Big Guns Go Out

The decision to expand the field to 24 teams met with much scepticism, but the first knockout stage delivered a raft of upsets and thrilling contests to give the tournament a much-needed injection of excitement after a relatively sterile group phase.

And this was despite Egypt being eliminated by a suddenly inspired South Africa, who tactically outfoxed the hosts by playing a high line, adding to their speed on the counter and generally outplaying the Pharaohs with a neat passing game.

Thembinkosi Lorch’s late winner was as much as Stuart Baxter’s team deserved and left the neutrals wondering where this South African side had suddenly popped up from after losing two of their opening three games.

Defensively they were strong too, as full-back Sifiso Hlanti kept Mohamed Salah in check.

Egypt’s exit came the day after the knockout phase began with Morocco bundled out by lowly Benin on penalties.

It was an almost comical litany of missed opportunity for Herve Renard’s charges, including a spotkick in stoppage time that should have ensured a late 2-1 victory. Instead, the mercurial Hakim Ziyech thundered his shot against a post and the game went to extra time, where Benin gallantly hung on and the won the shoot-out.

Cameroon had lost their crown before Egypt went out, Odion Ighalo getting two goals as Nigeria won 3-2. Cameroon had come from behind to score twice just before half-time, only to suffer a similar one-two punch as Ighalo equalised and then Alex Iwobi got the winner three minutes later.

Then followed the excitement of Madagascar keeping up their groupstage heroics to beat DR Congo on penalties in a dream debut.

The game ended 2-2, watched by a plane load of Malagasy fans who had travelled over on a chartered flight with their president, Andry Rajoelina. Ahead going into the last minute, Madagascar conceded an equaliser to Chancel Mbemba’s powerful header and it felt as if the fairytale would end there, only for Yannick Bolasie to botch his kick in the shoot-out and Madagascar to go through 4-2 on penalties.