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Cape Verde, a 10-island nation of just 500 000 people and the smallest to qualify for the tournament, squeezed through thanks to a stoppage-time winner from Heldon against Angola.
Zambia could not match the 2012 heroics of Gabon/Equatorial Guinea and drew all three games to come third in a group won by rank outsiders Burkina Faso, who arrived with an embarrassing 17-match winless record at the tournament.
Togo were other shock qualifiers, finishing runners-up ahead of more fancied Algeria and Tunisia in a group predictably won by Cote d’Ivire, while hosts South Africa recovered from a dismal opening performance to progress.
AFP Sport rates the performances of the eight teams who have made it to the quarter-finals this weekend, and the eight countries who have gone home to lick wounds.
QUALIFIERS:
BURKINA FASO
Far exceeded expectations to top Group C with a 4-0 rout of Ethiopia their first Cup of Nations victory since 1998. Huge blow that three-goal hot-shot Alain Traore will miss rest of tournament through injury.
CAPE VERDE
Proved shock qualifying win over Cameroon was no fluke by finishing ahead of former champions Morocco and regular participants Angola. No stars in this team — just dogged, disciplined players who wear the national colours with pride.
GHANA
Mixed showing as they surrendered two-goal lead againt DR Congo and should have beaten Mali by more than one goal before clicking against Niger with captain Asamoah Gyan scoring one goal and creating the other two.
COTE D’IVOIRE
A five-star showing against Tunisia after ‘golden oldies’ Didier Drogba and Kolo Toure were axed sealed first place with a game to spare. Started tournament as favourites and they remain the team to beat.
MALI
Desperate to do well and cheer Malians involved in a struggle back home against Islamist militants, but Seydou Keita and his team battled to overcome Niger, were outplayed by Ghana and wasted chances in a draw with DR Congo.
NIGERIA
Were 11 minutes from elimination when Chelsea midfielder Victor Moses came up trumps, converting two penalties against Ethiopia to take the Super Eagles through at expense of Zambia. Have battled to convert possession into goals.
SOUTH AFRICA
Lucky to hold Cape Verde before 80 000 wet, cold, disillusioned supporters, Bafana Bafana (The Boys) improved to beat Angola and came back twice to hold Morocco. Have rediscovered scoring touch, but centre-backs look vulnerable.
TOGO
After pre-tournament drama over whether captain Emmanuel Adebayor would play, the Sparrow Hawks came within two minutes of holding Ivory Coast, beat Algeria and held Tunisia to secure a first last-eight appearance. — AFP.
Online Reporter