AFCON By The Numbers: The Round of 16.

We’re officially into the “business end” at AFCON 2025, with all pretenders and dark horses eliminated, leaving only the biggest names on the continent. Nigeria and Senegal are creating and scoring goals for fun, while Morocco and Algeria are building on rock-solid defence. Yet, the road to reaching this stage was nothing but easy. As usual, the Round of 16 produced some dramatic action, with a volatile mix of last-minute winners, penalty shootout heroes and villains and some heavy defeats for the smaller nations. “By The Numbers” is a statistical review of the Last 16 knockouts.

8 – The last eight remaining teams at AFCON2025 have won the trophy 22 times and played 732 matches combined in the tournament

Mali (1.2xG) 1 – 1 (1.1xG) Tunisia (Mali win 3-2 on penalties)

For drama, look no further than this match, with two late goals in regulation time setting the tone. Tunisia thought they had won the game when substitue Firas Chouat scored in the 88th minute, but a late penalty from Lassine Sinayoko cancelled that out, forcing the game into extra time and penalties. Mali’s keeper Djigui Diarra was the hero in the end, saving two penalties in the shootout.

4 – Mali have reached the quarter-finals, despite drawing every game so far (P4 W0 D4 L0), and leading for just 29 of the 390 minutes they have played.

Senegal (1.49xG) 3 – 1 (0.49xG) Sudan

Despite conceding the early goal, and trailing for 23 minutes in the first half, Senegal rallied back to blow Sudan away in this quarter-final. The Lions of Teranga controlled most of the game, with 67% of the ball. They mustered 14 shots, had nine of those on target, and could even afford to miss both big chances they created.

17 – Senegal’s Ibrahim Mbaye is the youngest player to score at AFCON in the 21st century (17y 344d)

Egypt (1.19xG) 3-1 (1.22xG) Benin

Two extra-time goals from Yasser Ibrahim and Mo Salah separated the teams in the end, but it was a closely fought encounter especially early on. Both teams traded just two shots each in the 1st half, but Egypt upped the ante in the 2nd, raking five shots with four of those on target, forcing some good saves from goalkeeper Dandjinou.

10 – Mohamed Salah has now scored 10 goals for Egypt at AFCON, only the third Egyotian to do so after Hassan El-Shazly and Hossam Hassan.

Ivory Coast (2.02xG) 3-0 (0.41xG) Burkina Faso

The dfending champions took another step towards retaining their crown with a comfortable win over Burkina Faso. The game was effectively won in the first half, with the Ivorians dominating proceedings with 13 shots and two on target, which turned out to be the goals.They took the foot off the accelerator in the second half, but still cruised to victory with no real thgreat at their goal.

1+1 – Amad Diallo became the first Ivorian to both score a goal and deliver an assist in an AFCON knockout match since Yaya Touré in 2012.

Algeria (0.7xG) 1-0 (0.16xG) DR Congo

DRC were cruelly eliminated from the tournament after Algeria’s Adil Boulbina scored a 119th minute winner with penalties looming. It was a cagey game that saw both teams touch the ball just 14 times in the opposition box during the first half and 11 times in the second. Yet, Algeria were rewarded for showing a bit more adventure, as DRC did not even touch the ball in their box in extra time.

0.15 – The xG between Algeria & DR Congo, the lowest total of any first-half at AFCON2025.

Nigeria (2.82xG) 4-0 (0.1xG) Mozambique

Nigeria enjoyed the biggest win of all teams in the Last of 16, with a 4-0 pummeling of Mozambique. This was their joint-biggest margin of victory in their AFCON history, after the first time they won 4-0 against Bafana Bafana in 2004.

2+2 – With two assists against Tunisia in matchday two and two assists against Mozambique last time out, Nigeria’s Ademola Lookman is the first player on record (since 2010) to record multiple assists in more than one AFCONmatch.

Morocco (1.01) 1-0 (0.73xG) Tanzania

Host nation Morocco reached their fifth AFCON quarterfinal thanks to a narrow 1-0 win over Tanzania. They may boast some of the best attacking players, including Golden Boot favourite Brahim Diaz who has scored ine every game so far this tournament. Yet, their defence, which conceded just one shot on target here, may be the key for them at a major tournament once again.

3 – Morocco have kept three clean sheets at the tournament, their joint-best return at a single edition in AFCON history (3 also in 2004).

Bafana Bafana (2.1xG) 1-2 (1.36xG) Cameroon

Bafana Bafana were made to rue their missed chances when Cameroon beat them 2-1 in their Round of 16 tie. The indomitable Lions were outpossessed (66%-34% ball possession), outshot (18-10) and had an inferior Expected Goals tally. Yet, they were more clinical than Bafana, converting two of their three big chances, while Bafana missed three of their four.

11 – Cameroon will feature in their 11th AFCON quarterfinal, with only Nigeria (12) reaching the last eight more often.