We have entered the final round of AFCON 2023 group stage games filled with suspense, tension and shocking outcomes.
The Africa Cup of Nations has delivered a great deal of mesmerizing performances, brilliant goals and of course big upsets that will live long in the hearts of many as discussions continue about how African football has evolved greatly to not really have underdogs anymore.
GOALBALL will keep you up to date with all the information you need as the group stage of AFCON 2023 rolls to the business end ahead of the highly anticipated knockout phase.
We will regularly update this piece as the games come thick and thin.
The intriguing AFCON 2023 so far
Granted, all teams have played at least two matches, but only a few of these teams have managed to qualify for the knockout phase so far.
What this means is that we still have a long way to go and plenty of shocks still on the cards for us to witness as the supposed minnows continue to turn on the screws especially with the promise of a third-place success being a possibility.
AFCON hosts Ivory Coast, having started on a high, are currently outside of the top two in Group A after a 4-0 thrashing loss at the hands of Equatorial Guinea, the surprise package of this tournament.
Joining Ivory Coast are other big names outside the top two, the likes of Ghana, Algeria, Cameroon, Tunisia and the Chipolopolo of Zambia.
As you may have known, the top two teams from each of the six groups (which makes 12 teams) will reach the round of 16 as well as the four best third-placed teams, who have a special table reserved for them, they will complete the 16 teams for the knockouts.
Going by what has already happened in Group A & B that have played their final games, it means that there is a high possibility that some big names are going to be missing in the knockout phase.
Here, we run down who is out, who has qualified for round of 16, and who is fighting with the skin of their flesh to remain alive.
AFCON 2023: Which teams are out?
Mathematically speaking, five teams are effectively out of the Africa Cup of Nations; these teams have known their fate because they've concluded all three group stage matches. They are:
- Guinea-Bissau
- Mozambique
- Gambia
- Ghana
- Algeria
AFCON 2023: Which teams have made the round of 16?
The teams that qualify for AFCON round of 16 do so because they finish first or second after playing their 2nd or 3rd group stage games. They will be joined by others who will qualify outright and then four teams who will come through as best third-placed teams as group stage hostilities gradually come to a close in the next couple of days.
Here are the teams that have booked their place in the ongoing biggest African football fiesta's round of 16.
- Cape Verde
- Senegal
- Equatorial Guinea
- Nigeria
- Egypt
- Cameroon
- Guinea
- Angola
- Burkina Faso
- Mali
- South Africa
- Morocco
- DR Congo
- Namibia
- Mauritania
- Ivory Coast
AFCON 2023 third-place rankings
We'll like to remind you that 24 teams are competing in this tournament and it is not only the top two from each group who are going to reach the last 16.
12 teams will go through from the group stage as group winners and runners-up, while four will join as third-place best teams.
Here's the interesting twist though: Given that there are six groups, it means that two teams who finish third will surely miss out.
In the end, Guinea, Mauritania, Ivory Coast, and Namibia would qualified as best third-placed teams, while the Chipolopolo of Zambia and Black Stars of Ghana missed out.
AFCON 2023: All group tables and standings
It's important to point out that all matches in Groups A and B have now been concluded.
However, there is still much up for grabs in the four remaining groups. Here are the tables:
# | Team | P | W | D | L | +/- | Points |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 |
Equatorial Guinea |
3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 7 |
2 |
Nigeria |
3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 7 |
3 |
Ivory Coast |
3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | -3 | 3 |
4 |
Guinea-Bissau |
3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | -5 | 0 |
# | Team | P | W | D | L | +/- | Points |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 |
Cape Verde Islands |
3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 7 |
2 |
Egypt |
3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
3 |
Ghana |
3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | -1 | 2 |
4 |
Mozambique |
3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | -3 | 2 |
# | Team | P | W | D | L | +/- | Points |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 |
Senegal |
3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 9 |
2 |
Cameroon |
3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | -1 | 4 |
3 |
Guinea |
3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | -1 | 4 |
4 |
Gambia |
3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | -5 | 0 |
# | Team | P | W | D | L | +/- | Points |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 |
Angola |
3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 7 |
2 |
Burkina Faso |
3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | -1 | 4 |
3 |
Mauritania |
3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | -1 | 3 |
4 |
Algeria |
3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | -1 | 2 |
# | Team | P | W | D | L | +/- | Points |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 |
Mali |
3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 5 |
2 |
South Africa |
3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 |
3 |
Namibia |
3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | -3 | 4 |
4 |
Tunisia |
3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | -1 | 2 |
# | Team | P | W | D | L | +/- | Points |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 |
Morocco |
3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 7 |
2 |
Congo DR |
3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
3 |
Zambia |
3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | -1 | 2 |
4 |
Tanzania |
3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | -3 | 2 |
This article was most recently revised and updated 1 year ago