The Africa Cup of Nations group stage has been an exciting journey so far, with plenty of goals, several surprise results, and numerous outstanding performances.
However, with many of the teams able to take points from each other, and only one side eliminated so far, there’s still much at stake as we head into the final round of group games.
Here, ESPN have done a deep dive into the AFCON last-round permutations, outlining what every team needs to avoid elimination…and to progress to the knockouts.
Group A
Guinea-Bissau sit bottom of the group and, having lost both games, they’re the only team already eliminated from the Nations Cup. This leaves a three-way battle for progression, where all there sides will be fancying themselves to advance given that four of the best six third-placed teams will all progress.
Equatorial Guinea and Nigeria are both on four points, and while the former have a superior goal difference (+2 vs +1), the Super Eagles have a more straight-forward assignment as they take on Guinea-Bissau at the Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium.
“We must take first place,” Nigeria head coach Jose Peseiro said in his pre-match press conference, “and to do that, we must do battle. We must do what’s necessary to accomplish our mission [on Monday].”
The Equatoguineans, meanwhile, must face the hosts in the capital. Draws for both Equatorial Guinea and Nigeria would see them through, with the Super Eagles either needing to better the Central Africans’ result or to match their result but improve their goal difference, in order to top the group.
The Ivorians could still achieve their primary aim of topping the group and remaining at the Alassane Ouattara Stadium if they win and Nigeria fail to beat Guinea-Bissau.
Heading into matchday three, the Ivorians currently top the best third-placed teams ranking, on three points, and would require a disastrous defeat to really find themselves in danger of a first round exit.
