A number of the big stars failed to live up to the billing, from Riyad Mahrez to Mo Salah to Sadio Mane and of course the collective disappointment that was World Cup Semi finalist, Morocco.

The Ivory Coast have hosted a tournament that has endeared it’s heart to many and as also won many hearts across the globe. Here are the standout performers at the just concluded African Cup of Nations in a 3-4-3 formation:

In goal is Ronwen Williams; South Africa’s captain won the hearts of many after his heroics in the quarter-finals against Cape Verde; where he stopped four of the five penalties he saved. Now, Ronwen is not just about saving penalties; he is also credited with arguably the save of the tournament with his last gasp save against Cape Verde.

The Mamelodi Sundowns stopper brought is brilliant club form to the continental show piece, leaving an indelible mark.

At right center bank is Mothobi Mvala; another member of the Mamelodi Sundowns’ contingent to the AFCON. A tall, capable and dependable defender; good on his feet and very useful in the air. Mvala was a resilient and competent performer for the Bafana Bafana as they got to the Semi Finals for the first time since year 2000.

My left center back is captain of the Leopards of the Democratic Republic of Congo; Chancel Mbemba; a seasoned campaigner on the continent and a great leader to the DRC’s best performance at the AFCON in recent memory.

Nigerian Captain and CAF’s player of the tournament; William Troost Ekong had a fantastic tournament. Troost Ekong’s story at this AFCON is that of reinvention. Many had written him off and wondered why he made the final list but he put his best foot forward to lead Nigeria to a second place finish, contributing to the cause with three goals.

In Midfield, Frank ”The Tank” Onyeka was a stellar performer in Nigeria’s campaign at this AFCON and was instrumental every aspect of the game that was good for Nigeria. Teboho Mokoena takes the second place in midfield after an industrious and energetic performance for the Bafana Bafana; one of the highlights of this AFCON was his sensational freekick to knockout Morocco in the first knockout round.

On the right side of midfield is Frank Kessie; one of the unsung heroes of Ivory Coast’s unlikely AFCON victory; his pressure penalties in the game against Senegal and his equalizer against Nigeria sets him apart as one of the competitions top performers.

On the left is Gelson Dala; Angola’ top scorer and chief entertainer; had a brilliant campaign that not only entertained but won many hearts leading to a quarter final finish for the Palancas Negras.

Upfront is Nigeria’s Ademola Lookman; who finished the competition with three goals for the Super Eagles but showed a desire to be involved in other aspects of the game with his tenacity and industry.

The break out star at this AFCON, Simon Adingra was the right pick me up the hosts needed. Introduced at just the right time in this tournament with an equalizer against Mali and his Man of the man showing in the final against Nigeria

Leading the line is tournament top scorer; Emialino Nsue of the Equatorial Guinea. He may not have made it pass the first knockout round or even contrived to miss a penalty; his exploits in the group phase, separates him from other strikers at this tournament.

Manager of the AFCON is none other than Emerson Fae; the first man to win a continental title off a new manager bounce; but he must be commended for the changes and the reintroduction of the more experienced players back into the Ivorian line up.

There are other players who are worthy of mention ; Nigeria’s Stanley Nwabali who emerged from no where to become Nigeria’s number 1 goalie.

Babacar Niasse of Mauritania was another that caught the eye; along with Lamine Camara of Senegal; who was a bright spark in an otherwise disappointing Senegalese team, potentially a future captain of the Teranga Lions of Senegal.

Follow us on Twitter @ProstInt

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Merci Côte d’Ivoire!

We could hear the rhythmic beats of traditional African drums and some muffled singing as we waited for our visas to be processed. It got louder the closer we got to passport control before we were hit with a carnival atmosphere as soon as the sliding doors opened and we were in the Arrivals Hall. Bienvenue a Côte d’Ivoire! We had arrived.

Our plane had landed from Brussels via Benin, and I had spotted a number of football shirts on board – the green and white of Nigeria, green and red of Cameroon, and the ubiquitous orange of our hosts for the next 10 days.

Another plane landed just after us in Abidjan – the de facto capital of the Ivory Coast – and a sea of men and women clad in the white of Guinea and waving their national flags piled into the arrivals hall behind us. But that wasn’t to prepare us for what we were about to witness.

The live music accompanied with plenty of dancing made us feel like we had entered into another world. Not since the World Cup Brazil 2014 had I received such a welcome at an airport and there was a real feeling that this was a country where football was the order of the day – or month.

It was late at night when we arrived at our neighbourhood of Koumassi but there was no sign that things were dying down.

Open-air bars were packed with punters keenly watching the post-match analysis of the earlier games that night, smoke raised from the street food stalls that served fresh fish and chicken, while shacks were set up on every corner selling an array of football shirts. Cote d’Ivoire, check. Guinea, check. Mali and Senegal? Yep, they had it.

The international media before the tournament emphasised the importance of the hosts going ‘deep’ into the tournament to ensure good crowds but the Ivory Coast – and especially the metropolis of Abidjan – is a melting pot of West African cultures.

The ‘father of the nation’, President Felix Houphouet-Boigny, invited hundreds of thousands of guest workers from neighbouring countries to Cote d’Ivoire in his attempt to build an advanced capitalist society in the 1970s and many of them have stayed, despite successive Civil Wars in the country in the 2000s. As a result, we spotted just as many shirts around the streets of Abidjan of other nations as we did the hosts.

On our way to the cool, beach-front neighbourhood of Blockhauss – overlooked by the diplomatic quarter and the imposing Sofitel (the home of AfCON’s machine for the tournament) – we dived into a local bar after we heard some cheering.

Fans gather for the match against Equatorial Guinea
Photo: Rhys Hartley

We struggled to find a seat but were quickly welcomed to share a table with a group of three, when we noticed that everyone in the bar was kitted out in matching Burkina Faso replicas.

A penalty put them ahead against heavy favourites, Algeria, and the place went wild with dancing, hugging, and a ‘Santè’ in our direction. They thought we’d brought them luck!

It wasn’t to last, as Algeria scored a last-gasp equaliser, sending our new friend across the table into tears. We quickly bade farewell, and I committed to buying a shirt of my new adopted team for the tournament.

While comments from abroad may focus on the lack of crowds in some games (a 2pm Friday kick-off of Cape Verde v Mozambique didn’t exactly capture the imagination – and we must remember that 40% of the population live below the poverty line), each game was watched with the same intensity, no matter who was playing nor the time of day.

Every TV across the country was tuned into French broadcaster Canal Plus’s dedicated channel to AfCON 24/7, and it was clear that football had gripped the nation.

People may roll their eyes at the importance of football but it has been credited with bringing to an end the first Civil War in Cote d’Ivoire. After qualifying for the World Cup in 2006, Didier Drogba – possibly the country’s most famous export – announced that the country’s next match would be played in Bouake, the heartland of the rebellion. A shock move but one that saw opposing forces sit together in the stands and crowds flock the pitch in unison after their 5-0 victory over Madagascar.

The ‘Elephants’’ success has certainly had an impact on maintaining the peace in this divided country since then, being a symbol that everyone can unite behind. That was the impression that the government and wider population wanted to impart upon us visitors and everyone else watching from around Africa and beyond at this year’s tournement.

However, all was not well on the pitch.

In the impressive 60,000-seater stadium in Ebimpe, around 30 kilometres north of downtown Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire played their final group game against unfancied Equatorial Guinea, knowing that a point would probably be enough to get them through.

An expectant crowd grew impatient as a cagey first half an hour passed before a shock goal saw the visitors take the lead. VAR intervened to deny two goals to the boys in orange, who seemed to panic from there on in. They attacked in numbers but left holes at the back, which the experienced Equatorial Guineans used to their advantage to stun the tournament’s hosts.

They ran out 4-0 winners against all the odds, leading to plenty of unsavoury scenes in the stands, on the running tracks, and on the way back into town – we spotted a row of the shuttle buses put on for fans with their windows smashed in completely. It really was more than just a game.

Nobody believed that Côte d’Ivoire would go through, needing results in every other group to go their way for them to be among the best third-placed teams with just three points and a goal difference of minus 3.

It came down to the penultimate night of the group stages. Ghana had a worse record than them, so they just needed one other team to finish in third with a worse record. Morocco to beat Zambia. Easy, right?

In Bouake, the second-largest city, every man, woman and child was glued to the TV, urging the North Africans to do them a favour. A first-half goal eased the tension for a while but the second half dragged on with no further goals.

Cue wild celebrations, with people lifting chairs above their heads and dancing all around the bar. All of a sudden, a group of young men with their shirts off started running past the bar and onto the city’s main thoroughfare, whistling and cheering, as cars beeped their horns. The country came to a standstill as they celebrated their unlikely qualification to the next round.

With the hosts still in the competition, I bade my farewell to the tournament as part of a sell-out crowd at the smaller 30,000-seater stadium in Abidjan.

After walking for hours for two days straight in the 35-degree heat trying to find a ticket, we left it until an hour before kick-off to source a tout in the vicinity of the ground. A late second goal saw the ‘Super Eagles’ of Nigeria kill off the ‘Indomitable Lions’ of Cameroon after a spirited performance, as the Nigerians partied long into and the Cameroonians made plans to return home.

Contrary to the theme of this year’s tournament, this wasn’t a shock result – but there were plenty of those to come. Cote d’Ivoire are somehow still in the competition! They defeated tournament favourites, Senegal, in the Round of 16 before a last-minute equaliser saw them take Mali to extra time with just 10 men, going on to win the tie in the last minute of the additional 30.

Other shocks included World Cup semi-finalists Morocco, Mohamed Salah’s Egypt, and heavily-fancied Algeria bowing out early in a poor tournametn for North African sides.

While a Nigeria v Cote d’Ivoire final may seem expected, a semi-final lineup including South Africa and the Democratic Republic of Congo was not on anyone’s mind going into the tournament – even less so following the first few rounds of group games! But, in a country where football is taken so seriously, it so fits that the product on offer has been so gripping.

This is the most exciting tournament I’ve been lucky enough to witness (personal Welsh affiliations aside) and the welcome we received from the moment we touched down to the second we left will stay in the mind even longer than the football.

Whatever happens this weekend – Merci, Cote d’Ivoire (and bon chance)!

Follow us on Twitter @ProstInt

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Sofyan Amrabat

Not many people would have recognised Sofyan Amrabat before the tournament, in fact, it was likely that more people would have remembered Sofyan’s older brother Nordin, who turned out for Watford in the Premier League in the 2015/16 season. Nonetheless, the 26-year-old ended the tournament in most people’s teams of the tournament, as well as collecting accolades such as ‘the new Kanté’, having won possession 57 times – the most by any African player since the 1966 World Cup. Alongside his Moroccan teammate Azzedine Ounahi, Amrabat excelled in Qatar and significantly contributed to Morocco becoming the first-ever African side to reach the semi-finals of a World Cup.

Even before the tournament, there were some rumours linking Amrabat with a move away from Fiorentina, but the 2022 World Cup only added fuel to the fire, with some of the biggest clubs in the world now battling for the midfielder’s signature. If the latest rumours are to be believed, Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur seem to be in a direct battle for the Moroccan, but Newcastle United, Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, and Sevilla are also linked. According to Gazzetta dello Sport, Fiorentina are only willing to let Amrabat go for at least €40m – with Liverpool only recently spending close to that for Cody Gakpo, does this give Tottenham an advantage in the race for the Atlas Lion?

Jude Bellingham

England midfielder Jude Bellingham was by no means an unknown entity before this winter’s World Cup, after already becoming one of the best young players in the world following his €25m move from Birmingham City to Borussia Dortmund as a 17-year-old in 2020. However, this was perhaps the 19-year-old’s statement tournament, becoming a crucial member of the Three Lions’ midfield in Qatar. The Birmingham native had not scored for his national side ahead of the tournament, but in England’s opener against Iran, it was Bellingham who notched the first goal of the tournament for the Three Lions, also adding an assist for Jordan Henderson in the round of 16 tie against Senegal. At 19, Bellingham became one of the most important pieces of the England team, having finished first in shot-creating chances, tackles won, blocks, and dribbles completed out of the entire squad.

The Borussia Dortmund man’s stock has only risen after the 2022 World Cup, with the usual suspects, such as Real Madrid and PSG, linked with a move for the England star, but it seems more likely that the 19-year-old midfielder will head back to England, with Liverpool and Manchester City set to go head-to-head for his signature. Manchester City have already snapped up his good pal Haaland last summer, with City perhaps the more logical option for Bellingham, however, according to reports in England, Jude’s father is trying to convince his son to choose Liverpool instead. Only time will tell whether Bellingham will listen to his father or become his own man in 2023. gon

Enzo Fernández

Joško Gvardiol

Alexis Mac Allister

Dominik Livaković

Azzedine Ounahi

African football is heading in the direction where; only those that invest with a developmental mindset will reap the bounties accruable to such an approach.

Morocco are leading the way on the African continent with respect to investing in the future of the game with a triangular approach to football development. The Triangular approach involves; investment in infrastructure, talent identification and human capital investment. Over the last five years or so; this has been the plan of the Moroccan football authorities; they have built some of the finest centres of excellence across the country to develop the next generation of footballers.

They have expanded their scouting and talent identification drag net to spot players of Moroccan descent all over the world; that may be willing to play for the national team. Crucially they also have adequately funded the training of their coaches across all levels.

Whilst some would say the appointment of Walid Regragui was a gamble; he had however just won the CAF Champions League for Wydad Casablanca just a few months ago. However, that is not the story; a few years ago a list of young Moroccan coaches was circulated on Social Media showing some of the World’s elite coaches that they were to follow, study and adopt their style; Walid Regragui was one of the coaches on that list.

The country is reaping these fruits bountifully; just look at how Morocco has somewhat dominated African football in the last year. Morocco are champions of the continent in club football on two fronts, Finalist at the African Women’s Nations Cup; FAR Rabat Ladies are Champions of the CAF Women’s Champions League, only a matter of time before the Men’s team win Africa’s biggest prize in the form of the AFCON.

Morocco have been a delight to watch; combining great attacking play with solid defensive organization. They have shown little respect to their so-called more illustrious counterparts. The Atlas Lions have played with a hunger and desire that is unusual to any previous Moroccan side from their recent history.

The Atlas lions are historically recorded breakers and pacesetters; they were the first African team to make it into the 2nd round of the World Cup in 1986. In 2022; they now aim to go where no other African team has been before; the Semi-finals. Ghana were a penalty and a shootout away from the Semis in 2010; this Moroccan side have shown that they have the desired mental toughness to get the job done.

If you are a fan of good omens or a believer in De Ja Vu, Morocco defeated Portugal in 1986 to achieve the record-breaking feat of landing in the second round; now in 2022; Portugal also stand in their way of breaking another record in this instance. What or Who is to say Walid Regragui and his band of Moroccan merry men won’t achieve this great feat? This is Africa’s time and a time for the previously asleep Atlas Lions to roar their way back to where they belong.

Follow us on Twitter @ProstInt 

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Saudi Arabia and Japan have set the Asian confederation on a frenzy, after the exploits of their national teams. It is not usual for two of football’s powerhouses to lose in back-to-back days to teams ranked and considered as complete outsiders.

The Saudi’s led by Frenchman Herve Renard defeated a Lionel Messi-led Argentine team that many consider favourites. This victory was reminiscent of Cameroon’s victory at Italia ’90 of then World Champions, Argentina led by the legendary Diego Maradona. Nobody, absolutely no one gave the men from the Oil rich nation a chance to get a draw not to talk of a win. It was a performance of not just grit, discipline, and tenacity; they added some flair; especially with the quality of the goals they scored. It was party time in Mecca and its environs; the Saudis have arrived in Qatar and they mean business.

They say lightning doesn’t strike twice at the same spot; well in this case, I guess it’s safe to say that notion is at an end. Japan helped rubbish this notion with a performance for the ages against football aristocrats; Germany. Japan had in their lineup a number of Bundesliga based players; so this was somewhat personal for the Blue Samurai and they deserved their win. Germany and Argentina were both disappointing; they failed to find that cutting edge and with some smart tinkering from the Herve Renard and Hajime Moriyasu during the halftime interval; both teams were able to exploit gaps in their opponents defence.

Tunisia, who I had completely written off going by their past performances at the World Cup put up a spirited display against a highly rated Danish to grab a well deserved draw to finally have points on the board. Their fellow North Africans Morocco were quite bold in their overall approach as they faced 2018 finalists, Croatia, also playing a 0-0.

Finally the African teams are off the mark but yet to score; two points from a possible 9 doesn’t make for good reading but has a semblance of progress to get everyone excited for what’s to come with Ghana and Cameroon still to play. This World Cup has shown that anything can happen and it’s already happening. My prediction of Senegal and maybe Ghana getting through might just be changed as I like the look of Morocco; they are mobile, adventurous and look like they can take on anyone.

On the strength of what I have seen in Group F; the Atlas Lions stand a good chance to get at least four more points to make it through to the next round.

This World Cup is still unravelling and I am loving it.

Follow us on Twitter @ProstInt

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Exeter City fell victim to a smash and grab 1-0 defeat against Cheltenham at St James Park with their in-form talisman Jevani Brown away on international duty with Jamaica.

The Grecians had 16 shots but could not convert any as Cheltenham stole all three points thanks to a goal from Dan Nlundulu, inflicting Exeter to their first home defeat of the season.

It was the first time since being promoted that the Devon-side were without Jevani Brown who continued his brilliant form from last season and carried it into the current campaign by directly contributing to five goals in the opening four fixtures.

This hot-streak was rewarded by Jamaica who gave the 27-year-old his first-ever international call-up for a tournament in Vienna where the Reggae Boyz go up against Ghana, Morocco and Qatar.

Consequently, Brown will be forced to miss three fixtures for the Grecians the first hurdle of which they failed to clear, looking toothless in front of goal against a Robins side they thumped 7-0, in the Carabao Cup just ten days prior

Exeter City manager Matt Taylor was disappointed his side could not step up to the mark in Brown’s absence. He said:

“Jevani’s the one that can create and he has that little bit of control, but the squad has to be utilised, I’ve said time and time again, we’re only a couple of injuries away from a really weak squad and that probably was on show but the others need to learn how to make themselves selectable.

“We didn’t have it, in terms of our play and our bodies to really break them down.

“We started really well, you can say we missed him [Brown] but if we started the way we did in terms of goal return off the back of that start then you wouldn’t be saying we missed him.

“We just fell between the lines too much and if we watch that match back no one player had anything they could really hang their hat on.”

Brown from released to first-class plane seats

Jevani Brown has finally found a home where he is finally appreciated by his players, management and fans and the overall atmosphere surrounding Exeter City has provided a platform for the forward to express his talents.

Cambridge United, Forest Green Rovers and Colchester Uniter were all clubs who were unable to unlock the consistency of high-level performances that Brown now shows on a regular basis.

Having struggled to make an impact and being left out the squad at Colchester and Forest Green Rovers in 2020, it seemed as though the 27-year-old’s career was petering out with a whimper especially after the Jamaican was eventually released by Colchester in 2021, however the forward found new life when called upon by Matt Taylor and the Grecians.

A slow start to the 21/22 campaign in terms of goal output was not punished by Taylor who appreciated the work put in by Brown on and off the ball and the Exeter City manager felt the goals would eventually come.

His upturn in goalscoring form came after the unfortunate injury to strike-partner Samuel Nombe and Brown took on the responsibility to help maintain the Grecians promotion push in Nombe’s absence.

Following the return of Nombe,  the pair have gone on to form a formidable partnership which propelled Exeter City to promotion, narrowly missing out on the League Two title on the last day.

Yet the duo started the new campaign as they left off the old season.

A delightful turn on the halfway line by Brown set himself free to find Nombe in behind the Lincoln City defence to score the Grecians’ first goal in League One for over a decade.

While Exeter’s form and potential back-to-back promotion may be hampered in his absence the Grecian’s manager was keen to focus on the positive aspect of the international call-up. Taylor said:

“Let us remember where we got him from, – released by Colchester United.

“Now he is one of the most talked about players in League One. He has started the season well and getting that international recognition and we have played a part in that.

“There is no bigger accolade than international recognition and if he goes and plays for Jamaica then I am delighted for Jevani first and foremost, and I am still excited as there is more to come.

“We will miss him but that is part and parcel of success, he is getting the recognition at a top level of world football and we will wish him all the best.”

Brown is in line to face Morocco tomorrow in the first fixture of a four-nation tournament that has been put together to help Qatar prepare for the World Cup in December.

As a result he will miss the next two games for Exeter City against Gillingham and Accrington Stanley.

Follow us on Twitter @ProstInt

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There are now 232 days until the opening game of the World Cup and we learned on Friday who would face who as the group stage draw took place in the Qatari capital.

Delegates from around the world flew in as former players such as Cafu, Tim Cahill and Ali Daei took part in the draw ceremony that saw 29 confirmed nations discover their fate while three play-off contenders also discovered what could potentially be ahead for them.

The draw threw up plenty of exciting and intriguing groups and while there probably is not a ‘group of death’ as such, almost every country will fancy their chances of having some sort of success in November.

Group A

Qatar, Ecuador, Senegal, Netherlands

So we finally found out what the opening game will be and it is the hosts Qatar taking on Ecuador. It won’t look like a thriller on paper but it will give the debutants some belief that they can get off to a decent start.

African champions Senegal taking on the Netherlands looks like one of the group stage highlights and both will fancy their chances of reaching the knockout stages. A final game clash between Ecuador and Senegal could well decide qualification.

Group B

England, Iran, USA, Wales/Ukraine/Scotland

Well, this was certainly the group for lovers of narrative.

On paper, it appears to be quite a nice draw for England but without knowing who will come through the play-off in June, it is hard to draw too many conclusions.

The USA and England have played out some memorable World Cup games in the past while Iran famously saw off the States in 1998 for a first-ever World Cup victory.

The prospect however of a battle between two home nations on the biggest stage is mouth-watering and with it being the final group game, there could be a lot on the line.

Group C

Argentina, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, Poland

A nice group appeared for Lionel Messi on what will probably be his last shot at winning the tournament. Argentina will be hopeful of topping the group with none of the other three sides having much success in recent editions.

Mexico and Poland will know their opening clash will go a long way to who will advance while Saudi Arabia would appear unlikely to get anything in what is quite a daunting group for the Middle Eastern side.

Mexico’s quest for a fifth match at a World Cup would most likely see them up against France in the last 16 in what would be an enormously difficult encounter for the North Americans.

Group D

France, UAE/Australia/Peru, Denmark, Tunisia

Should Peru or Australia make it through the intercontinental play-off in June, Group D will see three-quarters of the participants in Group C from 2018 in the same group once more.

France came through that group en route to winning the tournament back then and Les Bleus and Denmark will be feeling confident of a repeat result four years on.

Tunisia will be looking to cause an upset somewhere and build on their victory over Panama in 2018.

Look out for the matchday two clash between France and Denmark where a Danish win would throw everyone’s knockout predictions up in the air and open up the draw. It always happens somewhere and that could be the game that does it.

Group E

Spain, Costa Rica/New Zealand, Germany, Japan

Spain against Germany on November 27th is the standout fixture of the group stage draw but it has the look of a clash that will decide first place in the group, rather than knock a giant out.

Both sides will be confident of seeing off Japan and whichever of Costa Rica or New Zealand come through in June.

Japan may seek inspiration from neighbours South Korea however, who knocked the Germans out in 2018.

Group F

Belgium, Canada, Morocco, Croatia

Two of the semi-finalists from Russia in 2018 will come together in the group stages as Belgium and Croatia lock horns in Group F.

The pair will face off in the final group game and should either slip up in advance of that, we could well see one of the more fancied European sides going home.

Morocco impressed in 2018 without winning while Canada will face Belgium in their first World Cup match since 1986. They may just believe their fairytale run could continue into the knockout stages.

Group G

Brazil, Serbia, Switzerland, Cameroon

Another group that is almost a carbon copy from 2018 only this time Cameroon will take the place of Costa Rica.

Brazil came out on top on that occasion while Serbia and Switzerland played out a controversial clash that saw the Swiss come from behind to win 2-1 thanks to a late winner from Xherdan Shaqiri.

They will meet in the final group game which could essentially be a winner-takes-all clash.

Cameroon are not going to make up the numbers though and will make for dangerous opponents after their dramatic late win over Algeria to qualify.

Group H

Portugal, Ghana, Uruguay, South Korea

Uruguay will have the face up to the ghosts of World Cups past in Group H.

The South Americans knocked South Korea out in the last 16 in 2010 while they did the same to Portugal in Russia four years ago.

But the real battle for revenge will take place on matchday two when Ghana seek redemption after Luis Suarez and the handball controversy from the 2010 quarter-final.

This has the appearance of quite an open group and while Portugal will back themselves to win it, history has shown that they could just as easily finish bottom.

Follow us on Twitter @ProstInt

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The qualifiers for the 2022 World Cup are almost in the history books now as several more nations from across the globe sealed their places in November’s tournament in Qatar.

There was plenty at stake across all continents so it is time to dive straight in and see how the action unfolded on what is possibly international football’s greatest week, time after time.

AFC

Group A on the final stages in Asia had little left to be decided with Iran and South Korea having already booked their spot in the previous set of fixtures.

Instead it was all about the battle for third place and the play-off that comes with it. Iraq gave themselves a lifeline with a 1-0 victory over direct rivals the United Arab Emirates to leave the visitor’s hopes hanging in the balance.

However Rodolfo Arruabarrena’s side recovered to claim a huge 1-0 victory over South Korea in the final game while Iraq could only draw with Syria to seal their fate.

In Group B, Japan ensured they would be back for a seventh consecutive World Cup appearance after defeating Australia 2-0 in Sydney. This also meant that Saudi Arabia qualified without having to kick a ball.

The Saudis rubbed salt into the Aussie wounds by winning 1-0 in Jeddah in the final group game.

Australia will now have to settle for the play-offs. They will face the UAE in a single game shootout in Doha on June 7th with the winner facing Peru for a chance to reach the finals.

CAF

Africa had probably the most exciting games on paper with a host of big nations set to do battle. This also shows how the continent will benefit when the tournament expands in 2026. So many talented African footballers will miss out once more in Qatar.

Which brings us to Egypt and Mohamed Salah. The repeat of the AFCON final with Senegal was as tight as you might have expected with the Pharaohs winning 1-0 in Cairo before the African champions responded with a 1-0 victory of their own in Dakar.

Salah went on to miss in the penalty shootout with Sadio Mane once more scoring the winning kick to ensure it was double delight for the Lions of Teranga.

There was further late drama between Algeria and Cameroon. Once again both games finished 1-0 to either side therefore extra-time would be required. Ahmed Touba thought he had won it for Algeria only for Lyon’s Karl Toko Ekambi to score a crucial away goal in the fourth minute of stoppage time to send Cameroon through.

There were shocking scenes in Abuja as supporters stormed the pitch following Ghana’s away goal victory over bitter rivals Nigeria. Thomas Partey grabbed the all-important goal before William Troost-Ekong equalised with a penalty. But it was not to be for the Nigerians, who fail to qualify for the first time since 2006.

Morocco were the only side to really cut loose over the past week as they swept past DR Congo 5-2 on aggregate. It was honours even in Kinshasa for the first leg before the Atlas Lions stormed to victory in Casablanca, with Achraf Hakimi among the goalscorers.

Tunisia made it a North African double as they held their nerve to edge past Mali and deny Les Aiges a debut appearance. Moussa Sissako’s own goal was all that could separate the two sides over 180 minutes.

CONCACAF

CONCACAF is the only federation yet to conclude at the time of writing but Canada rubber stamped a first appearance since 1986 with a 4-0 victory over Jamaica in Toronto to spark joyous scenes.

Mexico and the USA look set the join Les Rouges barring some incredibly unlikely results on the final day.

Costa Rica look likely to take the play-off spot and they will face New Zealand as Los Ticos look to qualify for a third straight tournament.

CONMEBOL

Ecuador will be back at the World Cup despite only taking one point from their final two games. La Tri have enjoyed a good campaign and can now look forward to returning to the world stage for the first time since 2014.

They will be joined by Uruguay after Giorgian de Arrascaeta’s goal clinched a 1-0 victory over Peru to ensure a positive end to a difficult campaign.

This meant that the Peruvians were in control of fifth place going into the final game but Colombia and Chile were ready and waiting to take advantage of any slip ups.

Unfortunately for Chile it was the end of an era as they fell 2-0 at home to Uruguay while Colombia defeated Venezuela 1-0 to do their part.

It would be Peru’s day however as goals from Gianluca Lapadula and Yoshimar Yotun sealed a play-off spot against either the UAE or Australia in June.

OFC

New Zealand will once more represent Oceania in the playoffs after coming through a mini tournament in Qatar.

Vanuatu and the Cook Islands had to cancel games due to Covid which meant Tahiti and the Soloman Islands progressed to the semi-finals.

New Zealand coasted through their group and were joined in the final four by Papua New Guinea.

A Liberato Cacace goal saw the All Whites edge past Tahiti in the semi-final while the Soloman Islands saw off Papua New Guinea by three goals to two.

There would be no fairytale in the final however as Chris Wood helped Danny Hay’s side to a 5-0 victory and set up a likely play-off with Costa Rica in June.

UEFA

A brace from Gareth Bale inspired Wales to a 2-1 victory over Austria to leave Robert Page’s side just one game away from a first World Cup appearance since 1958.

They will host the winners of the Scotland and Ukraine match which will have to be rearranged for a later date.

Elsewhere Poland made the most of receiving a bye straight through to the final by defeating Sweden in Warsaw to make it back to back qualifications.

Robert Lewandowski and Piotr Zielinski scored to see off the Swedes, who edged out the Czech Republic in extra-time in Solna.

Arguably the biggest shock of the window saw North Macedonia stun European champions Italy 1-0 in Palermo to ensure the Italians missed a second consecutive World Cup.

The four times winner will have gone 20 years without a knockout match by the time the next tournament rolls around in 2026.

The reward for North Macedonia was a trip to Porto after Portugal defeated Turkey 3-1 in the semi-final.

The fairytale run would not have the ultimate conclusion however as Bruno Fernandes grabbed a brace to send the hosts through and ensure Cristiano Ronaldo will have the chance to play in a fifth World Cup.

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The third and final round of the African qualifiers will commence this week with just 10 countries left looking to ensure a place in this winters tournament in Qatar.

With the African Cup of Nations having just taken place in Cameroon earlier in the year, most of the sides will be acutely aware of what they are up against ahead of a colossal week in the continent.

There are sure to have five fascinating encounters so it is time to take a look at what is in store.

Egypt vs Senegal

This is the one everyone has been waiting for. Just 47 days removed from their penalty shoot-out in the Cup of Nations final, Egypt and Senegal will do battle once more for a place in Qatar.

Sadio Mane came out on top on that occasion with club team mate Mohamed Salah left heartbroken and Salah will be hoping the tables turn this time around.

The Egyptians cruised through a potentially difficult group in the previous round with an unbeaten record and will look to Salah to inspire once more, as he did en route to the final in Cameroon.

Senegal also came through their group unbeaten, with only a 1-1 draw in Togo preventing the Lions of Teranga from gaining a 100% record.

It will be an intriguing clash of styles once more as Carlos Queiroz’s defensive approach arguably does not help their star player but does seem to get the best results for the team.

Senegal will be on the front foot and will have the confidence gaining from February’s first-ever continental triumph.

Cameroon vs Algeria

Cameroon were the hosts of the Cup of Nations and performed admirably on home soil, reaching the semi-finals only to be knocked out on penalties against Egypt.

Vincent Aboubakar finished as the top goalscorer at the tournament and coach Rigobert Song will look to the Al-Nassr striker to provide the goals once more.

The Indomitable Lions came through one of the toughest tests in the previous round by topping a group ahead of the Ivory Coast and appear battle hardened ahead of this crucial clash.

Algeria were among the tournament favourites heading into the Cup of Nations but performed abysmally in Cameroon which does not bode well for this game.

Djamel Belmadi has kept his job and will need Riyad Mahrez to transfer his form for Manchester City over to the national team if they are to return to the world stage for the first time since 2014.

The Desert Warriors were undefeated in a tough group involving Burkina Faso in round two but will need to improve hugely here after scoring only one goal in Cameroon.

Ghana vs Nigeria

Ghana were another side that performed abysmally in January, finishing bottom of their group and failing to win a single match.

Milovan Rajevac paid for it with his job with Otto Addo installed as caretaker manager for this clash. Intriguingly, Chris Hughton has also come in as a technical advisor. How much control he has though is anyone’s guess.

The Black Stars edged South Africa into second spot in the previous round and will look mainly to the squad used at the Cup of Nations. Thomas Partey has been in excellent form for Arsenal and will need to carry that form along here.

Nigeria suffered a surprise exit in the round of 16 in Cameroon but will still surely be confident of reaching a fourth consecutive World Cup.

Augustine Eguavoen’s side will be desperate to make up for that disappointment against their West African rivals and will look to the likes of Kelechi Iheanacho and Samuel Chukwueze for inspiration.

The Super Eagles edged past Cape Verde in the previous round but will be favourites to progress where they will no doubt run into Argentina in the group stages once again.

DR Congo vs Morocco

DR Congo were the first sub-Saharan nation to qualify for the World Cup in 1974 under their former name Zaire but have not returned to the finals since.

The Leopards have Hector Cuper at the helm who took charge of Egypt in the finals in 2018 and who can call on a wealth of club experience.

Having failed to qualify for the AFCON, Cuper’s side had one of the kinder draws in World Cup qualifying, overcoming Benin and Tanzania to reach this stage.

Morocco on the other hand reached the last eight in Cameroon before falling to neighbours Egypt after extra time.

The Atlas Lions were flawless in the previous round, winning all six games against the likes of Guinea and Guinea-Bissau.

Vahid Halihodzic’s side will fancy their chances here of reaching a second consecutive World Cup after a promising showing in Russia in 2018.

Achraf Hakimi is the star man and will be keen to showcase his ability on the biggest stage.

Mali vs Tunisia

Mali represent probably the best chance of seeing a debutant at this year’s tournament but will be wary following their defeat to Equatorial Guinea on penalties in Cameroon.

Les Aigles were unbeaten in the previous round and will be hopeful that this is finally their time after watching on as their rivals qualified for decades.

Amadou Haidara will be the key in midfield for coach Mohamed Magassouba ahead of two of the biggest games in the country’s history.

Tunisia pulled off a surprise win over Nigeria in Cameroon but came unstuck at the quarter-final stage at the hands of Burkina Faso.

The Eagles of Carthage have qualified for the World Cup five teams but have never progressed past the group stages but did achieve a first victory since 1978 against Panama in Russia.

Tunisia came through a difficult group involving Equatorial Guinea and Zambia to get this far and coach Jalel Kadri will look to former Sunderland man Wahbi Khazri.

The first leg of all of these ties will take place on Friday with the return leg on the following Tuesday.

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Is there a more maligned International football tournament than the African Cup of Nations? Africa’s showpiece tournament has been battered and bruised but is still here to take its pride of place on the world’s footballing landscape.

Finally, Cameroon will showcase its people, culture and lifestyle by hosting the tournament this year. Politics, deficits, intrigues, egos, vendetta and a small matter of a pandemic are some of the issues that the country has faced after being confirmed as hosts four years ago.

It may well be the longest protracted hosting saga in tournament history,  but here we are now, and come Sunday 9th January 2022, the 33rd edition of the AFCON will kick off in front of a worldwide audience.

As with every football tournament, there will be favourites, minnows, underdogs, and dark horses.

The hosts

The Indomitable Lions host this tournament on the back of the election of a football legend, Samuel Eto’o as President of the Cameroonian Football Federation. An organisation that has been embroiled and embattled with different controversies.

With Eto’o comes a new direction, a breath of fresh year, and an opportunity for Cameroonian football to begin a new era with a success, by winning the tournament for the sixth time in their history.

With home advantage, you cannot write them off, although, this current team is not as star-studded as previous sides. The likes of Zambo Anguissa, Andre Onana, and Karl Toko Ekambi are standout stars and carry a huge responsibility on their shoulders to emulate their predecessors.

The underdogs

Every tournament needs an underdog, a team that can throw a spanner in the works of the established order. In this case, Cape Verde, Gambia, and Guinea.

Cape Verde have ruffled feathers over the last few years across Africa, last month they could have stolen a World Cup play-off place from Nigeria in the dying minutes of their final group game. The island nation also qualified undefeated in a group including Cameroon.

Gambia should not be underestimated either, having finished top of their qualification group which consisted of illustrious names like DR Congo and Angola. Finishing ahead of Gabon on goals scored, they have a huge point to prove that their qualification was no fluke.

Guinea complete the underdogs’ selection, with a wealth of quality in the form of midfielders, Naby Keita, Amadou Diawara and upcoming RB Leipzig star Ilaix Moriba, and a qualification run that saw them finish second behind Mali.

The dark horses

Burkina Faso had an incredible run to the 2013 final where they lost to the Super Eagles of Nigeria, but, they have not relented on that achievement with an unbeaten run through the qualifiers and look like a team with an outside chance of making a run for Africa’s Premier Football trophy.

Mali too, are previous finalists however, that was back in 1972. This current generation holds the huge burden of emulating their predecessors. Mohamed Magassouba’s men find themselves in a wide-open group with Tunisia the only major force.

Morocco have traditionally been a major underachiever, having have explored different avenues and tried different managers the outcome remained the same. However, this year, the talent available on the playing and coaching front places them as one of those to keep an eye on. The Atlas Lions might just fulfil their potential.

Tunisia are another North African outfit that have also underachieved over the years since their triumph in 2004.  Qualifying comfortably from a group that comprised of Libya, Tanzania, and Equatorial Guinea, Tunisia, just like Morocco, participated in the recently concluded FIFA Arab Cup, hence they have had competitive match practice to prepare for this AFCON.

The contenders 

Three of West Africa’s footballing superpowers fall under this category. With a combined nine AFCON titles between them, you do not know what to expect from Ghana, Nigeria, and the Ivory Coast.

Talent-wise, all three are in a good place, although Nigeria have suffered the huge blow of losing the top scorer from the qualifying rounds in Victor Osimhen, while Ghana are yet to find a goal-scoring hero since the departure of Asamoah Gyan from the international stage.

Ivory Coast are still in search of the cohesion and team spirit that existed in previous Elephant sides. They appear to be a balanced team on paper which may just be aided by the continuity they have from a coaching perspective.

The favourites

Without a shadow of a doubt, the favourites come from North Africa. Record holders, Egypt and defending Champions, Algeria are well prepared for the onslaught on Cameroon.

It is difficult to look beyond both teams, especially with their exploits at the FIFA Arab Cup. Algeria won that tournament defeating Tunisia, whilst Egypt lost the third-place playoff to Qatar.

With their AFCON squads only consisting of a few changes from the Arab Cup, both teams are playing at a level far and above the rest of Africa and have two players in their ranks that you can describe as Africa’s finest, Mohammed Salah and Riyad Mahrez.

Senegal complete the favourites conversation, in Aliou Cisse, they have a man who has the desire and the know-how to take them on another run to the summit backed by quality personnel in every area of the pitch.

A squad consisting of the likes of Sadio Mane, Edouard Mendy, Kalidou Koulibaly and Idrissa Gana Gueye have a great chance of helping the Taranga Lions to be crowned African champions following years of wait and anguish.

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