Nigeria sharpshooters Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman will provide a stern test to the flawless record of Algeria goalkeeper Luca Zidane, a son of French football icon Zinedine Zidane, in the Africa Cup of Nations quarter-finals in Morocco.
Zidane is the only first-choice goalkeeper amongst the eight quarter-finalists to have kept a clean sheet in all of his tournament matches so far, but the task facing him in Marrakesh on Saturday will not be easy.
Former African player of the year award-winners Osimhen and Lookman have tormented defences during the tournament, scoring three goals each.
Zidane, 27, kept clean sheets in group matches against Sudan and Burkina Faso before being rested against Equatorial Guinea.
He was recalled for a last-16 clash with the Democratic Republic of Congo and once again was unbeaten during a dramatic extra-time victory.
Former Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane, his Spanish wife and another son have been among the crowds in each match Luca played for the Desert Foxes.
“It is special when your family come to watch,” said Luca Zidane, who began his career with Real Madrid B in 2016 and now plays for Spanish second-tier side Granada.
Born in France, Zidane represented his country of birth at five age-limit levels. Under FIFA rules, he could also play for Spain or Algeria, where his grandparents were born.
Zidane chose Algeria, debuting in a 2026 World Cup qualifying victory over Uganda last November, and, when an injury ruled first choice Alexis Guendoez out of the AFCON, he was promoted.
“I am proud to represent Algeria and play in the Africa Cup of Nations. It is a great experience,” he told reporters.
And he insists that he is not weighed down by his famous family name.
“I try to be myself, to build my career on my terms, step by step,” he said.
AFP Sport looks at the quarter-finals on Friday and Saturday, which feature seven winners of the AFCON. All eight are among the top 10 in the African rankings.
Mali v Senegal
Mali are the only survivors who have not been AFCON champions, and they reached the last eight without winning. After drawing three group matches, they beat Tunisia in a penalty shoot-out.
Belgian coach Tom Saintfiet calls his players “national heroes”, referring to playing Tunisia for 94 minutes with 10 men following the sending off of Woyo Coulibaly.
Senegal welcome back centre-back Kalidou Koulibaly after a one-match ban. Goalkeeper Edouard Mendy, midfielder Idrissa Gueye and forward Sadio Mane are the long-serving core of the side.
Ibrahim Mbaye is an exciting addition to the Teranga Lions. The 17-year-old came off the bench to score against Sudan — the second youngest player to do so at an AFCON.
Cameroon v Morocco
Older Moroccan supporters have bitter memories of Cameroon, which won a 1988 semi-final in the kingdom and went on to claim the second of five AFCON titles.
Cameroon have never lost to Morocco in an AFCON. They are also the last team to triumph in the kingdom, winning a World Cup qualifier there in 2009.
But while the statistics offer comfort to the Indomitable Lions, they will be underdogs against the competition favourites.
Full-back Achraf Hakimi has recovered from an ankle injury to lead the Atlas Lions, and forward Brahim Diaz has scored in each of his four matches.
Algeria v Nigeria
Algeria have been an AFCON bogey team for Nigeria, winning four and drawing two of nine meetings, including a 5-1 drubbing of the Super Eagles en route to winning the 1990 tournament at home.
The Desert Foxes have put successive group-stage exits behind them under Bosnian coach Vladimir Petkovic, and substitute Adil Boulbina unleashed a thunderbolt to eliminate DR Congo.
Nigeria are the 12-goal leading scorers in Morocco with Osimhen, Lookman and Akor Adams forming a potent frontline.
But coach Eric Chelle will be concerned that the three-time champions have conceded four — the most among the eight title hopefuls.
Egypt v Ivory Coast
Ivory Coast, the first defending champions to reach the quarter-finals since 2010, have a dismal AFCON record against Egypt, losing seven of 11 matches and winning only one.
But an impressive 3-0 victory over Burkina Faso, with Manchester United winger Amad Diallo outstanding, provides hope of further progress.
While the Ivorians were cruising to a last-16 victory, Egypt battled to overcome minnows Benin, ensuring victory only after 124 minutes when talisman Mohamed Salah scored.
Having won every English competition, the Champions League and the Club World Cup with Liverpool, Salah wants to go one step further in Africa after twice being an AFCON runner-up.
AFP
