After an underwhelming start, this was supposed to be the week in which the Africa Cup of Nations blossomed, with knockout football bringing drama and iconic moments after a group stage that, for the large part, seemed to go through the motions.
In some aspects, it has delivered. Comoros were decimated but defiant, Eric Bailly amusingly daft, Youssouf M’Changama and Gabadinho Mhango, players you’d never heard of, scored goals you couldn’t believe, while three penalty shootouts and four matches decided by the odd goal provided tension and jeopardy, if not swashbuckling football.
