The Last 8: The AFCON quarter final battles, Ivory Coast vs Algeria stands out

The 2015 Africa Cup of Nations will not hear the national anthems of Burkina Faso, Gabon, Cape Verde, Zambia, South Africa and one of Mali or Guinea as the last eight teams battle for that top Africa football prize.

That however in no way diminishes the football thrill the African continent and the world will continue to see with some African football giants still set to lock horns.

The last eight of every tournament is set to produce epic football entertainment but the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations, Les Elephants taking on 'El Khadra' [The Greens] stands out.

Bring on the quarter finals!
Ivory Coast vs Algeria| Sunday, February 1 2015| 19:30GMT

Algeria mesmerized the fans of the AFCON tournament in Equatorial Guinea with a breathtaking attacking football against South Africa in their opening game. The game that saw them score three times after going down by a goal still stands out as one of the best games the tournament has seen.

Against Ghana, it never was a poor performance. Just that The Greens were left dumfounded in the final significant kick of that particular game by the genius of Black Stars captain Asamoah Gyan.

That was an experience Algeria never wanted again and did the job brilliantly against Senegal scoring two goals, one early and the other late.

Ivory Coast have not lived up to the heights they were assumed before the start of the tournament in Equatorial Guinea.

Le Elephants however from the back of two 1-1 draws against Guinea and Mali prevented their fate of the AFCON tournament being left in the hands of an organizing committee member.

The Ivory Coast sorted the necessary details needed for qualification on the football field and scored one goal without reply to kick Cameroon out and top their group.

So it's Ivory Coast versus Algeria on Sunday as both teams seek for a spot in the final four of the competition.

The football the first nation on the African continent according to FIFA rankings has shown and the football egos in the Ivory Coast nations team promises for an epic proportion of football ecstasy.

And the English language may lack the requisite words to describe the level of ecstasy if the expectations of this particular game are met.

Game on it is then.
Congo vs DR Congo| Saturday, January 31 2015| 16:00GMT

Congo versus DR Congo. Africa will congregate to watch to countries will imaginary separation called borders when these two teams kick off the quarter final of the 2015 African Cup of Nations on Saturday.

The sure thing to be expected in that kick off is there will be no friendliness during the 90 minutes plus additional on the football field.

Congo had a two -point setback in the opening game of the competition against host nation Equatorial Guinea.

Nearly complicating matters for themselves against Burkina Faso in their final group game after beating Gabon, the Congolese stood their grounds to top the group.

DR Congo slightly piped Cape Verde with three points from three draws against their group opponents.

The past is the past and now in the last eight, that is the past.

The players of both teams will look up to getting to the semifinals of the AFCON and will work their socks off whatever come may.

The tournament has already proved not following logics and considering 'big' names. So this game of Congo versus another Congo with a doctorate degree [pun intended] is one to keep an eye on.

Tunisia vs Equatorial| Saturday, January 31 2015| 19:30GMT

Win, draw and draw was how Tunisia made it. Draw, Draw and a very necessary win was also how the host nation of the AFCON tournament made it.

Gaining the same points with different positional outcomes under very different circumstances makes this game a very tricky one.

But the joy the fans at the stadium when Equatorial Guinea made it through to the last eight show the host nation will have an added advantage of home cheers.

In football, all cheers can be quenched with a goal and with not getting knocked out from the AFCON tournament at stake, the last thing Tunisia will be worried about are cheers from home support. They will be seeking for goals.

And Equatorial Guinea will be cheered to get goals.

All in all, that's how classic football games are invented, ain't it?

Ghana vs Guinea/Mali| Sunday, February 1 2015| 16:00GMT

Ghana! Ghana!! Ghana!!!
The only team in the last eight of the AFCON competition that does not know its opponents for Sunday's game at the moment.

Mali and Guinea can't be separated and Article 74 of the tournament's rules called drawing of lots has to be applied.

The names of the two teams will be presented before being placed into two balls. An official from the audience will be invited to take pick up a ball which will be the team that has qualified for the quarter finals.

The simple and short of that rule is, two balls, pick one, yaaay. Team picked qualifies. Football herh? Bloody hell.

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