Raphael Abiola
January 30, 2024 at 10:53 PM
The round of 16 games at the ongoing 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast has been concluded, with eight teams progressing to the next round of the competition.
The first team to qualify from the second round was the Palancas Negras of Angola after defeating the Brave Warriors of Namibia 3-0.
The Super Eagles of Nigeria followed suit as they knocked out the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon with a 2-0 win.
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Ivory Coast and South Africa caused a major upset in the competition as they knocked out the tournament’s favourites, Senegal and Morocco, respectively.
Several players showcased their footballing talents in the last 16, but Sports Brief takes a look at the top five best players in the round.
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5. Fredy
The Angola captain is one of the best players of the round of 16, with his performance against Namibia setting him ahead of other midfielders in the knockout stage.
The Eyupspor star provided two assists in Angola’s 3-0 win over the Brave Warriors.
4. Gelson Dala
Gelson is another Angolan on the list, as he was impressive in Palancas Negras’ win over Namibia. He was involved in all three goals scored in the match.
The Al-Wakrah forward scored a brace and provided the assist for the game’s last goal, which Mabululu scored.
3. Jean Michael Seri
The former Fulham midfielder showed he was the missing piece in Ivory Coast’s midfield as they knocked out Senegal on penalties in the round of 16.
2. Teboho Mokoena
The Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder produced a man-of-the-match performance in South Africa’s 2-0 win over Morocco in the second round.
The Bafana Bafana star added a sumptuous free-kick goal to his stellar performance against the Atlas Lions.
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1. Ademola Lookman
The Nigerian forward scored a brace as the Super Eagles knocked out five-time champion Cameroon in round 16.
Lookman, alongside Victor Osimhen, were a constant threat for Indomitable Lions defenders, but the former Leicester City forward was named the man of the match after the game.