Africa's Last Shot at the World Cup Last 16

Egypt, Cape Verde and Ghana get Africa's final World Cup Round of 32 games. Only Morocco are through. Our tips on all three inside.

Here is the maths that hurts. Nine African teams reached this World Cup Round of 32. Eight of them are already home. 

Morocco are the only ones left in the last 16, and today is the continent's final chance to give them some company.

Egypt have the best shot, a winnable tie with Australia and a fit-again Salah. 

Cape Verde, a nation of barely half a million people, get Lionel Messi and the small matter of the world champions. 

And Ghana will try to bore Colombia to death in Kansas City. 

Three teams, one round, and a lot of Nigerian fans suddenly discovering they were always Egypt supporters. Let's go.

Cape Verde have half a million people and zero fear. Argentina have Messi and everything to lose.

Australia vs Egypt — Round of 32 — Dallas, 7pm (UK)

Egypt's reward for a historic group stage is the most Egyptian thing imaginable: a winnable game they are perfectly capable of overthinking into disaster. 

Australia do not concede, two goals shipped in the entire group stage and they will try to drag this into a slow, joyless grind and squeeze the life out of it.

But Egypt have the two best players on the pitch, and that usually matters. 

Salah has been cleared to start after his hamstring scare, and with Omar Marmoush alongside him, that is more attacking quality than Australia have dealt with all tournament. 

The Socceroos barely threaten going forward, so if the Pharaohs stay patient and trust their stars, they walk into the last 16.

Prediction: Egypt 1-0 Australia.

Tip: Egypt to qualify. With Salah passed fit, the Salah-Marmoush axis is a level above anything Australia carry, and the Socceroos simply do not score enough to win a knockout.

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Argentina vs Cape Verde — Round of 32 — Miami, 11pm (UK)

This is the fairytale meeting the guillotine. 

Cape Verde, an island nation of just over half a million people, at their first ever World Cup, did not merely sneak into the knockouts. 

They did it from second place, without losing a group game, drawing with Spain, Uruguay and Saudi Arabia and conceding just twice all tournament. 

That is not a fluke. That is a proper, organised, infuriatingly stubborn football team.

Unfortunately, the football gods have posted Lionel Messi to end the story. 

Messi has six goals already, looks like he is enjoying his finest World Cup, and he is doing it in Miami, essentially his back garden. 

Around him, Scaloni fields a side where eight of the eleven started the 2022 final. 

This is the most playoff-hardened team in the tournament, rested and rotated through the group, and they do not do sentiment.

Cape Verde will sit deep, defend for their lives and pray to nick one. 

That plan has embarrassed bigger names than them at this tournament. 

But a low block only holds so long against Messi and a well-drilled set-piece routine, and Argentina have too many ways through the door. 

Respect the Blue Sharks, then watch them go out with their heads held high.

Prediction: Argentina 3-0 Cape Verde.

Tip: Argentina to win — banker of the day. The champions are rested, ruthless and a clear class above; Cape Verde's low block is brilliant, but it cracks eventually.

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Colombia vs Ghana — Round of 32 — Kansas City, 2.30am (UK, Sat)

Ghana's entire plan is to make football unwatchable, and honestly, fair play to them. 

Carlos Queiroz has built a deep, stubborn low block that already strangled England to a goalless draw in the group stage. 

They barely attack, 15 shots in three games but they foul, they frustrate, and they wait for one moment. 

Colombia are the better side by a distance, unbeaten, full of quality through Luis Diaz and James Rodriguez, and roared on by a packed Kansas City crowd. 

But if any underdog can drag a favourite into the mud and steal a result, it is this Ghana.

Prediction: Colombia 1-1 Ghana.

Tip: Ghana double chance — upset special. They kept England scoreless with these exact tactics; turn this into an ugly, low-scoring grind and the shock is very much alive.

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