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Only winners will survive from here on out at the 2022 Africa Cup of Nations, as the knockout stages have moved into the semifinals.

Host Cameroon became the first semifinalist after a convincing 2-0 win over The Gambia. Karl Toko Ekambi accounted for both goals as the Indomitable Lions moved on to face Mo Salah and Egypt, which survived a North African quarterfinal battle against Morocco in extra time. Salah had a goal and the game-winning assist.

Another North African nation, Tunisia, will not be joining the semis after falling 1-0 to Burkina Faso, which continues its surprise run. The Stallions will face pre-tournament favorite Senegal in the semis. In the last quarterfinal, Sadio Mane and the Lions of Teranga took care of Equatorial Guinea 3-1 with two second-half goals to break up the tie.

MORE: AFCON 2022 final group standings

Among other top teams that qualified for the tournament, Nigeria and the Ivory Coast were eliminated in the Round of 16, while defending champion Algeria and traditional power Ghana were ousted in the group stage.

If there’s a draw after 90 minutes of regulation during these knockout rounds, there will be 30 minutes of extra time played, followed by a penalty-kick shootout if the deadlock persists. Only the third-place match on Feb. 6 will bypass extra time and head straight to penalty kicks.

AFCON 2022 knockout bracket

The AFCON 2022 quarterfinals were held over two days on Jan. 29-30 with the semis and finals happening in a span of five days in February.

Quarterfinals

Round of 16 results

How to watch AFCON 2022

• Dates: Jan. 9 through Feb. 6 (52 matches)
• Times: 8 a.m., 11 a.m., 2 p.m. ET
• TV Channels: beIN Sports, beIN Sports XTRA
• Spanish-language TV: beIN Sports en Espanol, beIN Sports XTRA en Espanol
• Streaming: fuboTV , beIN Sports Connect and other platforms

The AFCON tournament is being carried by beIN Sports in the USA and Canada, and coverage will be available in both English and Spanish.

Cable and satellite TV channels beIN Sports and beIN Sports en Espanol will carry matches, as will free channel beIN Sports XTRA. Fans can access all of them  on fuboTV , which is available for new users via a free trial .

beIN streams are also available for users of Fanatiz and YouTube TV. And since beIN XTRA is free, it’s available on a host of other streaming platforms  including Roku and Pluto TV.

MORE: Updated list of AFCON top scorers

AFCON 2022 matches today

The final semifinal spots were filled on Sunday. The semis will take place in midweek on Wednesday and Thursday.

Today’s AFCON matches: Sunday, Jan. 30

The quarterfinals wrapped up on Sunday with the pre-tournament favorite Senegal just one step away from returning to the AFCON final after Sadio Mane & Co. knocked off Equatorial Guinea in a quarterfinal 3-1.

The marquee matchup of the round also took place on the same day: Mohamed Salah scored Egypt’s opener and registered the game-winning assist in extra time as Egypt dispatched fellow North African nation Morocco 2-1.

AFCON results: Saturday, Jan. 29

The quarterfinals began with host Cameroon, which knocked off The Gambia with relative ease. The match saw Karl Toko Ekambi move to within a goal of teammate and top scorer Vincent Aboubakar atop the competition’s scoring chart. Aboubakar’s six goals are more than any other goalscorer in the Africa Cup of Nations since the 1998 edition.

Burkina Faso used a first-half goal by Dango Ouattara to knock off Tunisia and advance to the semis again after finishing in third place in the 2017 AFCON. The Stallions finished with 10 men after Ouattara was sent off for dishing out an elbow with eight minutes remaining, but Tunisia could not take advantage and will feel hard done by after a leg-crunching tackle in the Burkina Faso box did not result in a penalty kick.

Semifinals

3rd Place

Final

MORE: Updated AFCON 2022 schedule, results & highlights

AFCON 2022 tournament format

Similar to other continental championships and World Cup tournaments, the Africa Cup of Nations began with a group stage, followed by knockout rounds all the way to the final. 

• Group stage: Jan. 9-20
• Round of 16: Jan. 23-26
• Quarterfinals: Jan. 29-30
• Semifinals: Feb. 2-3
• Third place: Feb. 6
• Final: Feb. 6

The 24 nations were divided into six groups of four nations each. At the conclusion of round-robin group play — with three points awarded for a win, one for a draw and none for a loss — the top two teams in each group based on points (and tiebreakers, if necessary) advanced to the knockouts. The remaining slots in the Round of 16 were completed by the four best third-place finishers.

A predetermined knockout bracket is being played out all the way through to the final. If any knockout match ends in a tie after 90 minutes, the teams will play 30 minutes of extra time. If the draw persists, a penalty-kick shootout will determine the team to move on. The third-place match on Feb. 6 is the only one that would skip extra time and move straight to the shootout in case of a draw. 

For the first time in the competition’s history, all 52 matches are featuring the use of a Video Assistant Referee (VAR).

MORE: Ranking the top 10 players at AFCON

Who will win AFCON 2022?

Judging by BetMGM’s pre-tournament odds, Senegal-Algeria was the projected repeat final, but that won’t be happening given Algeria’s group-stage elimination. Senegal had the lowest odds of the bunch going into AFCON 2022, and it is the presumed favorite in the knockouts to win its first AFCON title. 

Among the other nine nations judged the most likely to win it all, host Cameroon is still alive and will meet Egypt in the semifinal stage. Burkina Faso was one of the long shots and didn’t figure among the top 10 most likely to win it all.

Liverpool have completed the signing of Porto winger Luis Diaz, in a deal worth £50million (€60m/$67m).

The Colombian international has signed a five-and-a-half-year deal having undergone a medical in Argentina on Saturday, and will wear the No.23 shirt at Anfield.

The Reds will pay an initial fee of £37.5m (€45m/$50m) for the 25-year-old, with an additional £12.5m (€15m/$17m) in performance-related add-ons.

What’s been said?

Klopp expressed his delight after Diaz’s arrival at Anfield, telling the Reds’ official website: “I could not be happier that we’ve been able to get this deal done and bring Luis to Liverpool.

“He is an outstanding player and someone we’ve been tracking for a very long time.

MORE: Guimaraes signs for Newcastle

“We believe he has everything needed to fit into our way and adapt to the Premier League, both physically and mentally. He is a player who is hungry for success and knows you have to fight to get what you want. He is a fighter, no doubt. He’s a skilful team player who has always the goal in mind.

“This team deserved to add quality and when we played against Luis earlier this season, we saw what a danger he is, how fast he is and how his mentality was to help his team.

“Luis is a player we believe will make us better now and in the future.”

Our new #⃣2⃣3⃣ 🤩 #VamosLuis pic.twitter.com/ojMe9g8pJY

— Liverpool FC (@LFC) January 30, 2022

What will Diaz bring to Liverpool?

Diaz will add even greater firepower to Jurgen Klopp’s ranks as he comes in to compete for regular minutes alongside Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane, Diogo Jota and Roberto Firmino.

The Colombian emerged as one of the top young wingers in Europe during his three-year stint at Porto, recording 41 goals and 19 assists in 125 games.

MORE: Every PL team’s next match

Diaz took his game to new heights in the first half of the 2021-22 campaign, scoring 16 goals in 28 appearances for the Portuguese giants, and Liverpool fans will hope he can transfer that form straight into the Premier League.

An impressive season so far for @LuisFDiaz19 👏⚽️ #VamosLuis pic.twitter.com/wZUvBfJAj7

— Liverpool FC (@LFC) January 30, 2022

What else could happen at Liverpool before transfer deadline day?

The Reds are expecting to receive offers for a number of players before Monday’s 11pm GMT deadline, with the likes of Divock Origi, Takumi Minamino and Nat Phillips, in particular, attracting interest.

Origi is wanted by Newcastle and Atalanta, among others, and could be allowed to leave if a suitable offer arrives.

MORE: What’s up with Pulisic?

Liverpool have received approaches from Leeds and Monaco for Minamino, but GOAL understands that they are reluctant to sanction a loan deal, and that the player is not keen on leaving, preferring instead to fight for his place if possible.

Phillips, meanwhile, is on the list of several Premier League clubs, including Burnley, Watford, Newcastle and Brighton, but as yet there has only been one concrete approach, a loan-to-buy deal from Watford which Liverpool rejected.

There may well be interest in full-back Neco Williams, though Liverpool would only sell if the other was a substantial one, while midfielder Leighton Clarkson will be allowed to leave on loan having failed to hold down a regular place with Championship side Blackburn during the first half of the season.

The Rams made a change at quarterback before the 2021 NFL season. It has worked out well.

Matthew Stafford has been a strong starter for the Rams. He threw for 41 touchdowns during his first season in Los Angeles, and while he led the league with 17 interceptions, he still quarterbacked the team to a 12-5 record.

The Rams reached a Super Bowl with Jared Goff, but they may have a chance to win one with Stafford. But in the event that Stafford, 33, runs into any trouble in the playoffs, do they have anything behind him to keep the team afloat?

Here’s what you need to know about Stafford’s backup and the other quarterback options further down the Rams depth chart.

MORE: Predictions for AFC, NFC championship games

Who is the Rams’ backup quarterback?

The Rams’ backup quarterback is John Wolford.

Wolford, 26, originally signed with the Jets as an undrafted free agent out of Wake Forest in 2018, but he didn’t make the team. He landed with the Arizona Rattlers of the Alliance of American Football and led the league in passing touchdowns with 14 in eight games.

After the short-lived AAF was shuttered, Wolford joined the Rams. He has remained with the team since 2019 and worked his way up the depth chart to take over the backup quarterback job behind Jared Goff in 2020. He won his lone regular-season start, completing 22 of 38 passes for 231 yards and an interception in an 18-7 win over the Cardinals. He also ran for 56 yards on six attempts.

Wolford (6-1, 200 pounds) has thrown just 10 total pass attempts since that game. He was hurt during his lone playoff start for the Rams and replaced by an also-hobbled Goff before serving as Stafford’s backup in 2021.

IYER: Steelers’ best options to replace Ben Roethlisberger in 2022

Rams QB depth chart

Matthew Stafford

Stafford has made a big difference for the Rams this year since replacing Goff. He had a rocky patch towards the end of the season during which he struggled with interceptions, but he has otherwise been rock-solid for Los Angeles.

During the playoffs, Stafford has completed 74.5 percent of his passes for 568 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions. He’s hoping to earn passage to his first Super Bowl with a win over the 49ers.

John Wolford

Wolford only played 24 snaps for the Rams in 2021. He completed 1 of 4 passes for 5 yards and an interception. All of his action came in blowouts during which the Rams scored at least 37 points.

MORE: Will 49ers fans outnumber Rams fans at SoFi Stadium?

Bryce Perkins

Perkins, like Wolford, is an undrafted free agent. The Rams kept the 25-year-old on the active roster in 2021 after he impressed during the preseason.

Perkins has never played in an NFL game, but he was a two-year starter at Virginia and threw 47 touchdowns compared to 21 interceptions. He also has great mobility and ran for 1,692 yards and 20 touchdowns during his two college seasons. He hasn’t yet been active for an NFL game, and he probably won’t be unless either Stafford or Wolford gets hurt.

Matthew and Kelly Stafford have been together for over a decade. Kelly has seen Matthew play in Georgia, Detroit and now Los Angeles.

The Rams quarterback doesn’t share too much about his private life, but his wife Kelly certainly does. With her large social media following, Kelly posts photos of their family pretty regularly. She also makes occasional headlines for some of her passionate outbreaks at games.

MORE: Wife of Matthew Stafford apologizes for throwing pretzel at 49ers fan during MNF

Here’s what you need to know about Matthew Stafford’s wife, Kelly.

Who is Matthew Stafford’s wife?

Kelly Stafford has become quite the celebrity herself despite just being married to tenured NFL quarterback Matthew. 

As of January, Stafford has 300,000 followers on Instagram. She posts various photos of her personal life, including family outings or updates of their children. She also posts a lot about the Los Angeles Rams or her husband’s former team, the Detriot Lions.

MORE: Rams’ Matthew Stafford stumped as to why Bucs’ Ndamukong Suh dislikes him, says wife Kelly Stafford

How long have Matthew and Kelly Stafford been together?

The Staffords met while both students at the University of Georgia. Matthew was the Bulldogs’ starting quarterback from 2006-2008 until he was drafted by the Detriot Lions in 2009. Kelly was a year younger than Matthew. She was a football cheerleader during the time Matthew was quarterback. 

Although its unclear exactly when the couple started dating, they eventually got engaged and married. The couple tied the knot on April 4, 2015 in Atlanta, Georgia.

MORE: Kelly Stafford apologizes for calling Michigan a ‘dictatorship’ during Instagram rant

How many kids do Matthew and Kelly Stafford have?

The couple has four daughters together: twins Sawyer and Chandler, Hunter and Tyler.

Sawyer and Chandler were born in April 2016, making them five years old. Hunter was born in August 2018, making her three years old. Then, Tyler was born in July 2020, making her about a year and half. 

Kelly Stafford’s cancer battle

In April 2019, Kelly noticed she was having spells of vertigo. She went to the doctor to get it looked at, only for it to be discovered that she had a brain tumor. 

After surgery to remove the tumor, Kelly has remained cancer-free. She posted in April 2021 that she had two years of clean cancer scans.

Kelly was very open about her experience with the tumor. She even wrote a detailed account of her experience that was published on ESPN. She also posted updates throughout her experience on Instagram.

MORE: NBC mistakes woman for Matthew Stafford’s wife in awkward ‘Sunday Night Football’ moment

Does Kelly Stafford have a podcast?

In September 2021, Kelly began a podcast called “The morning after with Kelly Stafford.” So far, Kelly has completed 19 podcast episodes that are released weekly. She covers topics in her personal life, including sharing details about her relationship with husband Matthew, along with mothering experiences. She even detailed the “pretzelgate” incident that happened back in November. Needless to say, Kelly does not hold back talking about anything on her podcast.

The 49ers are one of the NFL’s most popular teams largely because they’ve had more success than most in the league. For that, San Francisco has an amazing run in the 1980s, plus an extra Super Bowl title in the ’90s, to thank.

Now San Francisco is chasing yet another Super Bowl in its fourth NFC game appearance since the 2011 season. Should the 49ers beat the Rams, they would tie the Cowboys for the most NFC titles with eight.

MORE: Future Super Bowl locations

Below is the 49ers’ Super Bowl history, which includes a 5-1 record in the big game.

How many Super Bowls have the 49ers won?

The 49ers have tasted victory in the Super Bowl five times.

Below is a quick review of all five of their Super Bowl wins.

• Super Bowl 16: 49ers 26, Bengals 21

San Francisco’s first Super Bowl appearance was a success. Led by eventual Super Bowl MVP Joe Montana, the 49ers build a 20-0 lead in the first half against the Bengals. Though Cincinnati made a second-half push, outgaining San Francisco 356-275, it was plagued by four turnovers.

The 49ers needed just a couple Ray Wersching field goals in the fourth quarter to hold off the Bengals for their first title, which came in coach Bill Walsh’s third season.

• Super Bowl 19: 49ers 38, Dolphins 16

What was a tight game in the first quarter quickly turned into a disaster for the overmatched Dolphins. The 49ers pounded their opponent in their second Super Bowl to the tune of 537 total yards to just 314 for Miami. Montana again was named Super Bowl MVP.

The 1984 49ers followed a 15-1 regular season with this blowout win in the Super Bowl, making them, in our estimation, the second best Super Bowl-winning team in NFL history.

• Super Bowl 23: 49ers 20, Bengals 16

After three straight seasons in which the 49ers lost in the playoffs, they returned to the big game in what would become Walsh’s final year as coach. To win the Super Bowl, Montana threw a touchdown pass to John Taylor with 39 seconds to play. Wide receiver Jerry Rice, who caught 11 passes for 215 yards and a touchdown, was named Super Bowl MVP.

After one of the best Super Bowls in NFL history, Walsh announced his retirement in the locker room. He left the 49ers with three Super Bowl victories and 10 wins in 14 postseason games. Defensive coordinator George Seifert was promoted to replace him, and San Francisco would go on to win its fourth Super Bowl the following year and cement itself as the team of the 1980s.

MORE: Where Walsh ranks among Super Bowl-winning head coaches

• Super Bowl 24: 49ers 55, Broncos 10

Denver never had a chance in this game. The blowout began in the first quarter, and at one point in the third, the 49ers had a 41-3 lead over the Broncos before John Elway finally got Denver on the board with touchdown. Montana, who passed for 297 yards and 5 touchdowns for a passer rating of 147.6, was named Super Bowl MVP for the third time.

Just behind the 1984 49ers, we ranked this San Francisco squad as the third best Super Bowl-winning team in NFL history.

• Super Bowl 29: 49ers 49, Chargers 26

This was Steve Young’s moment to shine, and he took advantage. All the QB did was throw a Super Bowl-record six touchdown passes and win the game’s MVP award as San Francisco blew out San Diego.

The 49ers won their division again the next year and made a few more playoff appearances under Steve Mariucci after Seifert left before the 1997 season, but they did not return to the Super Bowl until 2012.

49ers Super Bowl appearances

The 49ers have appeared in seven Super Bowls and have won five.

Below are all of their appearances, including their latest, which also happens to mark their second loss in the big game.

San Francisco, of course, has had many chances to increase its number of Super Bowl appearances. The 49ers have lost in the NFC championship game nine times.

When is the last time the 49ers played in the Super Bowl?

San Francisco is one of a small handful of teams to have played in a Super Bowl this decade.

The 49ers played in Super Bowl 54 against the Chiefs back in 2020. They finished the regular season as the No. 1 seed in the NFC and reached the big game with victories against the Vikings in the divisional round and Packers in the NFC championship.

But it was the year for Patrick Mahomes to claim his first Super Bowl ring. The Chiefs and 49ers were tied at 10 after the first half, and San Francisco scored 10 unanswered in the third quarter to take a 20-10 lead heading into the fourth. However, the Chiefs rattled off three unanswered touchdowns in the fourth quarter to run away with the title in the end 31-20.

Which team has won the most Super Bowls?

The 49ers remain stuck in a tie with the Cowboys with five Super Bowl victories apiece, but both are one behind the Patriots and Steelers.

Below are all the NFL teams that have won two or more Super Bowls.