Ademola Lookman is the hero for Nigeria as the Super Eagles reach the Africa Cup of Nations semi-finals.
After his double against Cameroon in the last 16, the winger has the West Africans remaining on course for a first title since 2013.
Evidence Makgopa produced a neat finish to score the opener in the 57th minute, surviving a lengthy Video Assistant Referee (VAR) check for offside and putting Bafana Bafana on their way to a surprise victory over the 2022 World Cup semi-finalists.
Hakimi was afforded a golden opportunity to level when Mothobi Mvala was adjudged to have handled Ayoub El Kaabi’s shot, only to fire his 85th minute spot-kick against the crossbar.
Manchester United midfielder Sofyan Amrabat was dismissed in stoppage time before Teboho Mokoena curled a classy free-kick past Bono to confirm the upset in style.
The 1996 champions will now aim to improve upon their quarter-final exit on their most recent appearance at the finals in 2019, when they take on the unbeaten Blue Sharks on Saturday (20:00 GMT) for a place in the last four.
More to follow.
Story by BBC SPORTS.
Mali profited from quick starts to each half as an own goal from Edmond Tapsoba and a strike by Lassine Sinayoko secured a 2-1 victory over Burkina Faso in an Africa Cup of Nations round-of-16 clash at the Stade Amadou Gon Coulibaly in Korhogo on Tuesday.
Mali scored within three minutes at the start of the match as the unfortunate Tapsoba turned the ball into his own net. Mali caught Burkinabe Faso cold again when they added a second two minutes after the break as Sinayoko netted his third goal of the tournament.
Burkina Faso pulled a goal back when Bertrand Traore slotted a penalty just before the hour-mark, but could not force an equaliser against a Mali side with a well-deserved reputation for a miserly defence, one of the reasons why they are among the tournament favourites.
Mali are seeking their first Africa Cup of Nations title and next face hosts Ivory Coast in a quarterfinal that will be played in Bouake on Saturday.
No team has played more games at the Cup of Nations without lifting the trophy than Mali‘s 55 and Tuesday’s encounter was perhaps another indicator of why they can change that this year.
They are a difficult side to break down with explosive forwards, and while the scoreline may not have been emphatic, they were comfortable winners in the end.
Mali hit the front inside three minutes when Amadou Haidara‘s powerful header rebounded off the post and as Burkina Faso defender Tapsoba tried to clear, he only succeeded in steering the ball into his own net.
If Mali’s start to the first half was fast, their opening to the second period was even quicker as they doubled the score just two minutes after kick-off.
Sinayoko was played into acres of space on the right side of the box by Hamari Traoré and with time to pick his spot, he coolly slipped the ball under goalkeeper Hervé Koffi.
Burkina Faso had the chance to halve the deficit when the ball struck the outstretched arm of Mali defender Kiki Kouyate and referee Ibrahim Mutaz awarded the spot kick following a Video Assistant Referee review. Traore made no mistake from 12-yards.
They pushed forward looking for an equaliser and had the ball in the back of the net through Issoufou Dayo, but he was well-offside and they could not create much of substance in the closing minutes.
An own goal from Edmond Tapsoba gave the Eagles a third-minute lead, and Mali had several chances to add to their advantage before half-time.
Lassine Sinayoko did make it 2-0 early in the second half with a finish through the legs of goalkeeper Herve Koffi, but Bertrand Traore pulled a goal back for the Stallions from the penalty spot just before the hour mark.
Issoufou Dayo thought he had equalised for the Burkinabe in the final minute, but his header from a free-kick was ruled out for offside and Mali saw out eight minutes of added time.
The Eagles have reached the last eight for the first time since 2013, and Eric Chelle’s side will now face the Ivorians on Saturday (17:00 GMT) for a place in the semi-finals.
Story by BBC SPORTS
The defending champions lost 5-4 on penalties to the Elephants in their round of 16 clash after drawing 1-1 after extra-time in Yamoussoukro..
Diatta was angry that Senegal were not awarded a penalty early in the second half when Ismaila Sarr went down in a tangle of legs in the Ivory Coast box with defender Odilon Kossounou.
Senegal were leading 1-0 at the time after Habib Diallo’s early goal, but Gabonese referee Pierre Ghislain Atcho did not point to the spot and did not come across to the pitchside monitor to review the footage.
“You have killed us. You are corrupt. Keep your African Cup,” Monaco player said to CAF staff after the match.
“You go to the VAR to give them a penalty, while our guy (Sarr) picks up the ball 40 metres from goal, goes on a run into the box and you don’t want to go to the VAR?
“I’m sorry but that is going too far. I am really sorry but they have killed our competition,” Diatta added.
he group stage of the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations Cote d’Ivoire 2023 has concluded, paving the way for thrilling knock-out stage clashes.
Following Wednesday night’s last group phase matches, the stage is set for several highly anticipated Round of 16 clashes.
Defending champions Senegal, who are yet to drop a point, will take on tournament hosts Côte d’Ivoire
Two more African heavyweights, Nigeria and Cameroon will play a thrilling encounter on 27 January.
Morocco, who topped their group after conceding just one goal, will next face South Africa.
After winning Group A undefeated, Equatorial Guinea will aim for another upset against Guinea. First-time knockout stage qualifiers Namibia have a stern test against two-time quarterfinalists Angola.
Despite a quiet group stage performance, Egypt’s status as the most successful TotalEnergies CAF AFCON nation makes them dangerous opponents for DR Congo.
Other intriguing match-ups include Mali vs Burkina Faso and Cape Verde vs Mauritania.
Story by CAF online.com
The Eagles of Carthage needed a win in their third Group E match against South Africa on Wednesday to progress to the last 16 but were ultimately held to a goalless draw.
They ended bottom of their group, having started their campaign with a shock 1-0 defeat to Namibia, before an improved 1-1 draw with leaders Mali.
However, with the pressure to collect all three points against Bafana, the 2004 continental champions again failed to find the back of the net and ultimately succumbed to their worst AFCON showing since 2002.
He joins the coaches of hosts Ivory Coast, Ghana and Algeria to leave their posts on Wednesday.
Kadri announced his decision immediately after the midweek game, telling the media in Korhogo: “This is my decision, which is in my contract.
“My contract included a mandate to reach the semi-finals and, because we haven’t made that, the contract is terminated.”
The 52-year-old, who took over after Tunisia’s 2021 quarter-final exit in Cameroon two years ago, accepted responsibility for their failed campaign.
“The defeat against Namibia in the first match affected us psychologically, and we shouldn’t have lost. We improved against Mali, and against South Africa, but we were not efficient in attack,” he concluded.
