Africa Cup of Nations quarter-final betting previews, tips, stats & TV channel

Eurosport 2 from 5pm

Nigeria v South Africa 8pm

South Africa squeezed through to the last 16 as lucky losers and after as tough a fortnight as any of their rivals has endured, they can claim another big scalp.

Stuart Baxter’s side had been pitched into a brute of a section alongside Morocco and Ivory Coast so it was no surprise they finished third. To go on and topple Mo Salah’s Egypt in the first knockout stage, however, has made everyone sit up and take notice.

Now they take on another African juggernaut in Nigeria and look overpriced.

The Nigerians were awful in their group stage, where the low point was a defeat to Madagascar in which Alex Iwobi, Ahmed Musa and one or two others fairly anonymous.

A 3-2 win over Cameroon has reminded us of their firepower, although the floodgates are unlikely to be opened against South Africa, whose four matches so far have all ended in 1-0 scorelines.

Key stat: South Africa’s last nine internationals have produced 11 goals.

Recommendation
South Africa to qualify
1pt 7-4 Coral, Hills, Ladbrokes

Senegal v Benin 5pm

Benin are pinching themselves after knocking out Morocco – the rest of us are pinching ourselves that a team who have yet to win a game have somehow crawled into the last eight.

Sadio Mane, the man with three goals and two penalty misses to his name, can end the world’s 88th-best side’s fun in Cairo where another low crowd should see the 1-2 shots oblige.

A comfortable win, however, shouldn’t be presumed. Benin have got this far courtesy of four straight draws and are nothing if not obdurate. If decent teams like Ghana and Cameroon can’t see them off, then Aliou Cisse’s tournament jollies probably won’t find it routine.

Only one of eight knockout ties has been won by more than one goal and The Squirrels, even with Amiens defender Khaled Adenon, can put up a fight.

Key stat: Senegal have won nine of their last ten internationals.

Recommendation
Senegal to win by one goal
1pt 23-10 RedZone

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