AFCON 2021: AFCON Group Stage Wrap Up
As the Africa Cup of Nations 2021 reaches the knockout stages, TeamKenya breaks down an analyzes key events that took place during the group stage round.
Cameroon Outstanding Performance
Hosts Cameroon topped their group with seven points, continuing the trend of teams hosting the competition getting to the knock-out rounds at the Africa Cup of Nations in all but one edition since the turn of the century (13 out of 14 nations, including shared-hosts), with the only exception being Gabon in 2017.
Cameroon have scored the most goals at the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations so far (seven), while the last teams to score more in the group stage of the competition did so back in 2008 (Cameroon – 10, Egypt and Ivory Coast – 8).
Reigning Champions Fail to Proceed
Algeria became the first reigning champions to fail to qualify from the group stage at the Africa Cup of Nations since Ivory Coast in 2017.
While they are the first reigning champions to lose two group stage games in a single Afcon tournament since Cameroon in 1990.
Algeria only scored once from 46 attempts at goal – the lowest shot conversion rate for a team since Burkina Faso in 2015.
Impressive Debut From Gambia and Cameroon
Gambia and Comoros have both made it through to the knock-out rounds in their very first appearance at the Africa Cup of Nations.
It’s the first time two debutants have made it out of their group in an Afcon edition since Ivory Coast and Senegal finished joint-third in 1965.
Ghana Fail to Win a Single Match
Four-time Africa Cup of Nations winners Ghana failed to win at least one match in a single Afcon edition, with this their 23rd appearance in the competition.
The Black Stars failed to progress to the knock-out stage for the first time since 2006.
New AFCON Penalty Record
There have been 10 goals scored from the penalty spot at the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations so far, already more than in any of the previous three tournaments and just one short of the total in 2008 (11).
Round of 16 Fixtures
Burkina Faso vs. Gabon (January 23)
Nigeria vs. Tunisia (January 23)
Guinea vs. Gambia (January 24)
Cameroon vs. Comoros (January 24)
Senegal vs. Cape Verde (January 25)
Morocco vs. Malawi (January 25)
Ivory Coast vs. Egypt (January 26)
Mail vs. Equatorial Guinea (January 26)