Defending AFCON champions Ivory Coast and Algeria complete quarter final line-up

January 7 – Defending champions Ivory Coast into the quarter-finals of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) in Morocco with a 3-0 win over Burkina Faso in Marrakech. Algeria needed extra time to squeeze past Congo as the last two spots in the last eight were filled.

Manchester United’s Amad Diallo (pictured), who was not part of the Ivory Coast squad which won the 2023 Afcon on home soil, starred as he took his goal tally to three at this tournament.

Diallo put the Elephants ahead in the 20th minute as he drove past two defenders to finish past Herve Koffi from close range.

Twelve minutes later Diallo laid on the second for Yan Diomande, who curled his shot past a stranded Koffi from just inside the area.

Teenager Bazoumana Toure scored Ivory Coast’s third with a solo goal late on, that saw him pick up the ball midway inside his own half and eventually beating Koffi with a clinical finish.

The defending champions now face record seven-time champions Egypt in Agadir on Saturday.

A goal deep into extra time from Adil Boulbina saw Algeria into the next round after a hard fought battle against DR Congo.

At full time the score was 0-0 with Zinedine Zidane’s son Luca having kept his fourth clean sheet for the Algerians. Algeria and Nigeria are the only teams to still have a 100% record, though one of them will lose it in their quarter final clash in Marrakech at the weekend.

Boulbina broke the deadlock against Congo by driving past a tired-looking Aaron Wan-Bissaka, cutting inside and hitting an unstoppable right-footed drive over goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi and in off the underside of the bar.

Algeria have qualified for the 2026 World Cup and Congo will fancy their chances of joining them. They meet either Jamaica or New Zealand in March’s Intercontinental play-off.

Nigeria and Egypt swept into the quarter finals on Monday night. Nigeria were impressive in their 4-0 dismantling of Mozambique in Fes, while Egypt needed extra time to overcome Benin 3-1.

In the other last 16 games at the weekend, hosts Morocco, having won the Arab Cup in Qatar just days before the AFCON kick-off, beat Tanzania 1-0 to set up a quarter final with Cameroon. Cameroon, who failed to qualify for the World Cup finals this summer, beat South Africa, who have qualified, 2-1.

Senegal beat Sudan 3-1 and will next meet Mali who overcame Tunisia on penalties after scores were level at 1-1 after extra time.

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