The AFCON Review | Which Ligue 1 players impressed in the Round of 16? | OneFootball

With the group stage coming to an end, many of Ligue 1’s fifty representatives had seen their AFCON journeys end by New Year’s Day. Some will have gone through more unceremonious exits than the others: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was notably banished from the Gabon national team by the country’s government shortly after the the Panthers were knocked out.

As was the case during the group stage, surprises were short in supply in the Round of 16 match-ups. The quarter-final ties, which kick off this Friday as Senegal take on Mali in Tangier, will feature the eight best-ranked teams on the continent. For the time being, no clear favourites have emerged, although the goalscoring exploits of Nigeria and Senegal have positioned them as more than credible contenders. 

The hosts, meanwhile, are yet to fully click into gear. Achraf Hakimi, arguably the face of the tournament, made his return to the starting eleven for the Atlas Lions, drawing the biggest cheer from the Rabat crowd on Sunday. While the Paris Saint-Germain right-back is evidently not fully match fit yet and playing with the handbrake on, he did set up Brahim Díaz for the goal that took Morocco past Tanzania. 

Others have carried over their strong start at the end of December into the knockout stages. The following France-based players will have left a lasting impression on the tournament, whatever the outcome of this weekend’s matches:

Lassine Sinayoko (Mali, Auxerre)

His team was down to ten men from midway through the first half against Tunisia, but the Auxerre forward valiantly led the line and converted the stoppage-time penalty that sent the match to extra-time. The Carthage Eagles, who featured Ali Abdi of Nice and Montassar Talbi of Lorient in the backline, had been unable to create much until the closing stages of the ninety minutes.

Sinayoko was responsible for some of the Eagles’ rare forays into the opposition half, often driving forward on his own and holding the ball long enough to offer his defence some much-needed respite. The 27-year-old was then one of three Malians to convert their spot-kicks in the shoot-out, with goalkeeper Djigui Diarra emerging as the team’s other hero of the night by stopping two of Tunisia’s penalties.

Ibrahim Mbaye (Senegal, Paris Saint-Germain)

The forward, who doesn’t turn 18 until later this month, has consistently made an instant impact off the bench for Senegal. This time, he sealed the victory over Sudan by opening his Africa Cup of Nations account, becoming the Teranga Lions’ youngest-ever goalscorer in the competition.

Also involved in Senegal’s win were Monaco wing-back Krépin Diatta and Lyon centre-half Moussa Niakhaté, while Diatta’s club teammate Lamine Camara came off the bench in the second half. 

Hicham Boudaoui (Algeria, Nice)

It was Adil Boulbina’s late strike which sent them through to the quarter-finals, but the Nice midfielder was arguably the standout player for the Fennec Foxes against DR Congo on Tuesday.

Boudaoui was crucial in both defensive and attacking phases for Algeria, intercepting several Congolese through balls and launching his own team’s attacks throughout the two hours of play. Among his highlights were an outside-of-the-boot pass to send Belghali on the counter in the first half, as well as a sliding tackle to block Chancel Mbemba’s close-range volley on the hour mark.

The highly-anticipated clash in Rabat also saw Lille defenders Aïssa Mandi and Mbemba face off, as both led their backlines for two hours of play. It was the former whose team went through to the last eight, but DR Congo’s centurion will have had an impressive tournament nonetheless.

Guéla Doué (Côte d’Ivoire, Strasbourg)

Far away from the upheaval back in Strasbourg, the full-back has been quietly turning in commanding performances in Morocco. The former Rennes man was on top form again as the Elephants saw off Burkina Faso in Marrakesh, with no Ivorian registering more interceptions, clearances, and one-on-one duels won.

GFFN | Raphaël Jucobin – reporting from Rabat and Casablanca