After every day of Afcon that passes I think it really is the most competitive of all the continental championships. Going into the last round of group matches only one of the 16 teams had been eliminated. And none of the expected favourites were guaranteed qualification for the quarterfinals.
Today the holders, Ivory Coast, were eliminated. They were beaten 1-0 by Morocco. Ivory Coast have been a bit of the glamour team of Africa in the last couple of World Cups, with all their European based stars. Morocco were last at a World Cup in 1998.
DR Congo won the group after beating Togo 3-1. Togo needed a win but their cause wasn't helped when their second-choice goalkeeper was injured and had to be substituted. The reserve 'keeper, Cedric Mensah, was their number 3. Number 1 wasn't playing because he was back in Togo to see what damage had been done to his house by fans who attacked it after they blamed him for their defeat in the previous match against Morocco.
And Algeria's coach, Georges Leekens, has resigned after his team's disappointing showing. Algeria are now looking for their 4th coach in a year. Brazil 2014 and all the fun of watching Algeria seems like a long, long time ago.
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