2021 Africa Cup of Nations knockout stage
The knockout stage of the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations was the second and final stage of the competition, following the group stage. It began on 23 January with the round of 16 and ended on 6 February 2022 with the final held at the Olembe Stadium in Yaoundé. A total of 16 teams (the top two teams from each group, along with the four best third-placed teams) advanced to the knockout stage to compete in a single-elimination style tournament.
All match times are local, WAT (UTC+1).
Format
In the knockout stage, except for the third place play-off, if a match was level at the end of 90 minutes of normal playing time, extra time was played (two periods of 15 minutes each). If still tied after extra time, the match was decided by a penalty shoot-out to determine the winner. In the third place play-off, if the scores remained level after 90 minutes the match would go directly to a penalty shoot-out, without any extra time being played.
Qualified teams
The top two placed teams from each of the six groups, plus the four best-placed third teams, qualified for the knockout stage.
| Group | Winners | Runners-up | Third-placed teams (Best four qualify) |
|---|---|---|---|
| A |  Cameroon
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 Burkina Faso
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 Cape Verde
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| B |  Senegal
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 Guinea
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 Malawi
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| C |  Morocco
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 Gabon
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 Comoros
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| D |  Nigeria
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 Egypt
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— |
| E |  Ivory Coast
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 Equatorial Guinea
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— |
| F |  Mali
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 Gambia
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 Tunisia
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Bracket
| Round of 16 | Quarter-finals | Semi-finals | Final | |||||||||||
| 23 January – Limbe | ||||||||||||||
| Burkina Faso (p) | 1 (7) | |||||||||||||
| 29 January – Garoua | ||||||||||||||
| Gabon | 1 (6) | |||||||||||||
| Burkina Faso | 1 | |||||||||||||
| 23 January – Garoua | ||||||||||||||
| Tunisia | 0 | |||||||||||||
| Nigeria | 0 | |||||||||||||
| 2 February – Yaoundé (Ahidjo) | ||||||||||||||
| Tunisia | 1 | |||||||||||||
| Burkina Faso | 1 | |||||||||||||
| 25 January – Bafoussam | ||||||||||||||
| Senegal | 3 | |||||||||||||
| Senegal | 2 | |||||||||||||
| 30 January – Yaoundé (Ahidjo) | ||||||||||||||
| Cape Verde | 0 | |||||||||||||
| Senegal | 3 | |||||||||||||
| 26 January – Limbe | ||||||||||||||
| Equatorial Guinea | 1 | |||||||||||||
| Mali | 0 (5) | |||||||||||||
| 6 February – Yaoundé (Olembe) | ||||||||||||||
| Equatorial Guinea (p) | 0 (6) | |||||||||||||
| Senegal (p) | 0 (4) | |||||||||||||
| 24 January – Bafoussam | ||||||||||||||
| Egypt | 0 (2) | |||||||||||||
| Guinea | 0 | |||||||||||||
| 29 January – Douala | ||||||||||||||
| Gambia | 1 | |||||||||||||
| Gambia | 0 | |||||||||||||
| 24 January – Yaoundé (Olembe) | ||||||||||||||
| Cameroon | 2 | |||||||||||||
| Cameroon | 2 | |||||||||||||
| 3 February – Yaoundé (Olembe) | ||||||||||||||
| Comoros | 1 | |||||||||||||
| Cameroon | 0 (1) | |||||||||||||
| 26 January – Douala | ||||||||||||||
| Egypt (p) | 0 (3) | Third place play-off | ||||||||||||
| Ivory Coast | 0 (4) | |||||||||||||
| 30 January – Yaoundé (Ahidjo) | 5 February – Yaoundé (Ahidjo) | |||||||||||||
| Egypt (p) | 0 (5) | |||||||||||||
| Egypt (a.e.t.) | 2 | Burkina Faso | 3 (3) | |||||||||||
| 25 January – Yaoundé (Ahidjo) | ||||||||||||||
| Morocco | 1 | Cameroon (p) | 3 (5) | |||||||||||
| Morocco | 2 | |||||||||||||
| Malawi | 1 | |||||||||||||
Round of 16
Burkina Faso vs Gabon
| Burkina Faso | 1–1 (a.e.t.) | Gabon |
|---|---|---|
B. Traoré  28' |
Report | Guira 90+1' (o.g.) |
| Penalties | ||
| 7–6 | ||
          Burkina Faso
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    Gabon
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Man of the Match:
Assistant referees:
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Nigeria vs Tunisia
     Nigeria
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     Tunisia
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Man of the Match:
Assistant referees:
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Guinea vs Gambia
| Guinea | 0–1 | Gambia |
|---|---|---|
| Report | Mu. Barrow 71' |
    Guinea
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    Gambia
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Man of the Match:
Assistant referees:
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Cameroon vs Comoros
| Cameroon | 2–1 | Comoros |
|---|---|---|
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Report | Y. M'Changama 81' |
    Cameroon
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     Comoros
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Man of the Match:
Assistant referees:
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Senegal vs Cape Verde
| Senegal | 2–0 | Cape Verde |
|---|---|---|
| Report |
     Senegal
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    Cape Verde
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Man of the Match:
Assistant referees:
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Morocco vs Malawi
    Morocco
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     Malawi
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Man of the Match:
Assistant referees:
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Ivory Coast vs Egypt
| Ivory Coast | 0–0 (a.e.t.) | Egypt |
|---|---|---|
| Report | ||
| Penalties | ||
| 4–5 | ||
     Ivory Coast
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     Egypt
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Man of the Match:
Assistant referees:
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Mali vs Equatorial Guinea
| Mali | 0–0 (a.e.t.) | Equatorial Guinea |
|---|---|---|
| Report | ||
| Penalties | ||
| 5–6 | ||
     Mali
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    Equatorial Guinea
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Man of the Match:
Assistant referees:
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Quarter-finals
Gambia vs Cameroon
| Gambia | 0–2 | Cameroon |
|---|---|---|
| Report | Toko Ekambi 50', 57' |
     Gambia
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Cameroon
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Man of the Match:
Assistant referees:
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Burkina Faso vs Tunisia
| Burkina Faso | 1–0 | Tunisia |
|---|---|---|
| Da. Ouattara 45+3' |
Report |
Burkina Faso
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    Tunisia
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Man of the Match:
Assistant referees:
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Egypt vs Morocco
    Egypt
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     Morocco
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Man of the Match:
Assistant referees:
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Senegal vs Equatorial Guinea
| Senegal | 3–1 | Equatorial Guinea |
|---|---|---|
| Report | Buyla 57' |
Senegal
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Equatorial Guinea
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Man of the Match:
Assistant referees:
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Semi-finals
Burkina Faso vs Senegal
| Burkina Faso | 1–3 | Senegal |
|---|---|---|
| Touré 82' |
Report |
Burkina Faso
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Senegal
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Man of the Match:
Assistant referees:
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Cameroon vs Egypt
Cameroon
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Egypt
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Man of the Match:
Assistant referees:
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Third place play-off
| Burkina Faso | 3–3 | Cameroon |
|---|---|---|
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Report | |
| Penalties | ||
| 3–5 | ||
Burkina Faso
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Cameroon
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Man of the Match:
Assistant referees:
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Final
Senegal
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Egypt
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Man of the Match:
Assistant referees:
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Notes
- ^ The Egypt v Morocco match was originally scheduled to kick-off at 17:00, but was rescheduled to 16:00.
- ^ The match was originally due to be held at Olembe Stadium in Yaoundé, but was relocated due to the investigation into the Yaoundé stadium disaster.[8][9][10]
- ^ a b The match was originally due to be held at Japoma Stadium in Douala, but was relocated.[10][12][13]
- ^ The match was originally due to be held on 6 February 2022 at 17:00, but was rescheduled due to security and convenience reasons.[18]
- ^ Each team was given only three opportunities to make substitutions, with a fourth opportunity in extra time, excluding substitutions made at half-time, before the start of extra time and at half-time in extra time.
References
- ^ Confederation of African Football [@CAF_Online] (January 23, 2022). "He didn't put a foot wrong! The TotalEnergies Man of the Match is #TeamBurkinaFaso's Ibrahim Touré! #TotalEnergiesAFCON2021 | #AFCON2021 | @Football2Gether" (Tweet). Retrieved 23 January 2022 – via Twitter.
- ^ Confederation of African Football [@CAF_Online] (January 23, 2022). "It could only be him The TotalEnergies Man of the Match #TeamTunisia's Youssef Msakni That was a fine strike #TotalEnergiesAFCON2021 | #AFCON2021 | @Football2Gether" (Tweet). Retrieved 23 January 2022 – via Twitter.
- ^ Confederation of African Football [@CAF_Online] (January 24, 2022). "SCORING A HISTORIC GOAL THE TotalEnergies MAN OF THE MATCH Take a bow, Musa Barrow #TotalEnergiesAFCON2021 | #AFCON2021 | #TeamGambia | @Football2Gether" (Tweet). Retrieved 24 January 2022 – via Twitter.
- ^ Confederation of African Football [@CAF_Online] (January 24, 2022). "A strike worthy of claiming the TotalEnergies Man of The Match award Youssouf M'Changama #TotalEnergiesAFCON2021 | #AFCON2021 | #TeamComoros | @Football2Gether" (Tweet). Retrieved 24 January 2022 – via Twitter.
- ^ Ames, Nick (29 January 2022). "Cameroon progress but sombre day shows Olembé tragedy's cuts run deep". The Guardian. Retrieved 29 January 2022.
- ^ Confederation of African Football [@CAF_Online] (January 29, 2022). "Scored a brace Secured the win Congratulations to our TotalEnergies Man of the Match Toko Ekambi #TotalEnergiesAFCON2021 | #AFCON2021 | #TeamCameroon | @Football2Gether" (Tweet). Retrieved 29 January 2022 – via Twitter.
- ^ Confederation of African Football [@CAF_Online] (January 29, 2022). "IMMENSE The second successive TotalEnergies Man of the Match award for Ibrahim Toure Another outstanding display from the 27-year old #TotalEnergiesAFCON2021 | #AFCON2021 | #TeamBurkinaFaso | @Football2Gether" (Tweet). Retrieved 29 January 2022 – via Twitter.
- ^ Kouam, Joel; McCluskey, Mitchell; Klosok, Aleks (24 January 2022). "AFCON: Report into deadly stadium crush will focus on who closed gate that led to loss of lives". CNN. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
- ^ "Afcon 2021: Quarter-final at Olembe Stadium to be moved after fatal crush". BBC Sport. 26 January 2022. Retrieved 26 January 2022.
- ^ a b "CAF Organising Committee Media Statement". Confederation of African Football. 26 January 2022. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
- ^ Confederation of African Football [@CAF_Online] (January 30, 2022). "THE EGYPTIAN KING A speculator performance from @mosalah befitting the TotalEnergies Man of the Match award #TotalEnergiesAFCON2021 | #AFCON2021 | #TeamEgypt | @Football2Gether" (Tweet). Retrieved 30 January 2022 – via Twitter.
- ^ "Afcon 2021: Two Douala games moved to Yaounde". BBC Sport. 26 January 2022. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
- ^ "African Cup organizers change venues for 3 knockout games". Associated Press. 26 January 2022. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
- ^ Confederation of African Football [@CAF_Online] (January 30, 2022). "HE COVERED THE ENTIRE PITCH! The TotalEnergies Man of the Match is #TeamSenegal powerhouse Nampalys Mendy #TotalEnergiesAFCON2021 | #AFCON2021 | #TeamSenegal | @Football2Gether" (Tweet). Retrieved 30 January 2022 – via Twitter.
- ^ Confederation of African Football [@CAF_Online] (February 2, 2022). "One goal one assist Who else but the spectacular Sadio Mane to claim the TotalEnergies Man of The Match award #TotalEnergiesAFCON2021 | #AFCON2021 | #TeamSenegal | @Football2Gether" (Tweet). Retrieved 2 February 2022 – via Twitter.
- ^ Ames, Nick (3 February 2022). "Salah's Egypt to face Mané's Senegal in final after shootout win over Cameroon". The Guardian. Retrieved 6 February 2022.
- ^ Confederation of African Football [@CAF_Online] (February 3, 2022). "Clean-sheet. Penalty kick scored. Mohamed Abdelmonem definitely earned the TotalEnergies Man of The Match award #TotalEnergiesAFCON2021 | #AFCON2021 | #TeamEgypt | @Football2Gether" (Tweet). Retrieved 3 February 2022 – via Twitter.
- ^ "AFCON third-place match brought forward to Saturday". BeIN Sports. 3 February 2022. Retrieved 3 February 2022.
- ^ Confederation of African Football [@CAF_Online] (February 5, 2022). "Bertrand Traoré is the TotalEnergies Man of the match for #BFACMR's third-place match! #TotalEnergiesAFCON2021 | #AFCON2021 | @Football2Gether" (Tweet). Retrieved 6 February 2022 – via Twitter.
- ^ Confederation of African Football [@CAF_Online] (February 6, 2022). "With an out-of-the-world performance, the spectacular @mohmedabogabal is awarded the Total Energies Man of the Match award in the final! #TotalEnergiesAFCON2021 | #AFCON2021 | #SENEGY | #TeamEgypt | @Football2Gether" (Tweet). Retrieved 6 February 2022 – via Twitter.
- ^ "Regulations of the Africa Cup of Nations" (PDF). Confederation of African Football. Archived (PDF) from the original on 6 January 2022. Retrieved 5 February 2022.
- ^ "TotalEnergies AFCON 2021: Update on number of substitutions and Minimum number of players in case of positive COVID19 tests". Confederation of African Football. 8 January 2022. Archived from the original on 5 February 2022. Retrieved 5 February 2022.