and his leadership has been a key factor in Benin’s success.

“The coach is someone who gives a lot of responsibility to his players. Sometimes that’s a good thing, because we are the ones on the pitch and, with our experience, we must be able to manage tactical and technical situations ourselves,” Mounié added.

Collective team effort will push us through: Trezeguet

Egypt forward Mahmoud ‘Trezeguet’ Hassan has reiterated that a concerted team effort will be key to push them past Benin when the two sides play in the Round of 16 of the TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), Morocco 2025 in Agadir on Monday.

Despite having exceptional players within their ranks like Mohamed Salah and Omar Marmoush, Trezeguet believes Egypt’s greatest asset lies in the unity of the team.

“Within the team, there is no player better than another. We all play for one objective. We are defending our country and our flag,” Trezeguet said during the pre-match press conference.

It was with this mindset that the Pharaohs dominated the group stage, finishing with seven points from two wins and a draw. That last encounter against Angola, which ended 0-0, further highlighted the depth of Egypt’s collective strength, as head coach Hossam Hassan made 11 changes to the starting line-up.

“I have a group of 28 players and I am very satisfied with all of them,” Hassan stated.

For Egypt, the objective at AFCON 2025 remains clear: lifting the trophy, with every match carrying equal importance.

“It will be an important match against a good Benin team. The technical staff has put everything in place for us to deliver a strong performance, and we are ready to make the Egyptian people happy,” said Trezeguet, who has played 147 minutes across two matches in the tournament.

Holders of the record for most AFCON titles with seven continental crowns, Egypt have been chasing another triumph since 2010. In recent years, the Pharaohs have fallen short in two finals, in 2017 and 2021, setbacks that have only strengthened their motivation and determination.

“Our objective is to win the competition,” he concluded.