The **AFCON** excitement continued in the Round of 16 as we were served drama, upsets and great storylines. With 5 red cards - exceeding the group stage tally by one - and the eliminations of reigning champions Senegal, heavy favourites Morocco, and record holders Egypt, it was a spectacle. Remarkably, none of this year’s quarter-finalists reached this stage in the 2021 edition, marking an unprecedented occurrence in major tournament history. Ahead of a mouth-watering quarter-final round, here’s our preview alongside the betting prediction and betting offers accessible on **BetKing** , the best betting site in Nigeria.
**Nigeria vs. Angola** With Egypt, Senegal, and Morocco all eliminated, the Super Eagles of Nigeria suddenly find themselves as the overwhelming favourites to win AFCON 2023. We’re not exactly sure that’s a tag they’ll embrace, seeing the fate that has befallen the previous tournament favourites, but, you can’t deny, they’re the most talented name left. Of the remaining 8 teams, Nigeria (42) is the highest ranked by FIFA while Angola (117) is the lowest ranked. However, that is far from a sign of what to expect in this game as Angola have arguably been the most impressive of all 8 quarter-finalists. While the Super Eagles boast the tournament’s best defense, conceding only once in 4 games, they face a tough challenge in Angola, who have scored the joint-most goals (9) so far. This sets the stage for a classic AFCON showdown, pitting defense against attack. Following a sluggish start with a 1-1 draw against Algeria, the Angolan team has improved, securing three consecutive victories against Mauritania, Burkina Faso, and Namibia. To contextualise this impressive streak, a fourth win would match their total number of victories across all previous 8 AFCON editions they took part in (P26 W4 D12 L10). An important contributor to this success is forward Gelson Dala, who has been in excellent form, netting four goals overall, including a brace in the 3-0 triumph over Namibia. Dala isn’t just a scoring threat, though. He is their most creative attacker and leads his team in open-play chances created (8) and expected assists (0.47). Fuelled by revenge, the Nigerian fans will be eager to get a win over the Angolans. While these two nations have barely crossed paths, with this being their first ever AFCON meeting, the Angolans famously denied Nigeria a ticket to the 2006 World Cup. Just like the Angolans, the Super Eagles had a slow start to this tournament, but have grown, thanks to 3 wins and 3 clean sheets in a row. The shift to a 3-4-3 formation has been a masterstroke so far as it has made the defense impenetrable. Victor Osimhen has found it hard to score despite leading the tournament in shots (13) and non-penalty xG (2.78), but he continues to influence the game in other areas. Ademola Lookman’s brace helped Nigeria secure the win against Cameroon, instilling him with considerable confidence, a factor we expect will be pivotal in this game. Indeed, despite their divergent strengths in defense and attack, this match will witness a convergence of ideologies, as both teams embrace a similar approach: willingly ceding possession to exploit opportunities on the break. Of the 8 teams left, Angola (44%) and Nigeria (45%) average the least average possession per game while Angola’s 5 shots from fast-breaks/counters and Nigeria’s 4 rank as #1 and #2, respectively. Also, both sides could be without their starting goal-keepers. Angola will be without Neblú, who was sent off in the win over Namibia while Nigeria is still sweating over the fitness of Stanley Nwabali who was taken off in the win over Cameroon. Here are some of our picks for the game, backed by the best odds. **Betting Tips:**
**DR Congo vs. Guinea** These two teams have defied expectations by reaching the quarter-finals, with DR Congo notably eliminating record holders Egypt in a penalty shootout. Despite enjoying a numerical advantage for much of extra-time, they struggled to capitalise on it, mustering just one shot on target out of 12 attempts, fortunately resulting in a goal. This echoes their scoring woes from the group stage, where they scored twice from a whopping 44 shot attempts. Interestingly, their expected goals (xG) total of 6.6 is the second-highest among the quarter-finalists, trailing only Nigeria (7.5), yet they’ve underperformed their xG by the greatest margin (3.6). This pattern suggests that their lack of clinical finishing could prove costly sooner rather than later. The Guineans achieved a historic milestone with their first-ever AFCON knock-out stage victory, eliminating tournament darlings Equatorial Guinea. However, their performance was far from convincing. Despite enjoying a numerical advantage from the 55th minute onward, they found themselves largely dominated throughout the match, ultimately relying on Mohamed Bayo’s 98th-minute header to secure the win. In what will be their 4th AFCON encounter, these teams find themselves in a familiar deadlock, with the previous 3 matches resulting in a win for each side and a draw. DR Congo’s recent knockout history at the Africa Cup of Nations has seen three of their last four games decided by penalties. The Leopards emerged victorious in two of these shootouts (against Egypt in the last round and against Equatorial Guinea in the third-place match in 2015), while suffering defeat in one (against Madagascar in the last 16 in 2019). The prevailing sentiment among experts in our online sports betting community suggests yet another low-scoring affair, which could be decided in extra-time or penalties. **Betting Tips:**
**Mali vs. Ivory Coast** Mali may not be the favourites to lift the AFCON trophy, but they are certainly not going down without a fight. Despite never clinching the prestigious title, they are perennial dark horses in the tournament, and their recent victory over fellow dark-horse Burkina Faso in the last round underscores their resilience. Mali’s impressive form has largely gone unnoticed, a factor that could play to their advantage. The Eagles remain undefeated in this year’s AFCON, with 2 wins and 2 draws in 4 games, scoring 5 goals and conceding only 2. In fact, they are the most in-form team remaining in the tournament. Their unbeaten streak extends beyond AFCON, encompassing their last 11 games in all competitions, with 8 wins and 3 draws. Ligue 2 forward Lassine Sinayoko has been pivotal to Mali’s success, contributing 3 goals, while Brest midfielder Kamory Doumbia has provided 2 assists. These two will be important if they are to make the semi-final. The Ivory Coast’s bold move to part ways with manager Jean-Louis Gasset and appoint assistant Emerse Faé on an interim basis has yielded immediate dividends. The humiliating 4-0 loss to Equatorial Guinea was undoubtedly a bitter pill to swallow, but their remarkable Round of 16 victory over defending champions Senegal has served as a redemptive moment, washing away the tears of January 22nd. Almost everything points to a Mali win, however, momentum is very important in cup competitions and right now, Ivory Coast have that. Considering the added factor of home advantage, it is challenging to justify betting against them. **Betting Tips:**
**Cape Verde vs. South Africa** Against all odds, South Africa pulled off a stunning upset against Morocco in the Round of 16, leaving many jaws dropping in the football world. What’s even more remarkable is that they achieved this victory with a starting XI composed strictly of home-based players, a testament not only to the progress of their national team but also to the growth of their [domestic league, the PSL.](https://m.betking.com/sports/events/prematch/football/south-africa/premier-league) Morocco entered the match not just as favourites for that encounter, but as favourites for the entire tournament, making their elimination even more painful and surprising for their fans. Leading up to the game, South Africa had won only two of their last eight AFCON knockout matches, with a record of two draws and four losses, including a 2-1 defeat to Nigeria in their most recent quarter-final match in 2019. Morocco boasted a rich attacking lineup, having scored in 12 consecutive AFCON matches. Achraf Hakimi stood out in the group stage, leading in chances created with 10, registering a tournament-high expected assist (xA) of 1.2, and being involved in the most open-play sequences ending with a shot (20). Keeping the Morocco attack quiet throughout the game was a commendable achievement for South Africa, although they were fortunate to see Hakimi miss a penalty. Now, Bafana Bafana must transition from giant-killers to giants themselves as they face a Cape Verde team hoping to secure a spot in the semi-final stage for the first time. Cape Verde may have had to wait 88 minutes for a breakthrough in their 1-0 win over Mauritania in the Round of 16, but it wasn’t for a lack of trying. They dominated the ball with a 70% share of the possession, 18 attempts on goal and twice as many passes as Mauritania. Among the quarter-finalists, they boast a joint-high tournament-best win rate of 75%, accompanied by 2 clean sheets. However, things could get tricky for them against South Africa. Bafana Bafana have just shown they’re well equipped to stifle some of the best attacks on the continent and will not be intimidated by the riches Cape Verde possesses up top. Also, South Africa is led by Hugo Broos, the only remaining manager in the competition with an AFCON title (with Cameroon in 2017). Broos’s wealth of experience could prove pivotal in determining the outcome of this match. **Betting Tips:**
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