Caf must surely look at changing its rules regarding bookings in knockout games, having wiped all yellow cards after the group stage.

A total of 20 players were walking a tightrope in the semi-finals, knowing that a second caution in the space of three matches would rule them out of the final.

Senegal captain Kalidou Koulibaly and midfielder Habib Diarra ultimately missed out, while the same fate would have befallen Nigeria defender Calvin Bassey and Egypt’s Hossam Abdelmaguid had their sides progressed.

While discipline is important, coaches, players, supporters and media all want to see the strongest XIs possible take the field in the biggest games.

Meanwhile, the requirement to draw lots to separate sides with identical records in the group stage almost occurred on three occasions.

It last happened at an Afcon in 2015, with Guinea progressing ahead of Mali, and at one point would have been needed to decide which side finished as the last of four third-placed finishers.

Though perhaps a drawing of lots would offer a moment of drama to a neutral, fair play records or an attacking metric would likely be preferable to the teams involved.