AFCON quarterfinals are wide open, shocks are on the cards

After a group stage and Last 16 characterised by narrow score lines, the Africa Cup of Nations quarterfinals could see a couple of shock results emerge this weekend, with the action continuing as scheduled despite the Stade d'Olembe tragedy.

On the field, the tournament brought drama, excitement, and no shortage of controversy as the group stage unravelled and gave way to the gripping Last 16. Almost every game has provided tension and intrigue — even if referees and VAR have been a little too prominent in the discussions.

Even the questionable interventions, the suspicious oversights, the speed at which red cards have been whipped out haven't (completely) detracted from the fairytale stories, the unexpected results, and the edge-of-your-seat thrill of elimination football.

On paper, two of the quarterfinals appear to be mismatches, but the tournament has demonstrated that the big boys can come unstuck against would-be minnows, and while individual talent alone can get you so far, the strength of the collective has been apparent to Ghana, Algeria and Nigeria.

Gambia's achievement in reaching the tournament alone was remarkable, while their performances in Cameroon — victories over Mauritania, Tunisia and Guinea, drawing with Mali — have represented the all-time greatest moments in the nation's sporting history.

There's no doubt that Saturday's quarterfinal against Cameroon is the biggest match Gambia have ever contested, but their mentality, tactical approach, and the sterling work of head coach Tom Saintfiet leave them perfectly placed to give the hosts a run for their money and perhaps even register an almighty AFCON shock.

After a troubled build-up to their clash against Guinea, with the Gambia camp complaining about