U20 AFCON: what we learned from the quarter-finals
The favourites all lived up to their billing in the U20 AFCON quarter-finals, securing direct qualification for the World Cup
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Senegal, the clear favourites
Four wins from four, with 9 goals scored and none conceded so far. What more could you ask of this Senegal side, packed with hugely talented youngsters? Perhaps the title itself. Either way, Malick Daf's young guns have the makings of future African champions. Against Benin, they showed their superiority in every department. It was a lovely piece of invention from the prodigy Lamine Camara, whose free kick found Senegal captain Samba Diallo perfectly to open the scoring (51st minute, 1-0). The Dynamo Kyiv player even had the chance to grab a second, but the crossbar got in the way.
Tunisia dig deep
This was arguably the tightest tie of the quarter-finals. Tunisia and Congo gave football lovers a memorable spectacle: goals, suspense and twists, with every emotion on show. But in the end it was Tunisia who won the battle. Trailing against the Congolese, the Eagles of Carthage turned the game around by scoring twice, before Bassinga's team-mates pulled them back level. The tussle went on until the end of normal time with the score locked at 3-3. The penalty shoot-out went Tunisia's way (5 to 4) to settle an interminable contest. Next up: Senegal.
A Gambian show
The Gambia won emphatically against South Sudan. The gap was too wide for the surprise team of this U20 AFCON. The South Sudanese were no match for a Gambian side at the top of their game. Aboulaie Bojang's men thrashed their opponents 5-0. This demonstration had one name behind it: Adama Bojang. Scoring a hat-trick (7th, 33rd and 47th minutes), the Scorpions striker strolled through the opposition defence. Even so, South Sudan still go down in history. On their first appearance at the AFCON, they pulled off the feat of reaching the quarter-finals.
Nigeria do just enough
Seven-time African champions at this age level, Nigeria, the most successful nation, confirmed their status as natural favourites for the competition. Uganda were unable to stop the Flying Eagles. In the 30th minute, the Ugandans sealed their own fate when the only goal of the game was an own goal by the unfortunate Ibrahim Juma. After doing the bare minimum (1-0), Nigeria will face The Gambia. The Gambia and Senegal are the only nations yet to concede a goal.