Round of 16 of CAN 2022: Nigeria on the ground, attractive novices, a drama in Olembé…

With a number 3 in the back tinkered with plaster, Chaker Alhadur, usual defender, played as goalkeeper with the Comoros against Cameroon, January 24, 2022. © Pierre RENÉ-WORMS / RFI

Text by: Nicolas Bamba Follow

5 mins

The knockout stages of this CAN 2022 were marked by the deadly stampede in front of the Olembé stadium before Cameroon-Comoros.

On the football side, Nigeria fell, to everyone's surprise, against Tunisia.

If the brave Comorians lost against Cameroon, Gambia took out Guinea.

Overview of the main facts of this tour.

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From our special correspondent in Yaoundé,

CAN bereaved

This will unfortunately remain as a major event of this

.

Before the Cameroon-Comoros match, a stampede occurred at the southern entrance to the Olembé stadium, about an hour before kick-off.

Hundreds of spectators piled up in front of closed gates, then a crowd movement took place when they were opened.

, and there are about forty injured.

Patrice Motsepe, the president of the Confederation of African Football, has asked for an investigation report.

quarter-final matches at this stadium.

The Comoros come out with their heads held high

Without a

professional guardian, quickly reduced to ten against eleven, the Coelacanths laid down their arms not without fighting against the Indomitable Lions.

The Comoros team was brave on the pitch and only lost 2-1, ending their AFCON with a very nice goal from Youssouf M'Changama.

Their compatriots, observers and even their opponents have praised the performance of the Comorians.

For their first appearance in this competition, Amir Abdou's players have

.

Comorians Younn Zahary (n°4) and Said Bakari (n°22), a few moments after their narrow defeat against Cameroon, January 24, 2022. © Pierre RENÉ-WORMS/RFI

Nigeria falls high against a surprising Tunisia

After a perfect first round, Nigeria appeared to be the most serious contenders for the final victory.

Opposite, there was Tunisia, disappointing in its first three matches.

An unbalanced poster at first sight, therefore.

But, against all odds, the Carthage Eagles trapped the Super Eagles thanks to Youssef Msakni.

A scathing snub for Nigeria, third in 2019 and which had, in each of its final stages, always climbed at least until the quarter-finals since 1984.

Senegal still does not convince

The most optimistic will say that Senegal beat Cape Verde by scoring two goals (2-0), double their total in the first round.

In content, on the other hand, Aliou Cissé's men are

.

They only took the lead against the Blue Sharks when the latter were reduced to nine after midfielder Patrick Andrade and goalkeeper Vozinha were sent off.

For a title contender, Senegal still presents a very hesitant face.

The feat of the Gambian novice 

Admittedly, there was this

which darkened the picture.

But on the ground, the Scorpions did not hesitate.

For its first AFCON, Gambia finds itself in the quarter-finals after extinguishing Guinea on a goal from Musa Barrow.

After Madagascar in 2019, another neophyte joins the eight best teams in Africa.

The Gambians, who are participating in their first CAN, have qualified for the quarter-finals of this 2022 edition. AP - Sunday Alamba

Gabon, Ivory Coast and Mali unlucky on penalties

Three of the eight matches in this round ended on penalties.

Only between Burkina Faso and Gabon have there been goals (1-1).

The Stallions then had the last word in the session facing the cage (7 pens to 6).

Between Côte d'Ivoire and Egypt, only Éric Baily failed, leading to the elimination of the Elephants (0-0, 5 tab to 4).

And after a sad match, Equatorial Guinea beat Mali (0-0, 6 tab to 5).

Badra Ali Sangaré, the Ivory Coast goalkeeper, grimaces: the Elephants lost on penalties to Egypt on Wednesday 26 January.

© Pierre RENÉ-WORMS/RFI

A shower of red cards

Thirteen red cards were distributed in this CAN 2022: it is more than on the four previous editions combined.

Would the referees have decided to show rigid severity during these round of 16?

Seven players were sent off in this single round, with Cape Verde leading the most unruly teams (two players sent off against Senegal).

Aboubakar still scores

The matches go by and Vincent Aboubakar's goals with it.

The Cameroonian striker scores at least one goal every time the Indomitable Lions leave.

Author of the second goal of his team against the Comoros, he already has 6 achievements in this CAN.

It's as much as the Nigerian

over the whole competition in 2019. We have to go back to the CAN 1998 to find traces of more prolific scorers: the Egyptian Hossam Hassan (African champion) and the South African Benedict McCarthy ( finalist) had each scored 7 goals.

Vincent Aboubakar will perhaps catch up with them, or even overtake them, in the quarter-final against Gambia.

Watch out for Hakimi's free kicks

He was known for his burst of speed, his marathon lungs and his ability to project himself into offensive actions.

In this AFCON, we discover a new string to Achraf Hakimi's bow:

.

After having already scored a very nice one in the first round against Gabon, the Moroccan did it again against Malawi.

His goal sent the Atlas Lions to the quarter-finals.

Egypt has been warned.

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