The group stage of the African Nations Championship has concluded with a flourish, producing 74 goals across 36 matches as the tournament prepares for this weekend’s quarter-final showdowns.
The three-week opening phase averaged just over two goals per game, with decisive results proving the norm as only 11 matches ended in draws compared to 25 outright victories.
Hosts Uganda and Morocco emerged as the tournament’s most potent attacking forces, both finding the net eight times during their group campaigns.
The individual scoring honours were shared between three players, with Uganda’s Allan Okello, Morocco’s Oussama Lamlioui and South Africa’s Thabiso Kutumela each bagging three goals to lead the way.
Morocco’s influence extended beyond goalscoring, with Youssef Mehri providing three assists to top the creative charts alongside his team-mate’s clinical finishing.
Defensive solidity proved equally crucial, with hosts Kenya joining Sudan and Senegal in conceding just once throughout their three group fixtures.
Zambia endured the tournament’s most porous defence, shipping eight goals to highlight the contrast between the competition’s strongest and weakest backlines.
The statistics reveal the technical advancement of African football, with teams completing over 20,000 passes during the group phase alone.
Angola led the possession-based approach with 1,737 completed passes, nearly 350 per match, whilst Sudan proved the most clinical in front of goal with a conversion rate exceeding 26% of their shots on target.
Guinea’s Aboubacar Bangoura emerged as the tournament’s chief creator, carving out 13 scoring opportunities for his team-mates across their three group encounters.
Between the posts, Madagascar’s Michel Lalain’arinjaka made the most saves with 17 stops, whilst Mauritania’s Abderrahman Sarr and Tanzania’s Yakoub Ali shared the clean sheet record with four shutouts apiece.
Disciplinary issues added extra drama, with seven red cards influencing key encounters throughout the group stage.
Penalty conversions played their part too, accounting for 11 goals including three successful spot-kicks for Uganda during their campaign.
The knockout phase begins on Friday when Kenya face Madagascar in Nairobi, followed by Tanzania’s encounter with Morocco in Dar es Salaam.
Saturday’s quarter-final double-header sees Sudan take on Algeria in Zanzibar before Uganda meet Senegal at Kampala’s Mandela National Stadium.
The semi-finals are scheduled for 26-27 August, leading to the final showpiece on 30 August as East Africa prepares to crown new champions.
With attacking flair, defensive resilience and individual brilliance already on display, the knockout rounds promise an enthralling climax to a tournament that has showcased the continued evolution of African football.
