Africa Cup of Nations 2013: Preview and Predictions for Saturday’s Quarterfinals

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at Internationaled.org

Published: February 1, 2013

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The Africa Cup of Nations quarterfinals will begin on Saturday. Just like last year, the Ivory Coast and Ghana enter the final eight as favorites to reach the final. Both of the continental powerhouses won their respective groups.

Zambia ended up stealing the spotlight and the trophy in 2012, though. Can another underdog make a miracle run to the championship in 2013? Or will one of the two most talented countries restore order at the marquee event?

The first step toward discovering the answer comes on Saturday. Ghana takes on the Cape Verde Islands in the day's first match and it will be followed by the host nation of South Africa facing Mali. Here are previews and predictions for both games.

 

Ghana vs. Cape Verde Islands



It took some time for Ghana to find its footing in South Africa. The Black Stars opened with a draw against Congo and then escaped with a 1-0 victory over Mali. However, they finally seemed to settle in during a 3-0 win over Niger in the group finale.



Captain Asamoah Gyan spearheads an attack that has received some unexpected contributions from young players like Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu and Christian Atsu, which added some more depth to an already strong lineup.

The Black Stars can't afford to overlook an upstart Cape Verde side, however. The small nation's squad didn't get much attention prior to the tournament, but turned a lot of heads during the group stage. The lack of star power was overcome by solid play across the board.

Since the Blue Sharks should be riding a wave of momentum after scoring two late goals in their last match to secure advancement, it's vital that Ghana get off to a quick start. If the Black Stars can control the pace within the first 15 minutes, they will advance.

Prediction: 2-0 Ghana

 

South Africa vs. Mali



This should be the more competitive...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - International Football

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