The ongoing African Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournament in Ivory Coast has seen some surprising results and noteworthy performances. Underdog nations have impressed, while traditional football powerhouses like Algeria and Ghana have struggled. The 2019 champions Algeria and four-time winners Ghana failed to proceed to the knockout stage.

One of the notable records set in the event is by Mauritania, which qualified for the round of 16 for the first time ever. This small country, currently ranked 105th in the FIFA rankings, also scored its first goal in the continental championship. Mauritania is now set to play against Cape Verde in the knockout stage.

In addition, Tunisia’s Youssef Msakin and Ghana’s Andre Ayew have also entered the history books. Both players have participated in a record eight times in the CAF AFCON, equaling the record held by former Egypt midfielder Ahmed Hassan and Cameroon’s Rigobert Song.

While some football powerhouses struggled, Senegal’s national team, captained by Kalidou Koulibaly, managed to achieve a perfect 100% record in the group stage. The team defeated Ivory Coast, Gambia, and Cameroon to advance to the next round.