The Africa Cup of Nations quarterfinal lineup was finalized Tuesday with Algeria and defending champion Ivory Coast booking the last places.
Algeria needed a brilliant strike from Adil Boulbina at the end of extra time to beat Congo 1-0, and Amad Diallo and Yan Diomande both scored and set up each other’s goals as Ivory Coast progressed with a 3-0 win over Burkina Faso. Bazoumana Touré sealed the Elephants’ win.
The defending champion next faces Egypt in Agadir in the last quarterfinal on Saturday, after Algeria plays Nigeria in Marrakech.
Mali faces 2021 winner Senegal in the first quarterfinal in Tangier on Friday, before host nation Morocco entertains five-time winner Cameroon in Rabat's near 70,000-capacity Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium, where the winner will also play the semifinal and final on Jan. 18 if it progresses that far.
The winner of Morocco’s quarterfinal against Cameroon will face the winner of Algeria vs. Nigeria on Jan. 14.
The other semifinal — between the winners of Mali vs. Senegal and Egypt vs. Ivory Coast — will be played on the same day earlier in Tangier.