KEY POINTS
- Botswana, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Zambia, and Comoros exited AFCON 2025 following the group stage.
- Morocco, Algeria, Nigeria, South Africa, Mali, and Egypt have secured places in the Round of 16.
- The knockout stage promises high-intensity matches with potential surprises as top African teams compete for continental glory.
Six teams have been knocked out of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco as the group stage comes to a close. Many towns in Morocco are hosting the event, which has been quite competitive, with every match affecting the group’s standings.
Group Stage: People Leaving Early
Botswana was the first team to go home after losing their first two games. They were at the bottom of Group D since they couldn’t score any points, which meant they were out of the tournament before the penultimate round of matches. Equatorial Guinea and Gabon also quit the tournament after losing their first two group games in a row. The early departures highlight how hard AFCON 2025 is, since even teams that are normally strong have to work hard to win.
Zambia’s aspirations of moving on ended on Monday night when they fell 3 to 0 to Morocco, the country that hosted the competition. Because they lost, they were out of the competition. Morocco, on the other hand, stayed at the top of Group A because they played well and had a better goal difference. Comoros was the first team in third place to lose. Even though they fought hard in their matches, they came in third place, behind four of the other five teams. These results highlight how significant each group is because one loss might spell the difference between a team staying in the tournament or going home.
Six Teams Get to the Round of 16
But six teams have already made it to the Round of 16. Morocco, Algeria, Nigeria, South Africa, Mali, and Egypt all did well. They were able to move on because they were tactically disciplined and could score goals. Egypt, Nigeria, and Algeria all won their first two group matches, which gave them additional points and let them move on. South Africa and Mali moved on because they won critical games and had a good goal differential. Morocco, the host country, won its group thanks to the fact that it was playing at home.
The end of the group stage paves the way for a furious knockout round, where the greatest African sides will battle it out for the title of best team on the continent. Fans and experts alike eagerly anticipate exciting matches where both rising stars and seasoned veterans will make a major impact. As the tournament goes on, the fact that these six teams are out shows how unpredictable AFCON is and how near triumph is to an early exit.
