“Nigeria outclassed Mozambique to set up an Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) quarter-final against Algeria or DR Congo. The Super Eagles were runners-up in 2023 and, while they were always likely to beat outsiders Mozambique, this performance and their form so far in Morocco suggest they will take some stopping. They won all three group games and were dominant in Fes on Monday, with Ademola Lookman opening the scoring, Victor Osimhen netting twice and Akor Adams also on target. …”
NY Times/The Athletic
YouTube: Nigeria vs Mozambique | EXTENDED HIGHLIGHTS

Africa’s superpowers assemble for Cup of Nations knockout stages – Jonathan Wilson
“For a decade or more, a familiar theme of Cups of Nations has been how the pyramid of African football has been growing little taller but much broader. African sides came no closer to really challenging at a World Cup, but the range of teams capable of beating the continent’s elite, of getting to the knockout stage of the Cup of Nations, was becoming more diverse. Perhaps, though, a new phase is beginning. It’s dangerous always to read too much into the performance of one side at one tournament, but in Qatar in 2022 Morocco at last broke through the quarter-final barrier and became the first African side to reach a World Cup semi-final. …”
Guardian

Mohamed Salah is enjoying a rare dose of tranquillity with Egypt at the Africa Cup of Nations
“In Tamraght, a dry village on a hillside 15 kilometres north of Agadir, the main street is nicknamed for a laugh because the Champs-Elysees is a broken mess of rock where rains bring water pools, causing havoc for drivers. Its popularity, however, has accelerated over the past decade, especially amongst hippie types, following a boom in the nearby surf town, Taghazout. They come for the waves, to eat vegan food and wind down the evening in a hostel. This low-key settlement is separated from the Atlantic Ocean by the N1 road, which runs all the way up to Casablanca, but often gets closed in remoter parts when there are red weather warnings, like last weekend. Nearer to the beach, international hotel companies spotted the potential of the geography and moved in. …”
NY Times/The Athletic
YouTube: Egypt vs Benin | EXTENDED HIGHLIGHTS