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.
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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)!
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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.
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Whilst the performance was encouraging from the Teranga Lions of Senegal, they still fell short of delivering the desired result. African teams continue to depend on their physical attributes but we all know that at this stage this is never enough to get a team to the next level.
African teams need to be better technically and more efficient especially in the final third. This is the particular area in which the Senegalese fell short on the night. These are my five major conclusions from Senegal’s first game at Qatar 2022:
Solid press and defensively compact
I like the way the Senegalese set up from the on-set; well organized and compact. In fact, the Netherlands’ first goal was their first shot on target; that was a testament to how well drilled this Senegal team are. They set into a low block quite well; but pressed aggressively on occasion. Now the beauty in the Senegalese press was that it wasn’t haphazard or just for the thought or fun of pressing; it was constructive and deliberate. It’s quite unfortunate they were lacking in critical areas and not good enough when and where it counts the most.
Cutting the passing lanes
The Dutch are know for their desire to boss possession and find those crucial passes in between the lines. The midfield three of Idrissa Gana Gueye, Nampalys Mendy and Cheikhou Kouyate were excellent in his role in midfield; sometimes switching to a double pivot allowing the third man in midfield to join the press.
Aliou Cisse’s men made it difficult for the Dutch to find those passing lines to split the Senegalese defense; all due to the brilliant work of the midfield trio.
Poor deliveries at Set pieces
Senegal, for all the height and presence they possess going into the Dutch box at set pieces, were quite poor with their deliveries. I mentioned in my preview that I felt the lack of creativity in the Senegalese midfield would be a major drawback for them. Idrissa Gana Gueye was the main culprit as he was the designated set piece taker for the Senegalese. Isn’t it ironic that the Dutch took the lead off a quality delivery into the box; something the Senegalese struggled with all game.
Mane is a huge miss
I was one of the first to say the Senegalese need to snap out of Sadio Mane’s unavailability at this World Cup but you could clearly see how much of a miss his presence was in that team. His leadership, the guile and precision at which he plays with would have complimented the efforts of Ismalia Sarr up front.
A lack of concentration
It is symptomatic of African teams to lose concentration at the later part of football matches at this level; we can catalogue the number of times African teams were so close to earning a decent result only for things to take an unexpected turn. Edouard Mendy will take the bulk of the blame on both goals; if a goalie must come for a cross into the box; he just has to get there and also make the forward know it. The spill for the second goal is totally unacceptable.
There’s still some hope for Senegal though; their next game is against Qatar. I expect them to win that to set up a winner take all clash with Ecuador to qualify from the group.
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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.
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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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The Elephant weathered the onslaught from the Dolphin and the Shark to prevail to the group stage of the CAF Confederations Cup.
However, what lies ahead provides very little hope for the much-revered People’s Elephant.
Africa’s second-tier club competition took centre stage when its group stage draw concluded Monday afternoon with a number of tasty ties and hotly contested groups to look forward to. What particularly sticks out is the renewal of old rivalries from Nigeria v South Africa to the North African derbies.
After navigating a hotly contested tie against local rivals; River United, Enyimba were handed an even more daunting draw as they find themselves in the proverbial group of death in group A alongside South Africa’s Orlando Pirates, ES Setif of Algeria and Al Ahly Benghazi from Libya. The Nigeria v South Africa rivalry is one that has moved from the political and economic terrain to the Sports field and it’s one nobody wants to lose.
It will be very difficult for Nigeria’s representatives, Enyimba to progress from this group; the best they can hope for is to sneak into second place. ES Setif are the overwhelming favorites to progress from this group top of the pile. Setif and Pirates look strong enough to get a point away at Enyimba; results against Al Ahly Benghazi may be the tipping point for the eventual qualifiers from this group.
Defending Champions, RS Berkane headline group B and are favorites to progress with JS Kabyile as the pedigree of the North Africans cannot be overlooked. However, Cameroon’s Coton Sport are a team with an outside chance to cause an upset in the group, they also have some continental pedigree. Napsa Stars are the newbies on this stage, but their elimination of Kenyan giants, Gor Mahia; means they shouldn’t be taken lightly.
Group C has an incomplete outlook with Tunisia’s still to play Young Buffaloes of eSwatini to confirm their place in the group. Etoile has an away first-leg lead and are expected to cruise home in the second leg. SC Sfaxien are the most successful club in this remodeled CAF competition and should be considered favorites to progress; ACF Jaraaf from Senegal and Salitas from Burkina Faso complete the group.
Namungo of Tanzania and Primeiro de Agosto of Angola still have scores to settle to grab the final slot in Group D; Raja Casablanca champions in 2018 and 2020 finalist; Pyramids from Egypt are the clear favorites to progress from the group. Zambia’s Nkana completes the group after knocking out Morocco side, Tihad Casablanca; with their pedigree on the continent; they would look to cause an upset.
Predicted Quarter-Final Teams:
- ES Setif (Algeria)
- Enyimba (Nigeria)
- RS Berkane (Morocco)
- JS Kabyile (Algeria)
- Etoile du Sahel (Tunisia)
- SC Sfaxien (Tunisia)
- Raja Casablanca (Morocco)
- Pyramids FC (Egypt)
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The twenty-six-year-old moved to Anfield from Southampton in June 2016 and has since become part of one of Europe’s most feared attacking trios.
The former Red Bull Salzburg man has scored 40 goals in 89 matches in all competitions for the Merseyside outfit.
Speaking to Liverpool TV he said, “I am looking forward to everything – to helping the team, to helping the club achieve our dreams and, especially, to win trophies.”
When playing for his national side in Russia during the World Cup, he scored once in the three group games. While he got 10 of his 20 goals from last season in the Champions League where he helped his side reach the final.
Mané had this to say about his deal, “It was very easy decision,” said the Liverpool attacker, “It took a long time, but I knew I would sign, I am very happy and now looking forward continuing what I have done for this club.”
The deal follows both of his team-mates in his attacking trio getting tied down to long-term contract as Roberto Firmino signed on the dotted line in April. Mohammed Salah also agreed his deal in July.
Liverpool face Watford at Vicarage Road where Jürgen Klopp hopes to beat Javi Gracia’s side on Saturday. Read our Preview here
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