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After twelve days of group stage action and two days of rest, the journey to African Cup of Nations, AFCON, glory resumes today in the land of the pyramids, Egypt.

The group stages coughed up lots of incidents from the goals, the misses, the blunders and the tactics. Not to forget the fans in the stands, the permutations as to who qualifies for the knockout not forgetting the empty stadia.

But with the group stage over, eight out of the 24 teams were eliminated whiles sixteen teams will in the next four days be whittled down to eight for the quarter finals.

Major statistics and facts from Group Stage action

June 6: Day two of knockout

Nigeria vs. Cameroon

Nigeria and Cameroon also have eight trophies between them. Cameroon with five and Nigeria with three.

The stakes a high for a Cameroon side that has failed to get the much needed goals and a Nigerian side that needs to make a strong statement after shock defeat to debutants Madagascar.

Both sides were rocked by bonus rows, the Cameroonians just before the tournament whiles the Nigerians staged their protest during the group phase.

Egypt vs. South Africa

The hosts are back in action against South Africa in the knock out round specifically the round-of-16 stage of the competition.

Egypt’s path to this stage was without blemish. Winning all three games and not conceding a goal. They finished top af their group (Uganda, DRC, Zimbabwe).

The South Africans were third in their group which had Morocco, Ivory Coast and Namibia. Their only victory came against Namibia. The Bafana Bafana qualified as one of four third-best placed sides.

There are eight trophies between the two sides. Egypt have a record seven titles whiles South Africa boasts its 1996 glory when they hosted and won it. Egypt beat South Africa to the hosting rights after CAF stripped Cameroon of the rights in late 2018.