Defense is an essential element in this CAN 2021. As proof, the best defenses will be there in the quarter-finals. Back to the best defenses of the tournament.
Abdou Diallo irremovable in the central Senegalese hinge
There were 24 at the start, there are only eight teams left at CAN 2021. These will play the quarter-finals on Saturday and Sunday. Beautiful posters in perspective. But the defense could take precedence. Since among the remaining teams, most shone in the competitionthanks to their defensive solidity.
Gambia and Equatorial Guinea, almost impregnable defenses
After Senegal, three nations share second place. First we have the surprising Gambia team. Lees Scorpions, for their first CAN, will play the quarter-finals. An unexpected result for many observers. The Gambian recipe goes above all through defence. The Tm Saintfiet team only conceded one goal in the competition. It was on penalty against Mali. Only one goal conceded while the novices faced in particular Mali, Tunisia and Guinea.
Another team with only one goal conceded, Equatorial Guinea. The Nzalang nacional conceded a goal in their first match against Côte d’Ivoire. Since then, nothing. The Equatorial Guineans faced Algeria and Sierra Leone without conceding (1-0 victory each time). And this Wednesday against Mali, they resisted and won the match on penalties.
Egypt and Tunisia true to their reputation
Egypt is no exception to its reputation as an iron defense in this CAN 2021. The Pharaohs conceded only one goal in their first match against Nigeria (1-0 defeat). They keep since their clean sheet. In the quarter-finals, the Egyptians will challenge Morocco and their fiery attack. A life-size test for the defense led by Hegazy.
Tunisia also has a solid defence. She only conceded two goals (against Mali and Gambia in the group stage). The Carthage Eagles also disgusted Nigeria in the round of 16. Nullifying all attacks from the Super Eagles.
Morocco, Burkina Faso and Cameroon, the “bad” students
Among the teams still in contention in this CAN, the three teams having conceded the most goals are Morocco (3 goals conceded), Burkina Faso and Cameroon (4 goals conceded each).
Morocco was however renowned for its defensive solidity before the tournament. The Atlas Lions chained the cleansheets during the World Cup qualifiers.
Note that during his coronation in 2019, Algeria had only conceded two goals. One against Côte d’Ivoire in the quarter-finals, and another in the semi-finals against Nigeria.
