Qualification to the knockout stages of the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations Cote d’Ivoire 2023 means a lot to the people of DR Congo.

This was the statement made by DR Congo defender, Gael Kakuta after collecting his TotalEnergies Man of the match Award on Wednesday evening following their 0-0 draw against Tanzania in a Group F clash at Korhogo’s Amadou Gon Coulibaly Stadium.

“It’s always good to get a trophy. What is important is the qualification and this is good for our people back home who we know have been behind us in this difficult journey. We had a difficult group with strong teams but hard work and support from our people got us through” said Kakuta.

The defender, who plies his trade in France with Amiens SC commended the good display of Tanzania, who head home after finishing bottom of the group.

Despite them not qualifying, it’s a very good nation that is progressing. They really gave us and the rest of the group a lot of work to do. For now, we are going to enjoy the moment. They didn’t score and that is a positive sign that we can work on” concluded Kakuta.

DR Congo played out to goalless draw against Tanzania at Korhogo’s Amadou Gon Coulibaly Stadium, which was sufficient to see them through and secure a place in the round of 16 of the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations Cote d’Ivoire 2023.

The Leopards will meet seven-time record holders, Egypt after finishing second to Morocco who top Group F.

This was the Leopards’ third consecutive stalemate after drawing 1-1 in their two respective matches against Zambia and Morocco.

With Morocco well on course to finishing top of the group, the Leopards went into the clash knowing that a single point would be sufficient to book them a knockout stage ticket, as they attempt to claim their third TotalEnergies AFCON title in their 20^th appearance.

The opening stanza concluded with very little chances created with Tanzania surprisingly absorbing the pressure, despite having an outside chance of qualifying.

As the game edged closer to the finish, the Leopards surged forward but were denied by the acrobatic Aishi Manula in goals.

DR Congo almost stole it at the end after Manula got a hand to Yoane Wissa’s well struck effort in the 84^th minute to salvage a point for the Tafia Stars who head home, as the Leopards advance.

This is what the coaches had to say

Juma Mgunda – Tanzania Interim Coach

“It was a good game. We unfortunately couldn’t get a goal, but I am happy with the performance. The boys did well. It was good game even though we couldn’t get the desired result. We prepared to win this game, but it wasn’t easy. We got into good goal scoring areas and created so many chances but just could not convert. That is the nature of football. We played them three times before this competition, and I know how they play but I want to put this game behind us. We have identified our mistakes, and we will work on this”.

Sebastien Desabre – DR Congo Coach

“I am very happy for my players and the people of DR Congo. This competition started a year ago for us through the qualifiers. I am very proud of the team’s performance. When you have such unity in the team, you get the result and the fans and people at home will enjoy this.

We had to adjust our style of play slightly because this was a very decisive game. We tried our best and it was a very physically testing game, but we focused on what was important which was qualification. We had a lot of control and deprived our opponent of the ball. This was a different approach from the previous matches, and I am really happy with what I saw”.

The Algerian Football Federation (FAF) has terminated the contract of national team coach Djamel Belmadi following their difficult TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations campaign in Cote d’Ivoire.

The decision to sever ties with the former international player came after the Desert Foxes suffered a 1-0 defeat against Mauritania in Bouake on Tuesday.

The loss against Mauritania hastened Algeria’s early elimination at the group stage of the TotalEnergies CAF AFCON.

Belmadi’s contract was due to run until 2026 but the decision was taken to prematurely end the agreement following their showing in the tournament.

FAF president Walid Sadi announced the decision on Wednesday after meeting with Belmadi to discuss Algeria’s group stage elimination from the 2023 tournament.

“We have reached an amicable agreement to end the contract between coach Djamel Belmadi and the Algerian Football Federation,” Sadi said in a tweet.

“We thank him for everything he has done for the team and wish him good luck.”

Algeria had two draws in the competition after being held 1-1 by Angola and 2-2 by Burkina Faso before the defeat against the Mauritanian team made them finish bottom of Group D.

It is the first time since 1994 that Algeria has failed to progress from the group stage in back-to-back TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations.

Appointed in 2018, Belmadi led Algeria to victory at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt. But his side have struggled to replicate that form over the past year.

Tuesday’s 1-0 loss to Mauritania proved the final straw for the FAF, who have now begun the search for Belmadi’s successor.

The group stage of the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations Cote d’Ivoire 2023 concluded on Wednesday night, setting up some highly anticipated knockout stage clashes.

The group stage produced everything expected of the grit the TotalEnergies CAF AFCON is made of stellar shocks, goals, records, history, and passionate fans turning up at match venues.

In the marquee match of the round, defending champion Senegal will take on tournament host Cote d’Ivoire.

The Elephants suffered a shock 4-0 thrashing by Equatorial Guinea in their final group game but still advanced. They now face the daunting task of overcoming an in-form Senegalese side that has yet to drop points.

Two more African heavyweights will collide when Nigeria meets Cameroon. Both teams had uneven group stages but remained continental powerhouses.

Morocco topped their group without conceding elsewhere and will look to continue their fine form against South Africa.

After surprisingly winning Group A undefeated, underdogs Equatorial Guinea will try to cause another upset against Guinea. First-time knockouts Namibia face a stern challenge from two-time quarterfinalists Angola.

Despite an underwhelming group stage, Egypt’s pedigree as the most successful TotalEnergies CAF AFCON nation makes them dangerous opponents for DR Congo.

Other intriguing clashes see Mali take on Burkina Faso while Cape Verde battles Mauritania.

With sudden-death matches between some of Africa’s top sides, the TotalEnergies CAF AFCON Round of 16 promises pulsating action and drama as heavy favorites and plucky underdogs collide.

Below are the exciting fixtures to look out for:

Nigeria v Cameroon 

Despite a shaky start, the two giants managed to qualify for round 16 after their final round of matches.

Nigeria is hoping to end a decade of no TotalEnergies CAF AFCON trophy.

Rigobert Song is under pressure to give Cameroonians a better performance in the knockout stage after struggling in the group stage, where they won just a game.

One of the powerhouses will be crashed out in the round of 16.

The game is on Saturday, January 27, at Abidjan’s Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium.

Cape Verde v Mauritania

After a shocking run in the group stage, which saw Cape Verde going unbeaten and leading a group involving two previous TotalEnergies CAF AFCON champions, Egypt and Ghana, the Blue Sharks will have Mauritania to deal with in the round of 16. Amir Abdou has already exceeded expectations by getting this far with Mauritania.

They can, however, write more history as they face Cape Verde. The game is on Monday, January 29, at the Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium.

Equatorial Guinea v Guinea 

Equatorial Guinea shockingly managed to top a group involving hosts Côte D’Ivoire and Nigeria. They face a Guinean side inconsistent with results from this year’s TotalEnergies CAF AFCON.

The Syli Nationals will have the competition’s top scorer, Emilio Nsue, to deal with in this fixture. The game is at the Alassane Ouattara Stadium on Sunday, January 28.

Angola v Namibia

Namibia made history by qualifying for the knockout stage of the TotalEnergies CAF AFCON for the first time in their history since debuting in 1998. They face Angola, who topped a group involving Burkina Faso, Burkina Faso, and Mauritania with 7 points.

Based on their record in the competition’s history, Angola will want more: two-time quarterfinalists. The game is scheduled at Stade de la Paix in Bouake on January 27.

Mali v Burkina Faso 

Burkina Faso brought their group-stage games to a disappointing end after losing 2-0 to Angola. Mali went unbeaten in all their group-stage games and will play at the Amadou Gon Coulibaly Stadium in Kohorgo, where they played most of their group games. The game is on January 29 at the Amadou Gon Coulibaly Stadium.

Egypt vs. D.R Congo 

Egypt qualified after drawing all group games. It was not a good one for the Pharaohs. As the most prosperous country in the competition’s history, their presence in the knockout stage threatens any team they face, and D.R. Congo is no exception. The game will be played on January 28 at the Laurent Pokou Stadium.

 Senegal vs Côte d’lvoire 

Following their disappointing 4-0 defeat on the final day, host Côte d’Ivoire only progressed after Zambia lost to Morocco in their last group F game. They have been handed a tough test against defending champions Senegal. Senegal has a 100% record in the tournament, and the fixture is challenging for the host.

The game will be played at the Charles Konan Banny Stadium on January 29.

Morocco vs South Africa 

The 2022 FIFA World Cup semifinalists are on track to winning the TotalEnergies CAF AFCON Côte d’Ivoire 2023. They will face South Africa in Round 16 on their way to achieving the feat. The South African attack with Percy Tau and Themba Zwane will give the Moroccans a lot of problems to deal with. The game is on January 30 at the Laurent Pokou Stadium.

The Indomitable Lions of Cameroon defeated Gambia 3-2 in their last group game of the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations Côte d’Ivoire 2023.

Karl Toko Ekambi put Cameroon in the lead in the 56th minute. Ekambi met a cross from Georges-Kevin N’Koudou to score with a header.

Gambia came back into the game with an equalizer through Ablie Jallow. He latched on to a cross into the 18-yard box to shoot into the bottom right corner to score.

The Scorpions went on to take the lead. Assan Ceesay laid through Ebrima Colley with a sumptuous pass. The forward kept his cool to put the ball into the net.

With exit staring at the face of Cameroon, they had to respond, and they did.

James Gomez tried clearing a ball from his half, but it ended up in his net just two minutes after they took the lead.

Cameroon took the lead once again. Defender Christopher Wooh met Georges-Kevin N’Koudou’s cross with a header to score.

The victory means Cameroon has qualified for the knockout stage with 4 points.

Tom Sainfait -Gambia head coach 

“This is my last game with the Gambian team; I will stay with them in a few days. I have thought this is the right time to resign and move forward, and I would like to thank the federation’s president of Gambia. I was not surprised because the Ivorians knew they had an advantage to progress if we won, and they supported us. There is a rivalry between the two countries as well. I think it is only one goal that made the difference, we played better game than we did against Cameroon. Cameroon had outstanding players, and we knew they had experience in many matches. There was only one team that won, which was The Gambia. Such games are a victory for us.”.