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Who Will Win AFCON 2021: The Best Bet

The rigours of the last 16 ties have separated the wheat from the chaff. As we advance to the best last eight teams in The Total Energies Africa Cup of Nations, the picture of title contenders and pretenders is beginning to come clear. Barring any wild turn of events, the games now look much easier to call than it was two weeks ago when no team seemed assured. Nigeria was knocked out and so was the much fancied Ivory coast and it looks like the North African teams have finally exorcised the ghosts of poor performance whenever the tournament is held in sub-Saharan Africa.

                          Egypt will be looking for their eighth title
 

Will Egypt claim a record extending eighth title? It remains to be seen but the odds are stuck up against them. First, no North African team has won the tournament when it is held in a Sub-Saharan African country. Secondly, Cameroon have a knack of winning the title whenever they host the finals. Egypt has not had a great run of form. Only eight teams remain in the tournament, so who will it be? Cameroon, Senegal, Equatorial Guinea, Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia, Gambia and Burkina Faso are the only sides remaining. One thing is guaranteed; we'll have a new champion come February sixth.

We do not have to speculate much longer though. The tournament is soon coming to an end. Four games in the quarter finals followed by two in the semifinal stage, the final and 3rd place playoff is all that is left between now the tournament's closure on Sunday February 6th, 2022. In the first Quarter final (Q1) Gambia plays Cameroon. The second Quarter Final (Q2) features Burkina Faso against Tunisia. The third quarter final match (Q3) pits north African rivals Morocco and Egypt while the fourth quarter final game (Q4) will see minnows Equatorial Guinea take on Senegal.

 Cameroon player celebrate winning the cup in 2013 (Credit: Daily Active)

Quarter Final Fixtures:

Q1: Gambia vs Cameroon (Saturday January 29)

Q2: Burkina Faso vs Tunisia (Saturday January 29)

Q3: Egypt vs Morocco (Sunday January 30)

Q4: Senegal vs Equatorial Guinea (Sunday January 30)

I predict Cameroon to beat Gambia in a tight encounter on Saturday 29th. I fancy Tunisia to just pip Burkina Faso. I predict Morocco to see off Egypt and Equatorial Guinea to shock Senegal. The toughest game in the quarters seems to be Egypt vs Morocco as the two sides look equally matched. Senegal should see off Equatorial Guinea but they (Senegal) continue to struggle in front of goal. Their only goal from open play so far in the tournament was the one Sadio Mane scored against 9-man Cape Verde. Sadio Mane seems to have suffered a concussion in that game and is unlikely feature on Sunday therefore handing the Equatorial Guineans the advantage or, at the very least, the initiative.

Semi final Fixtures

S1: Winner Q1 vs Winner Q4 (Wednesday February 2)

S2: Winner Q3 Vs Winner Q2 (Thursday February 3)

In the first Semi-Final which see the winner of first quarterfinal one (Q1) against the winner of quarterfinal four (Q4)and I predict Cameroon to continue their march and outclass Equatorial Guinea. The other semifinal match will see winner of the north African derby (Egypt vs Morocco) play against the winner of the third Quarter final match (Q2 vs Q3) which pits Burkina Faso vs Tunisia. I predict Tunisia to beat Morocco.

Egyptians Celebrating a goal in past game (Credit: Daily Active)

The final will see the winner of the two Semifinals meet and I predict Cameroon to beat Tunisia. In the third Place Playoff I predict Morocco to beat Equatorial Guinea.  

Do you agree with my predictions? Comment below.

 

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