...where did they get their idea for a set design from?
Showing posts with label African Cup of Nations. Show all posts
Showing posts with label African Cup of Nations. Show all posts
Monday, 1 February 2010
Immitation is the greatest form of flattery...
We were avidly watching the BBC's coverage of the African Nation's Cup Final last night and a question suddenly came to mind...
...where did they get their idea for a set design from?
...where did they get their idea for a set design from?
Monday, 25 January 2010
Sound of Football Episode 24 - FA Cup, Africa Cup of Nations, West Ham, Tevez and Neville
The latest Sound Of Football podcast is available for you to download. This week we rattle through the FA Cup, ponder the West Ham takeover, consider the consequences of the Tevez/Neville spat and confuse a Tottenham defender for a legendary Question Of Sport captain and we don't mean Emlyn Hughes.All this plus the Africa Cup Of Nations too.
You can listen to the podcast here, or if you right click on that link, you can download the MP3. Alternatively, you can subscribe via the your reader of choice or via our iTunes feed.
Monday, 11 January 2010
Sound of Football Episode 22 - Premier League and the Africa Cup of Nations
This week's Sound of Football is a bumper edition featuring an examination of Birmingham City's unbeaten run, an assessment of Arsenal's championship credentials and an assassination of modern punditry.We then turn our attentions to Angola and the opening games in the Africa Cup of Nations.
You can listen to the podcast here. Or if you right click on that link, you can download the MP3. Alternatively, you can subscribe via the your reader of choice or via our iTunes feed.
Sunday, 10 January 2010
Midweek TV Preview: 11 - 14 January 2010
Monday 11th January13:30 Malawi v Algeria, Africa Cup of Nations, British Eurosport/British Eurosport HD
Despite the bloody intervention by The Front for the Liberation of the Enclave of Cabinda there is still a football tournament to be played. Few people are better equipped to move on after tragedy than the war torn populous of Angola. So while the recriminations and hand wringing is left to the politicians, it's down to the players to get get on with the football.
16:00 Ivory Coast v Burkina Faso, Africa Cup of Nations, British Eurosport/British Eurosport HD
The clock is ticking for Cote D'Ivoire's golden generation. Despite all their talent they remain potless and the longer they leave it, the older they get. Incentive enough then for Drogba and co. to make short work of Burkina Faso and start planning for their next game against the mighty Ghana.
18:15 Ghana v Togo, Africa Cup of Nations, British Eurosport/British Eurosport HD
The latest reports suggest that the Togolese squad intend to return home in accordance with the wishes of their government. It's possible that the situation may yet change but unfortunately, this fixture remains in doubt.
19:30 Manchester City v Blackburn Rovers, Barclay's Premier League, ESPN/ESPN HD
Presumably the swanky new City Of Manchester Stadium has the facilities to cope with Blighty's Scandanavian winter. The question is whether the surrounding infrastructure can cope with all the footfalls on the way to the ground. At least the Rovers fans don't have that far to travel if the game gets called off at the last minute.
19:45 Cliftonville v Glentoran, Irish League, Sky Sports 1
Not sure if the weather will be any better in Belfast for this city derby. Cliftonville are on a great run and only two points behind the visitors.
Tuesday 12th January
15:45 Egypt v Nigeria, Africa Cup of Nations, British Eurosport/British Eurosport HD
The Egyptians are many people's picks to win the Cup for the third time in a row. The champions are not going to the World Cup and would see this as an opportunity to redress the balance. Nigeria are off to SA although no one is quite sure how. Expect the Egyptians to vent some serious frustration on the west Africans.
18:15 Mozambique v Benin, Africa Cup of Nations, British Eurosport/British Eurosport HD
The Benin squad is made up of a sizable chunk of Nigerian ringers and are hoping that their extra height will cause a few surprises in Group C. Meanwhile, Mozambique are back in the tournament for the first time in ten years.
19:45 Coventry City v Portsmouth, FA Cup Third Round Replay, ITV4
Some might say that Coventry were favorites to win this match against the African-shorn Pompey. However the Sky Blues are still pretty ordinary so it would be wise to put your money on a shoot-out after extra time. Better still, keep your cash in your pocket.
20:00 AS Roma v Triestina, Coppa Italia, ESPN
Serie B struggler Triestina travel to the Eternal City in the hope of working some cup magic. Not sure the Coppa Itailia really works like that though.
Wednesday 13th January
15:00 AC Milan v Novara, Coppa Italia, ESPN
Novara are top of Lega Pro 1 which is Italy's third division and make the relatively short trip to Milano to take on what will presumably be a Milan team made up of second string players and first teamers who have pissed off Leonardo for whatever reason.
15:45 Cameroon v Gabon, Africa Cup of Nations, British Eurosport / British Eurosport HD
Group D gets underway with a Cameroon side revitalised under Pasul Le Guen. Gabon were pipped to a World Cup place by their opponents and will be looking fpor some payback. In addition, the Gabonese are co-hosts of the tournament in 2012 and will be eager to make an impact.
17:30 Genoa v Catania, Coppa Italia, ESPN
An all-Serie A clash which could be a feistier affair. Genoa will surely fancy their chances of winning some silverware.
18:15 Zambia v Tunisia, Africa Cup of Nations, British Eurosport/British Eurosport HD
Perennial group stage fodder meet bad travellers. Tunisia's record outside North Africa is not great but even that should not stop them from feeling confident about a Zambian team who have made an art of not making it to the quarter-finals.
19:45 Juventus v Napoli, Coppa Italia, ESPN
If this were a league fixture I'd be all over this one. But it's a cup match and both teams have bigger fish to fry. Besides, there are more interesting games on tonight in Benguela and on Merseyside...
19:45 Liverpool v Reading, FA Cup, ITV1
...where you sense that the slightest hiccup could send Liverpool into a downward spiral. Fortunately for them, Reading are pretty awful and will need to draw on hitherto unknown resources to pull off a shock. That is not to say that it won't happen but if it did, Royals season ticket holders would have every right to ask why they can't play like that a little more often.
21:00 Sevilla v Barcelona, Copa Del Rey - Round 5, Sky Sports 2
Two great teams clash in the Spanish Cup. May make for an interesting postscript to the evening's fare.
Thursday 14th January
15:45 Mali v Algeria, Africa Cup of Nations, British Eurosport/British Eurosport HD
It has been suggested that the Algerians are fixated on the England World Cup game and will be only half interested in the Africa Cup Of Nations. If true, they could be easy pickings for the competition's dark horses.
18:15 Angola v Malawi, Africa Cup of Nations, British Eurosport/British Eurosport HD
The Black Antelopes may have the home advantage but will have all the pressure to boot. Malawi are only occasional visitors to this competition so a home win, albeit a nervous one, is on the cards.
20:00 Blackburn v Aston Villa, Carling Cup, Sky Sports 1/HD1
The first leg of the "other" semi-final gets underway on a Thursday for the benefit of the TV schedulers. A lot at stake here with entertainment guaranteed over the course of the two legs.
Monday, 11 February 2008
African Cup of Nations: The Final Round-up
The 2008 African Cup of Nations came to a thrilling end last night and we now know who the champions are, but we have work to do here by giving you a recap on what happened in the two semi-finals plus that all-important Final.
Semi Finals
Ghana v Cameroon
As far as the hosts were concerned, this was the big one. A do-or-die clash with a Cameroon side whose legend preceded them would test Ghana to the limits, yet Cameroon had proved they were entirely beatable after a couple of performances in which they'd failed to convince the neutrals.
The two sides were very evenly matched when they faced each other last Thursday and neither made the best of starts as some poor passing put paid to any decent attacks in the first half. That said, Ghana looked the more threatening and were it not for a stronger midfield they could have a grabbed a goal or two.
Cameroon, however, were not outplayed and even managed to hit the Ghanaian crossbar in the 21st minute through an Achille Emana shot. But it was the home team that seemed to be in the ascendancy overall with several chances going unconverted near the hour mark, and as has happened with other teams in this competition, they were made to pay for their sloppyness.
On 71 minutes, Alain Nkong scored what turned out to be the winner when a three-man counter-attack caught the Ghanaian defence napping. It still wasn't the end of the game for the Black Stars, though, and Junior Agogo had two more great chances to score before the game was up, but again they failed to result in a goal.
And so it was that Cameroon scraped through to victory while the plucky Ghanaians were left ejected from their own tournament. They'd done well to get as far as they could, although some will say they could or should have reached the Final. Instead, that honour fell to a Cameroon side that looked like they were gradually running out of steam. Would the Final come too late for them?
Ivory Coast v Egypt
If anyone was in any doubt that the remaining four teams in the tournament didn't deserve to be there, this second semi-final proved them wrong. Once again, two very strong teams went into battle for the right to play Cameroon in Sunday's Final, only this encounter would have more goals to offer the casual observer.
Egypt changed tack when pitted up against Ivory Coast. They figured that The Elephants would need to be out-muscled if victory was to be theirs, so a change was adopted and the results were quickly forthcoming. After an early effort from Didier Drogba was saved, Ahmed Fathi sneaked a goal in from a corner that hadn't been cleared at the other end to make it 1-0 to Egypt.
A vigorous exchange of shots ensued over the next half an hour and Ivory Coast were dealt a cruel blow when goalkeeper Boubacar Barry had to be replaced with the inexperienced Stephan Loboue due to injury just before half time. Sensing a need to regroup, Ivory Coast threw everything into a late attack but two chances in quick succession were brilliantly saved by Essam Al-Hadari who therein staked his claim as one of the tournament's best goalkeepers.
More of the same happened early in the second half when Al-Hadari made another great save from Didier Drogba and then from a Arthur Boka free-kick.
Frustrated at not finding the net, Ivory Coast allowed Egypt to score a second through Amr Zaki after 62 minutes, but this only prompted The Elephants to come back stronger when Kader Keita scored with a screamer from 25 yards out to make it 2-1 only seconds later.
Ivory Coast weren't back in the game for long, though, as Zaki made it 3-1 after 67 minutes, and with Drogba's side throwing everything into attack in the search for goals, it came as no surprise when Egypt finished off a comprehensive victory in stoppage time thanks to Mohamed Aboutrika. The final score was 4-1 to Egypt and on this form, few would bet against them retaining the trophy they won in 2006, but that would all depend on how Cameroon performed in the Final.
Final
Egypt v Cameroon
If the Egyptians were ready for the physical might of Ivory Coast in the semis, they'd have more of the same to deal with in the Final from Cameroon, along with a decidedly defensive approach that would make them difficult to break down.
In the first half, both teams furtively tried their luck with a series of shots designed to see how awake the opposition were but no goals were forthcoming. It wasn't until the second half that either side upped the ante, and then it was Cameroon who played a quicker, more assertive style of play which only forced Egypt onto the attack themselves.
Amr Zaki and Abd-Rabou both went close with decent shots that were well matched with great saves from Cameroon goalkeeper Carlos Kameni, but the cracks were starting to show when Abd-Rabou hit the post just after an hour of play. It was a sign of things to come, and when Rigobert Song failed to clear the ball from defence with 13 minutes remaining, Mohamed Zidan stole the ball and gave it to a grateful Mohamed Aboutrika who put the ball in the net and won the game for Egypt.
Song himself had a chance to equalise in stoppage time but his header went well over the bar, so victory went to The Pharoahs 1-0 who can now claim to have won the African Cup of Nations a record six times.
It was a suitably exciting end to a competition which had been great to watch and had produced a record 99 goals - more than any other. All the colour and passion we'd been expecting had been there over the last three weeks and no-one could have been disappointed by what they'd seen.
Egypt were crowned worthy winners last night, but the tournament itself had been a great success too. Well done to Ghana and indeed all the competing teams and let's hope Egypt get the chance to represent Africa at the next World Cup as successfully as they had done here.
Semi Finals
Ghana v Cameroon
As far as the hosts were concerned, this was the big one. A do-or-die clash with a Cameroon side whose legend preceded them would test Ghana to the limits, yet Cameroon had proved they were entirely beatable after a couple of performances in which they'd failed to convince the neutrals.
The two sides were very evenly matched when they faced each other last Thursday and neither made the best of starts as some poor passing put paid to any decent attacks in the first half. That said, Ghana looked the more threatening and were it not for a stronger midfield they could have a grabbed a goal or two.
Cameroon, however, were not outplayed and even managed to hit the Ghanaian crossbar in the 21st minute through an Achille Emana shot. But it was the home team that seemed to be in the ascendancy overall with several chances going unconverted near the hour mark, and as has happened with other teams in this competition, they were made to pay for their sloppyness.
On 71 minutes, Alain Nkong scored what turned out to be the winner when a three-man counter-attack caught the Ghanaian defence napping. It still wasn't the end of the game for the Black Stars, though, and Junior Agogo had two more great chances to score before the game was up, but again they failed to result in a goal.
And so it was that Cameroon scraped through to victory while the plucky Ghanaians were left ejected from their own tournament. They'd done well to get as far as they could, although some will say they could or should have reached the Final. Instead, that honour fell to a Cameroon side that looked like they were gradually running out of steam. Would the Final come too late for them?
Ivory Coast v Egypt
If anyone was in any doubt that the remaining four teams in the tournament didn't deserve to be there, this second semi-final proved them wrong. Once again, two very strong teams went into battle for the right to play Cameroon in Sunday's Final, only this encounter would have more goals to offer the casual observer.
Egypt changed tack when pitted up against Ivory Coast. They figured that The Elephants would need to be out-muscled if victory was to be theirs, so a change was adopted and the results were quickly forthcoming. After an early effort from Didier Drogba was saved, Ahmed Fathi sneaked a goal in from a corner that hadn't been cleared at the other end to make it 1-0 to Egypt.
A vigorous exchange of shots ensued over the next half an hour and Ivory Coast were dealt a cruel blow when goalkeeper Boubacar Barry had to be replaced with the inexperienced Stephan Loboue due to injury just before half time. Sensing a need to regroup, Ivory Coast threw everything into a late attack but two chances in quick succession were brilliantly saved by Essam Al-Hadari who therein staked his claim as one of the tournament's best goalkeepers.
More of the same happened early in the second half when Al-Hadari made another great save from Didier Drogba and then from a Arthur Boka free-kick.
Frustrated at not finding the net, Ivory Coast allowed Egypt to score a second through Amr Zaki after 62 minutes, but this only prompted The Elephants to come back stronger when Kader Keita scored with a screamer from 25 yards out to make it 2-1 only seconds later.
Ivory Coast weren't back in the game for long, though, as Zaki made it 3-1 after 67 minutes, and with Drogba's side throwing everything into attack in the search for goals, it came as no surprise when Egypt finished off a comprehensive victory in stoppage time thanks to Mohamed Aboutrika. The final score was 4-1 to Egypt and on this form, few would bet against them retaining the trophy they won in 2006, but that would all depend on how Cameroon performed in the Final.
Final
Egypt v Cameroon
If the Egyptians were ready for the physical might of Ivory Coast in the semis, they'd have more of the same to deal with in the Final from Cameroon, along with a decidedly defensive approach that would make them difficult to break down.
In the first half, both teams furtively tried their luck with a series of shots designed to see how awake the opposition were but no goals were forthcoming. It wasn't until the second half that either side upped the ante, and then it was Cameroon who played a quicker, more assertive style of play which only forced Egypt onto the attack themselves.
Amr Zaki and Abd-Rabou both went close with decent shots that were well matched with great saves from Cameroon goalkeeper Carlos Kameni, but the cracks were starting to show when Abd-Rabou hit the post just after an hour of play. It was a sign of things to come, and when Rigobert Song failed to clear the ball from defence with 13 minutes remaining, Mohamed Zidan stole the ball and gave it to a grateful Mohamed Aboutrika who put the ball in the net and won the game for Egypt.
Song himself had a chance to equalise in stoppage time but his header went well over the bar, so victory went to The Pharoahs 1-0 who can now claim to have won the African Cup of Nations a record six times.
It was a suitably exciting end to a competition which had been great to watch and had produced a record 99 goals - more than any other. All the colour and passion we'd been expecting had been there over the last three weeks and no-one could have been disappointed by what they'd seen.
Egypt were crowned worthy winners last night, but the tournament itself had been a great success too. Well done to Ghana and indeed all the competing teams and let's hope Egypt get the chance to represent Africa at the next World Cup as successfully as they had done here.
Thursday, 7 February 2008
African Cup of Nations: Round-up #4
We're entering the final straight in the African Cup of Nations 2008, and by the end of today we'll know who's going to be playing in Sunday's final, but before all of that, let's recap on the quarter-finals that took place on Sunday and Monday.
Ghana v Nigeria
The hosts entered the knock-out phase on the crest of a wave having finished top of Group A in Round 1 with a maximum nine points in the bag. They faced a Nigeria side that left it very late to secure their place and were curiously only a shadow of the reputation that preceded them.
The meeting between the two turned out to be rather scrappy and somewhat physical, but Ghana had the upper hand for most of the first half and looked slightly more threatening than their opponents. It was a little surprising, then, when Nigeria grabbed the lead just after the half-hour mark as Yakubu converted a penalty, but their lead was to last little more than 10 minutes.
On the stroke of half time, Chelsea's Michael Essien headed in an equaliser via the woodwork and Ghana were back on level terms for the second 45 minutes. Little were they to know they'd have to endure some pressure after the break as Nigeria's Uche almost scored with a lob from long distance and Ghana's captain John Mensah got himself sent off for bringing down Osaze Odemwingie when he had a clear run on goal.
Despite having a numerical advantage, Nigeria couldn't make it pay whereas Ghana bided their time and reorganised to greater effect. Their reward came seven minutes from the end when Muntari crossed the ball to Nottingham Forest's Junior Agogo who couldn't miss from four yards out. With no reply in the time remaining, Ghana ran out 2-1 winners and the crowd, as they say, went wild. The home side had made it to the semi-finals and from there, you feel, anything could happen.
Ivory Coast v Guinea
Chances are, if you had to plump for one team to win this match, you'd have gone for Didier Drogba's. The Elephants of the Ivory Coast had been clinical in their first round campaign, bulldozing their way through Nigeria, Mali and Benin, scoring eight goals and conceding just one. Yet in Guinea their opponents were the stereotypical dark horses that could give Drogba's side a run for their money, as Morocco found out to their cost.
Sadly for Guinea, they were missing suspended captain Pascal Feindouno and injured defender Bobo Balde, thereby leaving a side that was lacking age and experience against such dominant opponents. For all that, though, they managed to restrict Ivory Coast to just one goal in the first seventy minutes, scored by Keita shortly before the half-hour mark.
Guinea held the ship steady and even had a couple of chances to score themselves in the ensuing period, but Drogba made the breakthrough well into the second half with a well-taken goal following a one-two with Boka. That goal opened the floodgates as the increasing nervousness of the Ivory Coast team dissipated instantly. Three minutes later, Kalou rounded the keeper to make it 3-0 and in the 81st minute completed a great team goal by converting a cross to score his team's fourth. Substitute Kone ended the rout with a great fifth from long distance with four minutes remaining and that was the end of Guinea's involvement in this competition.
They'd fought well, if without the spark needed to at least get a goal, but frankly most teams would have struggled to deal with the Ivory Coast on the basis of their second half form. Whoever the winner would be of the quarter-final between Egypt and Angola would no doubt be more than well aware of that.
Egypt v Angola
Here were two sides that have played some of the best football in this tournament so far, and in Manucho, Angola had one of the most exciting prospects for the future who could swing the game for them.
The game started with both teams reluctant to commit too much to attacking play with few exchanges of note, but that all changed when Macanga handled the ball in the penalty area following a free kick, leading Abd Rabou to score his fourth goal of the tournament from the spot.
It prompted another moment of brilliance from Manucho. As we've already mentioned, he's already been snapped up by Sir Alex Ferguson, and it isn't difficult to see why on the basis of the 25-yard belter he unleashed four minutes after the penalty. Angola were back on level terms at 1-1 and deservedly so.
Manucho's side were now on a roll and looking the more dangerous side but they shot themselves in the foot with a moment of absent-mindedness that came from a harmless cross in the 38th minute. The ball bypassed everybody, the Angolan defence failed to clear it but it finally fell to oncoming Zaki who chested the ball in to give Egypt a 2-1 lead.
Into the second half, both teams approached the game with renewed vigour and Manucho could have wrapped the game up for Angola if he'd made the most of a few decent chances that came his way. As the game progressed ever onwards, both teams looked evenly matched as the two keepers pulled off excellent saves, but Egypt's defence remained strong to the end.
Angola were left frustrated not to have found the equaliser they badly needed as reigning champions Egypt won the match 2-1. It was a shame that either of these two teams had to face elimination from the tournament, but for fans of the Premier League, there was at least the tantalising prospect of seeing more of Manucho in the future long after this contest had finished.
Tunisia v Cameroon
This match became the first to go to extra time in the 2008 African Cup of Nations as Cameroon struggled to finish off a Tunisian side that wouldn't accept defeat easily.
Stephane Mbia headed the Indomitable Lions in front with 19 minutes on the clock and soon after Chelsea's Geremi made it two with a brilliantly taken free kick from nearly thirty yards out. But the Tunisians would not be outdone as Chaouki Ben Saada scored with a similar effort after 35 minutes.
The second half saw the close-fought battle continue with Tunisia having the best of the chances, and this led inevitability to an equaliser for the Carthage Eagles nine minutes from time when Yassine Chikhaoui struck the ball firmly into the back of the net from close range.
Within two minutes of the restart, Cameroon found themselves back in front. A long throw-in from Geremi found its way to Mbia who turned and shot on the edge of the area to get his second of the game. As the remainder of the game continued, both teams looked tired and things got scrappy with a number of fouls punctuating the play. It worked against the plucky Tunisians and as full time arrived, the equaliser they strived for remained out of reach.
So Cameroon finished the game 3-2 winners and they were through to a semi-final against the hosts. If nothing else, it taught them a lesson that when you have the game by the scruff of the neck, you need to get the job done right through to the end, but maybe it'll be Ghana that suffer by that lesson learned. Tonight we'll see if that's the case as the semis get underway…
Semi Finals
Ghana v Cameroon (5pm GMT)
Ivory Coast v Egypt (8.30pm GMT)
Ghana v Nigeria
The hosts entered the knock-out phase on the crest of a wave having finished top of Group A in Round 1 with a maximum nine points in the bag. They faced a Nigeria side that left it very late to secure their place and were curiously only a shadow of the reputation that preceded them.
The meeting between the two turned out to be rather scrappy and somewhat physical, but Ghana had the upper hand for most of the first half and looked slightly more threatening than their opponents. It was a little surprising, then, when Nigeria grabbed the lead just after the half-hour mark as Yakubu converted a penalty, but their lead was to last little more than 10 minutes.
On the stroke of half time, Chelsea's Michael Essien headed in an equaliser via the woodwork and Ghana were back on level terms for the second 45 minutes. Little were they to know they'd have to endure some pressure after the break as Nigeria's Uche almost scored with a lob from long distance and Ghana's captain John Mensah got himself sent off for bringing down Osaze Odemwingie when he had a clear run on goal.
Despite having a numerical advantage, Nigeria couldn't make it pay whereas Ghana bided their time and reorganised to greater effect. Their reward came seven minutes from the end when Muntari crossed the ball to Nottingham Forest's Junior Agogo who couldn't miss from four yards out. With no reply in the time remaining, Ghana ran out 2-1 winners and the crowd, as they say, went wild. The home side had made it to the semi-finals and from there, you feel, anything could happen.
Ivory Coast v Guinea
Chances are, if you had to plump for one team to win this match, you'd have gone for Didier Drogba's. The Elephants of the Ivory Coast had been clinical in their first round campaign, bulldozing their way through Nigeria, Mali and Benin, scoring eight goals and conceding just one. Yet in Guinea their opponents were the stereotypical dark horses that could give Drogba's side a run for their money, as Morocco found out to their cost.
Sadly for Guinea, they were missing suspended captain Pascal Feindouno and injured defender Bobo Balde, thereby leaving a side that was lacking age and experience against such dominant opponents. For all that, though, they managed to restrict Ivory Coast to just one goal in the first seventy minutes, scored by Keita shortly before the half-hour mark.
Guinea held the ship steady and even had a couple of chances to score themselves in the ensuing period, but Drogba made the breakthrough well into the second half with a well-taken goal following a one-two with Boka. That goal opened the floodgates as the increasing nervousness of the Ivory Coast team dissipated instantly. Three minutes later, Kalou rounded the keeper to make it 3-0 and in the 81st minute completed a great team goal by converting a cross to score his team's fourth. Substitute Kone ended the rout with a great fifth from long distance with four minutes remaining and that was the end of Guinea's involvement in this competition.
They'd fought well, if without the spark needed to at least get a goal, but frankly most teams would have struggled to deal with the Ivory Coast on the basis of their second half form. Whoever the winner would be of the quarter-final between Egypt and Angola would no doubt be more than well aware of that.
Egypt v Angola
Here were two sides that have played some of the best football in this tournament so far, and in Manucho, Angola had one of the most exciting prospects for the future who could swing the game for them.
The game started with both teams reluctant to commit too much to attacking play with few exchanges of note, but that all changed when Macanga handled the ball in the penalty area following a free kick, leading Abd Rabou to score his fourth goal of the tournament from the spot.
It prompted another moment of brilliance from Manucho. As we've already mentioned, he's already been snapped up by Sir Alex Ferguson, and it isn't difficult to see why on the basis of the 25-yard belter he unleashed four minutes after the penalty. Angola were back on level terms at 1-1 and deservedly so.
Manucho's side were now on a roll and looking the more dangerous side but they shot themselves in the foot with a moment of absent-mindedness that came from a harmless cross in the 38th minute. The ball bypassed everybody, the Angolan defence failed to clear it but it finally fell to oncoming Zaki who chested the ball in to give Egypt a 2-1 lead.
Into the second half, both teams approached the game with renewed vigour and Manucho could have wrapped the game up for Angola if he'd made the most of a few decent chances that came his way. As the game progressed ever onwards, both teams looked evenly matched as the two keepers pulled off excellent saves, but Egypt's defence remained strong to the end.
Angola were left frustrated not to have found the equaliser they badly needed as reigning champions Egypt won the match 2-1. It was a shame that either of these two teams had to face elimination from the tournament, but for fans of the Premier League, there was at least the tantalising prospect of seeing more of Manucho in the future long after this contest had finished.
Tunisia v Cameroon
This match became the first to go to extra time in the 2008 African Cup of Nations as Cameroon struggled to finish off a Tunisian side that wouldn't accept defeat easily.
Stephane Mbia headed the Indomitable Lions in front with 19 minutes on the clock and soon after Chelsea's Geremi made it two with a brilliantly taken free kick from nearly thirty yards out. But the Tunisians would not be outdone as Chaouki Ben Saada scored with a similar effort after 35 minutes.
The second half saw the close-fought battle continue with Tunisia having the best of the chances, and this led inevitability to an equaliser for the Carthage Eagles nine minutes from time when Yassine Chikhaoui struck the ball firmly into the back of the net from close range.
Within two minutes of the restart, Cameroon found themselves back in front. A long throw-in from Geremi found its way to Mbia who turned and shot on the edge of the area to get his second of the game. As the remainder of the game continued, both teams looked tired and things got scrappy with a number of fouls punctuating the play. It worked against the plucky Tunisians and as full time arrived, the equaliser they strived for remained out of reach.
So Cameroon finished the game 3-2 winners and they were through to a semi-final against the hosts. If nothing else, it taught them a lesson that when you have the game by the scruff of the neck, you need to get the job done right through to the end, but maybe it'll be Ghana that suffer by that lesson learned. Tonight we'll see if that's the case as the semis get underway…
Semi Finals
Ghana v Cameroon (5pm GMT)
Ivory Coast v Egypt (8.30pm GMT)
Friday, 1 February 2008
African Cup of Nations: Round-up #3
It's back to our African Cup of Nations update service now as we tell you how each of the sixteen competing nations faired in their last group games this week.
This was the critical stage of the tournament for many teams as a win or loss could determine whether they'd stay on for the knockout stages or catch a flight home to watch the knockout stages on TV. Here's what happened…
Group A
As you may remember from our last round-up, Morocco were hanging on grimly for the second qualification spot in the group but had to at least draw against Ghana in their last game to secure it. Ghana had already qualified, but that was no guarantee that they'd treat the Moroccans lightly.
Guinea, however, had the same sort of predicament but they faced lowly Namibia in their quest to go through. The smart money was on Guinea, but who would prevail?
In the end, Ghana proved no match for Morocco who lacked the quality or even desire to remain in the contest. A 2-0 win for the Ghanaians, including goals by Chelsea's Michael Essien and Portsmouth's Sulley Muntari, meant they finished the first round at the top of Group A with a maximum nine points.
All Guinea had to do was get a draw against a Namibia side that had fought valiantly up to that point but were yet move off the bottom of the table. Guinea dominated Monday's game, launching wave after wave of attacks on the Namibian goal, but neither team could find the net until the 62nd minute when Souleymane Youla put Guinea 1-0 up.
Namibia looked unlikely to find an answer to that, but Guinea settled into their comfort zone a little too much for their own good and allowed Brian Brendell to take on the opposition defence and score a fine individual goal with just nine minutes remaining. It proved to be the decisive equaliser for Namibia and the last goal of the game.
Guinea had held on for the draw they needed and leap-frogged Morocco into second place in the group. Morocco and Namibia finished third and fourth respectively with the former continuing their recent downward spiral into mediocrity.
Group B
If any team had to win their last match, it was Nigeria. They found themselves in third place of Group B after a couple of miserable performances that brought them just one point. Failing to reach the knock-out stages was inconceivable, unlikely, even, and standing in their way was plucky Benin.
Victory over The Squirrels would ensure Nigeria had done their share of the deal, but they'd also be hoping that second-placed Mali would be beaten by group leaders, Ivory Coast. Without that, Nigeria would be doomed to failure.
They needn't have worried. Benin struggled to contain Nigeria yet amazingly held on for almost an hour before Chelsea's John Obi Mikel headed the Super Eagles into a 1-0 lead. It gave Nigeria the confidence to play a far more composed style of football and it stood them in good stead all the way through to the 86th minute when Yakubu calmly put the ball past Benin goalkeeper Amoussou to wrap the game up at 2-0.
It was to be Nigeria's day. In the other Group B game in Accra, Ivory Coast did anything but rest on their laurels despite knowing they'd already qualified for the quarter-finals. Against a Mali side that would have settled for a draw, The Elephants were professional to the last as they snuffed out any hopes of their opponents doing just that.
Didier Drogba finally sprang into life in this tournament by scoring the opening goal on 9 minutes before Zoro (standing in for the injured Kolo Toure) added another early in the second half after many a missed effort from his teammates. By this stage, Mali's only hope of scoring goals, Fredi Kanoute, had been substituted but Dramane Traore almost scored when his header came back off the Ivory Coast bar.
With news coming through of Nigeria's lead against Benin, Mali had to go on the attack to find goals fast, but it only succeeded in providing Drogba's side with an open defence to penetrate for a third goal which was scored by Sanogo. Mali had lost their chance and were out of the competition, their place taken by a Nigeria side that had left it incredibly late to show willing. Though they may be through to the quarter finals, I'm still not convinced by their uninspiring performances.
Group C
Cameroon still had work to do on Wednesday. They were in direct competition with Zambia for the second qualifying spot behind Egypt who were already through, but Zambia had to play the Egyptians and ideally win if they were to deny Cameroon.
Zambia's start to their match couldn't have been worse. Within 14 minutes, Amr Zaki had put Egypt 1-0 up and the Zambians could have been forgiven for letting their heads drop. Admirably enough, they didn't - in fact they turned on their heals and showed the Egyptians they'd have a fight on their hands.
Egypt opted to deny Zambia the space to play the game the way they wanted and played a counter-attacking style of their own that should have brought many goals. Sadly for them, their attacks proved largely ineffective and Zambia were glad for that ineptness when with two minutes of the whole game left, captain Katongo skilfully put the ball into the net to equalise. Would the draw be enough? Cameroon had the answer.
In Sudan, Cameroon's opponents were ill-equipped and lacking the experience to deal with a team full of star players, so it was no surprise when the Indomitable Lions came out of the traps first. A 1-0 lead came about in the 27th minute when Samuel Eto'o scored from a penalty and in so doing claimed the all-time record as the highest scorer in the African Cup of Nations.
Six minutes later, an own goal from Ali Elkhidir put Cameroon 2-0 up and from then on there was no going back. Sudan had little to offer in return except for the occasional isolated and dangerous attack, so when Eto'o picked up his second of the game and Cameroon's third in stoppage time, their was no doubt they were through to the quarter finals. The game ended 3-0 and that meant Zambia were out, finishing in third place in the group, two points behind Cameroon.
Group D
Finally a group that almost didn't need to play its last two games, such was the way its teams were progressing. Going into yesterday's showdown, Tunisia and Angola were easily looking the more accomplished of the four teams while Senegal had been below-par and South Africa were predictably poor. As it turned out, Tunisia and Angola would play each other knowing a draw would suit both sides, while Senegal and South Africa would have to fight tooth and nail for even the merest hint of a chance to qualify from the group.
Without wishing to deny you the fine detail from both games, Tunisia and Angola did settle for a draw (and a goalless one at that) while Senegal and South Africa cancelled each other out in a 1-1 draw.
It means Angola reach the quarter finals for the first time ever and deservedly so after playing some good attacking football while Tunisia looked capable and dangerous in their three games. For South Africa, one can only begin to wonder what sort of transformation they'll need to undertake after many years of steady decline if they're to avoid bombing out of their own World Cup Finals at the first hurdle in two years' time.
And that was the First Round, folks. We've seen some great goals scored already and have a better idea of who might lift the trophy in just over a week. Before that though, we must consider the quarter-final line-up, and here it is:
February 3 2008
Ghana v Nigeria (Accra)
Ivory Coast v Guinea (Sekondi)
February 4 2008
Tunisia v Cameroon (Tamale)
Egypt v Angola (Kumasi)
Join us for a round-up of the action from those four games very soon.
This was the critical stage of the tournament for many teams as a win or loss could determine whether they'd stay on for the knockout stages or catch a flight home to watch the knockout stages on TV. Here's what happened…
Group A
As you may remember from our last round-up, Morocco were hanging on grimly for the second qualification spot in the group but had to at least draw against Ghana in their last game to secure it. Ghana had already qualified, but that was no guarantee that they'd treat the Moroccans lightly.
Guinea, however, had the same sort of predicament but they faced lowly Namibia in their quest to go through. The smart money was on Guinea, but who would prevail?
In the end, Ghana proved no match for Morocco who lacked the quality or even desire to remain in the contest. A 2-0 win for the Ghanaians, including goals by Chelsea's Michael Essien and Portsmouth's Sulley Muntari, meant they finished the first round at the top of Group A with a maximum nine points.
All Guinea had to do was get a draw against a Namibia side that had fought valiantly up to that point but were yet move off the bottom of the table. Guinea dominated Monday's game, launching wave after wave of attacks on the Namibian goal, but neither team could find the net until the 62nd minute when Souleymane Youla put Guinea 1-0 up.
Namibia looked unlikely to find an answer to that, but Guinea settled into their comfort zone a little too much for their own good and allowed Brian Brendell to take on the opposition defence and score a fine individual goal with just nine minutes remaining. It proved to be the decisive equaliser for Namibia and the last goal of the game.
Guinea had held on for the draw they needed and leap-frogged Morocco into second place in the group. Morocco and Namibia finished third and fourth respectively with the former continuing their recent downward spiral into mediocrity.
Group B
If any team had to win their last match, it was Nigeria. They found themselves in third place of Group B after a couple of miserable performances that brought them just one point. Failing to reach the knock-out stages was inconceivable, unlikely, even, and standing in their way was plucky Benin.
Victory over The Squirrels would ensure Nigeria had done their share of the deal, but they'd also be hoping that second-placed Mali would be beaten by group leaders, Ivory Coast. Without that, Nigeria would be doomed to failure.
They needn't have worried. Benin struggled to contain Nigeria yet amazingly held on for almost an hour before Chelsea's John Obi Mikel headed the Super Eagles into a 1-0 lead. It gave Nigeria the confidence to play a far more composed style of football and it stood them in good stead all the way through to the 86th minute when Yakubu calmly put the ball past Benin goalkeeper Amoussou to wrap the game up at 2-0.
It was to be Nigeria's day. In the other Group B game in Accra, Ivory Coast did anything but rest on their laurels despite knowing they'd already qualified for the quarter-finals. Against a Mali side that would have settled for a draw, The Elephants were professional to the last as they snuffed out any hopes of their opponents doing just that.
Didier Drogba finally sprang into life in this tournament by scoring the opening goal on 9 minutes before Zoro (standing in for the injured Kolo Toure) added another early in the second half after many a missed effort from his teammates. By this stage, Mali's only hope of scoring goals, Fredi Kanoute, had been substituted but Dramane Traore almost scored when his header came back off the Ivory Coast bar.
With news coming through of Nigeria's lead against Benin, Mali had to go on the attack to find goals fast, but it only succeeded in providing Drogba's side with an open defence to penetrate for a third goal which was scored by Sanogo. Mali had lost their chance and were out of the competition, their place taken by a Nigeria side that had left it incredibly late to show willing. Though they may be through to the quarter finals, I'm still not convinced by their uninspiring performances.
Group C
Cameroon still had work to do on Wednesday. They were in direct competition with Zambia for the second qualifying spot behind Egypt who were already through, but Zambia had to play the Egyptians and ideally win if they were to deny Cameroon.
Zambia's start to their match couldn't have been worse. Within 14 minutes, Amr Zaki had put Egypt 1-0 up and the Zambians could have been forgiven for letting their heads drop. Admirably enough, they didn't - in fact they turned on their heals and showed the Egyptians they'd have a fight on their hands.
Egypt opted to deny Zambia the space to play the game the way they wanted and played a counter-attacking style of their own that should have brought many goals. Sadly for them, their attacks proved largely ineffective and Zambia were glad for that ineptness when with two minutes of the whole game left, captain Katongo skilfully put the ball into the net to equalise. Would the draw be enough? Cameroon had the answer.
In Sudan, Cameroon's opponents were ill-equipped and lacking the experience to deal with a team full of star players, so it was no surprise when the Indomitable Lions came out of the traps first. A 1-0 lead came about in the 27th minute when Samuel Eto'o scored from a penalty and in so doing claimed the all-time record as the highest scorer in the African Cup of Nations.
Six minutes later, an own goal from Ali Elkhidir put Cameroon 2-0 up and from then on there was no going back. Sudan had little to offer in return except for the occasional isolated and dangerous attack, so when Eto'o picked up his second of the game and Cameroon's third in stoppage time, their was no doubt they were through to the quarter finals. The game ended 3-0 and that meant Zambia were out, finishing in third place in the group, two points behind Cameroon.
Group D
Finally a group that almost didn't need to play its last two games, such was the way its teams were progressing. Going into yesterday's showdown, Tunisia and Angola were easily looking the more accomplished of the four teams while Senegal had been below-par and South Africa were predictably poor. As it turned out, Tunisia and Angola would play each other knowing a draw would suit both sides, while Senegal and South Africa would have to fight tooth and nail for even the merest hint of a chance to qualify from the group.
Without wishing to deny you the fine detail from both games, Tunisia and Angola did settle for a draw (and a goalless one at that) while Senegal and South Africa cancelled each other out in a 1-1 draw.
It means Angola reach the quarter finals for the first time ever and deservedly so after playing some good attacking football while Tunisia looked capable and dangerous in their three games. For South Africa, one can only begin to wonder what sort of transformation they'll need to undertake after many years of steady decline if they're to avoid bombing out of their own World Cup Finals at the first hurdle in two years' time.
And that was the First Round, folks. We've seen some great goals scored already and have a better idea of who might lift the trophy in just over a week. Before that though, we must consider the quarter-final line-up, and here it is:
February 3 2008
Ghana v Nigeria (Accra)
Ivory Coast v Guinea (Sekondi)
February 4 2008
Tunisia v Cameroon (Tamale)
Egypt v Angola (Kumasi)
Join us for a round-up of the action from those four games very soon.
Monday, 28 January 2008
African Cup of Nations: Round-up #2
Time now for our second round-up of events in the African Cup of Nations and the first question to ask is 'How come the BBC are calling this the Africa Cup of Nations'? That can't be right, surely? It doesn't scan unless you add the 'N' to the end of 'Africa'. Pah...
Anyway, moving on, all teams have now played their second games so let's see how the First Round groups are shaping up.
In Group A, host team Ghana virtually sealed their place in the quarter-finals with another ever-so-slightly unconvincing win over Namibia, 1-0. The Namibians had their fair share of the chances in the game and were it not for some better finishing, Ghana might have found themselves needing a win in their last game. It was not to be, however, and Junior Agogo's goal just before half time proved to be enough to make it six points out of six for the hosts.
Also playing last Thursday were Guinea and Morocco and here the form book went out the window. Guinea were reeling from a 2-1 defeat to Ghana in the opening game but Morocco were riding high on the back of a 5-1 drubbing of Namibia, and yet it was Guinea that emerged the victors 3-2.
Guinea captain Pascal Feindouno scored twice but was sent off in a fraught match against the Moroccans, but his team were worth the win as Morocco seemed to lose the confidence and competence they owned in their first game.
All of which left Ghana top of the group with a maximum six points, while Morocco clung onto second spot with Guinea in third, also on three points but with an inferior goal difference to the team they'd just beaten. Ghana played Morocco today at the same time as Guinea played Namibia, more of which we'll tell you about in our next round-up.
Friday was the day the Ivory Coast cemented their place in the next round after beating Benin 4-1. Benin, for a team hardly seen in the African finals, continued to play some good football, but their defence was found wanting and their attack desperately lacked some accurate shooting. It was enough of a weakness to allow Didier Drogba and his men to comfortably cruise to the top of the group with four goals in the space of 23 minutes, one of which was scored by the Chelsea man himself.
In the other game of the group, Nigeria faced Mali knowing that defeat would send the Super Eagles out of the tournament after two games. In a nervous performance on the part of both sides, no goals were forthcoming - in fact even a sufficient number of decent shots were forthcoming - and the match ended 0-0.
That means Nigeria MUST win in their last game against bottom-placed Benin while a draw for Mali (second place with four points) against Ivory Coast tomorrow will ensure they both go through at the expense of Berti Vogts' Nigeria side. Unthinkable? Certainly not, just you wait and see...
Onto Group C and Egypt continued their highly convincing charge to retain the trophy with a 3-0 win over whipping boys Sudan. Though the scoreline was comfortable, The Pharoahs were still only one goal up going into the last eleven minutes and required Mohamed Aboutrika's brace to confirm the victory which was all but one-sided in favour of the reigning champions.
After losing heavily to Egypt in their first game, Cameroon had a point to prove as they faced Zambia last Saturday. Zambia already had three points in the bag from a win over Sudan, and a win in this match would have seen Cameroon go out and themselves go into the Quarters. Sadly for them they were over-run by the Indomitable Lions as their stars ran riot in a 5-1 victory which gets Cameroon's campaign back on track.
Zambia slip to third in the group and now have to beat Egypt in their last game, although in their favour is the fact that Egypt are already through. Cameroon, meanwhile, take on Sudan this Wednesday which may very well see the end to Zambia's ambitions in this competition.
Finally to Group D and our self-appointed Group of Death is pretty much living up to its reputation, being as it is the only group where no team has won both of its opening games. Tunisia looked good in their first match but could only draw with Senegal, but Sunday brought about a much more convincing performance as they put three goals past South Africa before half time. A late goal from the Bafana Bafana proved too late to avoid a second match without a win, thereby setting up an intriguing encounter with Senegal on Thursday of which more later.
Senegal themselves are looking for their first win of the tournament after losing 3-1 to Angola yesterday. Senegal will be kicking themselves (although I suspect not very well) after taking a 1-0 lead after 20 minutes through Newcastle United's Abdoulaye Faye, but the Black Antelopes came back in some style in the second half with a sharpened attack that this time made the most of their considerable possession.
Once again, Manchester United-bound Manucho got on the scoresheet and added two more goals to the one gained from the match against South Africa to see Angola through to an impressive win and second spot in the table behind Tunisia. A draw against them on Thursday will be enough to see both teams through to the quarter-finals.
So here we are two-thirds of the way through the First Round and we could already be about to say goodbye to Nigeria (my tip for champions, ahem...) and Senegal. Will they survive to fight another day? Join us at the end of the week to find out...
Anyway, moving on, all teams have now played their second games so let's see how the First Round groups are shaping up.
In Group A, host team Ghana virtually sealed their place in the quarter-finals with another ever-so-slightly unconvincing win over Namibia, 1-0. The Namibians had their fair share of the chances in the game and were it not for some better finishing, Ghana might have found themselves needing a win in their last game. It was not to be, however, and Junior Agogo's goal just before half time proved to be enough to make it six points out of six for the hosts.
Also playing last Thursday were Guinea and Morocco and here the form book went out the window. Guinea were reeling from a 2-1 defeat to Ghana in the opening game but Morocco were riding high on the back of a 5-1 drubbing of Namibia, and yet it was Guinea that emerged the victors 3-2.
Guinea captain Pascal Feindouno scored twice but was sent off in a fraught match against the Moroccans, but his team were worth the win as Morocco seemed to lose the confidence and competence they owned in their first game.
All of which left Ghana top of the group with a maximum six points, while Morocco clung onto second spot with Guinea in third, also on three points but with an inferior goal difference to the team they'd just beaten. Ghana played Morocco today at the same time as Guinea played Namibia, more of which we'll tell you about in our next round-up.
Friday was the day the Ivory Coast cemented their place in the next round after beating Benin 4-1. Benin, for a team hardly seen in the African finals, continued to play some good football, but their defence was found wanting and their attack desperately lacked some accurate shooting. It was enough of a weakness to allow Didier Drogba and his men to comfortably cruise to the top of the group with four goals in the space of 23 minutes, one of which was scored by the Chelsea man himself.
In the other game of the group, Nigeria faced Mali knowing that defeat would send the Super Eagles out of the tournament after two games. In a nervous performance on the part of both sides, no goals were forthcoming - in fact even a sufficient number of decent shots were forthcoming - and the match ended 0-0.
That means Nigeria MUST win in their last game against bottom-placed Benin while a draw for Mali (second place with four points) against Ivory Coast tomorrow will ensure they both go through at the expense of Berti Vogts' Nigeria side. Unthinkable? Certainly not, just you wait and see...
Onto Group C and Egypt continued their highly convincing charge to retain the trophy with a 3-0 win over whipping boys Sudan. Though the scoreline was comfortable, The Pharoahs were still only one goal up going into the last eleven minutes and required Mohamed Aboutrika's brace to confirm the victory which was all but one-sided in favour of the reigning champions.
After losing heavily to Egypt in their first game, Cameroon had a point to prove as they faced Zambia last Saturday. Zambia already had three points in the bag from a win over Sudan, and a win in this match would have seen Cameroon go out and themselves go into the Quarters. Sadly for them they were over-run by the Indomitable Lions as their stars ran riot in a 5-1 victory which gets Cameroon's campaign back on track.
Zambia slip to third in the group and now have to beat Egypt in their last game, although in their favour is the fact that Egypt are already through. Cameroon, meanwhile, take on Sudan this Wednesday which may very well see the end to Zambia's ambitions in this competition.
Finally to Group D and our self-appointed Group of Death is pretty much living up to its reputation, being as it is the only group where no team has won both of its opening games. Tunisia looked good in their first match but could only draw with Senegal, but Sunday brought about a much more convincing performance as they put three goals past South Africa before half time. A late goal from the Bafana Bafana proved too late to avoid a second match without a win, thereby setting up an intriguing encounter with Senegal on Thursday of which more later.
Senegal themselves are looking for their first win of the tournament after losing 3-1 to Angola yesterday. Senegal will be kicking themselves (although I suspect not very well) after taking a 1-0 lead after 20 minutes through Newcastle United's Abdoulaye Faye, but the Black Antelopes came back in some style in the second half with a sharpened attack that this time made the most of their considerable possession.
Once again, Manchester United-bound Manucho got on the scoresheet and added two more goals to the one gained from the match against South Africa to see Angola through to an impressive win and second spot in the table behind Tunisia. A draw against them on Thursday will be enough to see both teams through to the quarter-finals.
So here we are two-thirds of the way through the First Round and we could already be about to say goodbye to Nigeria (my tip for champions, ahem...) and Senegal. Will they survive to fight another day? Join us at the end of the week to find out...
Thursday, 24 January 2008
African Cup of Nations: Round-up #1
Over the last five days, each of the sixteen competing nations have played their opening games of the 2008 Africa Cup of Nations, so now we have some idea of who's likely to impress and disappoint during the course of the competition.
The party started in Group A last Sunday when hosts, Ghana, took on Guinea in Accra. It's fair to say that Guinea didn't feature much in this match, outplayed as they were most of the time by the Ghanaians, but luckily for them Ghana didn't appear to have anyone that could shoot straight or on target.
The hosts got a reward for their possession play, however, when Gyan converted a penalty nine minutes into the second half, yet their lead was short-lived. Despite seeing little of the ball in the first half, Guinea took just ten minutes to find a breakthrough of their own and equalise thanks to Kalabane's goal.
1-1 then, and with it came a return to normality as Ghana went back on the attack, but a winning goal looked unlikely to arrive as the hosts found themselves restricted mainly to long-range shots. It was therefore with a sense of irony that the winning goal finally came in the 90th minute when Portsmouth's Sulley Muntari hit an unstoppable 25-yard shot that flew into the top corner of the net. Ghana had won, but they'd left it dangerously late...
The following day, it was the turn of Namibia and Morocco to take to the field of battle and this time goals were not so hard to find. Poor Namibia found themselves two goals down within five minutes and a rout looked on the cards as Soufiane Alloudi got the Moroccans off to an emphatic start.
Wave after wave of attack followed, but to Namibia's credit they were the next to score when Brendell pulled one back. Sadly, that was to be the sum total of their achievements on the day as Alloudi completed his hat-trick in the 28th minute to put Morocco 3-1 up. A fourth goal followed five minutes before half-time through a Sektioui penalty, but Namibia steadied the ship at that point, keeping Morocco at bay until the 74th minute when Zerka added a fifth.
As the lowest FIFA-ranked team in the contest, it was a real baptism of fire for Namibia, but Morocco looked sharp and may have an upcoming star in Alloudi. One to watch for the future, we think...
Group B has been less than forthcoming where goals are concerned as two 1-0 results opened the campaign there. Mali were the victors in the first, totally outplaying Benin, yet both sides were guilty of some woeful shooting that never looked likely to trouble the statisticians. Once again, it was a dubious penalty that provided the goal and surprise surprise, it was Fredi Kanoute who stepped up to take it in the 49th minute. Three points for Mali as expected, but they'll need to improve their shooting if they're to progress to the quarter-finals.
The other 1-0 win went to the Ivory Coast in a fascinating encounter against Nigeria. Both teams looked worthy of their top billing in the group and played some good football. In stark contrast to the previous game, it was difficult to predict a winner but Chelsea's Solomon Kalou ensured it would be his Ivory Coast team with a brilliant dribble past three players in the penalty area before a calm finish earned him a goal to remember.
The Nigerians had played well and tried hard for an equaliser in the last 25 minutes or so, but their opponents ran out the winners of this match and promptly took their place at the top of the group with Mali.
Group C gave us more goals and great ones at that. The first game on Tuesday was between Sudan and Zambia, and for the former it was an all-too-rare chance to play on such a big stage. They'd always be expected to struggle against a confident Zambia, and consequently no-one was surprised when James Chamanga put the Zambians in front after just two minutes.
Despite the early setback, Sudan sprang back into life and nearly equalised ten minutes later. They took control of the remainder of the first half and were only lacking a goal to reward all their hard work but they were to rue their missed chances. Zambia scored a second early in the second half and when a third goal followed shortly after that, it was game over for Sudan.
A great start for the Zambians against a tricky team that will give them confidence going into their tougher remaining games, but at least Sudan can take heart from the way they took the game to their opponents, albeit in vain.
The big match on the day was between Egypt and Cameroon - reigning champions against many people's favourites to win this year. If you were watching the game like me, you'll have been equally as gobsmacked by Egypt's impressive two goal opening in the first 16 minutes. The Indomitable Lions had been rocked not so much by their own ineptness, but by the efficient and skilful way the Egyptians had prized open their defence.
The scorer of the second goal was Mohamed Zidan, and if you're looking for a player of the tournament, this could be him. He scored a third goal for the Egyptians at the end of the first half and helped his side get the penalty that opened the scoring in the fourteenth minute. The Hamburg player was instrumental in putting Egypt well in front before the second half began, but Cameroon weren't ready to die yet.
Samuel Eto'o headed in from a cross to get a goal back after 51 minutes, and with Arsenal's Alex Song giving more of an edge to their play, it looked as though Egypt would need to defend well from then on to secure their victory. In the end, a fourth goal for The Pharaoahs nine minutes from time would seal the win, despite a second from Eto'o in the 90th minute. Egypt had won 4-2 and done so convincingly enough to make people doubt Cameroon's credentials as a likely winner of the tournament.
Finally to Group D which began yesterday. Tunisia and Senegal provided the sparks in the first game and there was no love lost between these two teams with a fiery history. Tunisia took an early lead through Jemaa on nine minutes, but Senegal fought back to not only equalise but go 2-1 up in the second half, playing the more positive football along the way.
Though it looked for all the world that Senegal would see out victory, they got a rude awakening when Medji Traoui smashed home a 25-yard shot to draw Tunisia level and earn a share of the points. Senegal had been the better team, but they'll be scratching their heads at how they didn't win this one.
Later in the day, it was time to view the last two teams to play - South Africa and Angola. It was an entertaining encounter and one which saw the South Africans play the slightly better football. Sadly for them, it was Angola who scored against the run of play thanks to a superb flying header from Manchester United's signing Manucho near the half-hour mark.
The South Africans went in search of an equaliser and tested Angolan keeper Lama several times, but they had to wait until a minute from the end of normal time to get it when Elrio van Heerden struck yet another long range screamer to keep this tournament's tally of quality goals ticking along. The game, like its predecessor, ended a draw, but the two teams put on a good show for the crowd who will no doubt be coming back to see more of the same in their forthcoming matches.
The party started in Group A last Sunday when hosts, Ghana, took on Guinea in Accra. It's fair to say that Guinea didn't feature much in this match, outplayed as they were most of the time by the Ghanaians, but luckily for them Ghana didn't appear to have anyone that could shoot straight or on target.
The hosts got a reward for their possession play, however, when Gyan converted a penalty nine minutes into the second half, yet their lead was short-lived. Despite seeing little of the ball in the first half, Guinea took just ten minutes to find a breakthrough of their own and equalise thanks to Kalabane's goal.
1-1 then, and with it came a return to normality as Ghana went back on the attack, but a winning goal looked unlikely to arrive as the hosts found themselves restricted mainly to long-range shots. It was therefore with a sense of irony that the winning goal finally came in the 90th minute when Portsmouth's Sulley Muntari hit an unstoppable 25-yard shot that flew into the top corner of the net. Ghana had won, but they'd left it dangerously late...
The following day, it was the turn of Namibia and Morocco to take to the field of battle and this time goals were not so hard to find. Poor Namibia found themselves two goals down within five minutes and a rout looked on the cards as Soufiane Alloudi got the Moroccans off to an emphatic start.
Wave after wave of attack followed, but to Namibia's credit they were the next to score when Brendell pulled one back. Sadly, that was to be the sum total of their achievements on the day as Alloudi completed his hat-trick in the 28th minute to put Morocco 3-1 up. A fourth goal followed five minutes before half-time through a Sektioui penalty, but Namibia steadied the ship at that point, keeping Morocco at bay until the 74th minute when Zerka added a fifth.
As the lowest FIFA-ranked team in the contest, it was a real baptism of fire for Namibia, but Morocco looked sharp and may have an upcoming star in Alloudi. One to watch for the future, we think...
Group B has been less than forthcoming where goals are concerned as two 1-0 results opened the campaign there. Mali were the victors in the first, totally outplaying Benin, yet both sides were guilty of some woeful shooting that never looked likely to trouble the statisticians. Once again, it was a dubious penalty that provided the goal and surprise surprise, it was Fredi Kanoute who stepped up to take it in the 49th minute. Three points for Mali as expected, but they'll need to improve their shooting if they're to progress to the quarter-finals.
The other 1-0 win went to the Ivory Coast in a fascinating encounter against Nigeria. Both teams looked worthy of their top billing in the group and played some good football. In stark contrast to the previous game, it was difficult to predict a winner but Chelsea's Solomon Kalou ensured it would be his Ivory Coast team with a brilliant dribble past three players in the penalty area before a calm finish earned him a goal to remember.
The Nigerians had played well and tried hard for an equaliser in the last 25 minutes or so, but their opponents ran out the winners of this match and promptly took their place at the top of the group with Mali.
Group C gave us more goals and great ones at that. The first game on Tuesday was between Sudan and Zambia, and for the former it was an all-too-rare chance to play on such a big stage. They'd always be expected to struggle against a confident Zambia, and consequently no-one was surprised when James Chamanga put the Zambians in front after just two minutes.
Despite the early setback, Sudan sprang back into life and nearly equalised ten minutes later. They took control of the remainder of the first half and were only lacking a goal to reward all their hard work but they were to rue their missed chances. Zambia scored a second early in the second half and when a third goal followed shortly after that, it was game over for Sudan.
A great start for the Zambians against a tricky team that will give them confidence going into their tougher remaining games, but at least Sudan can take heart from the way they took the game to their opponents, albeit in vain.
The big match on the day was between Egypt and Cameroon - reigning champions against many people's favourites to win this year. If you were watching the game like me, you'll have been equally as gobsmacked by Egypt's impressive two goal opening in the first 16 minutes. The Indomitable Lions had been rocked not so much by their own ineptness, but by the efficient and skilful way the Egyptians had prized open their defence.
The scorer of the second goal was Mohamed Zidan, and if you're looking for a player of the tournament, this could be him. He scored a third goal for the Egyptians at the end of the first half and helped his side get the penalty that opened the scoring in the fourteenth minute. The Hamburg player was instrumental in putting Egypt well in front before the second half began, but Cameroon weren't ready to die yet.
Samuel Eto'o headed in from a cross to get a goal back after 51 minutes, and with Arsenal's Alex Song giving more of an edge to their play, it looked as though Egypt would need to defend well from then on to secure their victory. In the end, a fourth goal for The Pharaoahs nine minutes from time would seal the win, despite a second from Eto'o in the 90th minute. Egypt had won 4-2 and done so convincingly enough to make people doubt Cameroon's credentials as a likely winner of the tournament.
Finally to Group D which began yesterday. Tunisia and Senegal provided the sparks in the first game and there was no love lost between these two teams with a fiery history. Tunisia took an early lead through Jemaa on nine minutes, but Senegal fought back to not only equalise but go 2-1 up in the second half, playing the more positive football along the way.
Though it looked for all the world that Senegal would see out victory, they got a rude awakening when Medji Traoui smashed home a 25-yard shot to draw Tunisia level and earn a share of the points. Senegal had been the better team, but they'll be scratching their heads at how they didn't win this one.
Later in the day, it was time to view the last two teams to play - South Africa and Angola. It was an entertaining encounter and one which saw the South Africans play the slightly better football. Sadly for them, it was Angola who scored against the run of play thanks to a superb flying header from Manchester United's signing Manucho near the half-hour mark.
The South Africans went in search of an equaliser and tested Angolan keeper Lama several times, but they had to wait until a minute from the end of normal time to get it when Elrio van Heerden struck yet another long range screamer to keep this tournament's tally of quality goals ticking along. The game, like its predecessor, ended a draw, but the two teams put on a good show for the crowd who will no doubt be coming back to see more of the same in their forthcoming matches.
Sunday, 20 January 2008
African Cup of Nations Preview (Part 4)
Today at 5.00 pm (GMT), the 2008 African Cup of Nations begins with the opening game between hosts Ghana and Guinea. Before the colour, passion and noise bursts into life, let's complete our preview of the four First Round groups by checking out Group D.
Group D
Every major competition seems to have a 'Group of Death', and where this year's African Cup of Nations is concerned, this is it. Whoever gets through to the quarter-finals from here will consider themselves lucky to be alive.
First, there's Angola, a team whose international football history has only really lasted for about 25 years. Even after their first entry to the African tournament in 1982, they only reached the Finals for the first time in 1996 and haven't gone past the First Round since.
What gives them a chance this time, however, is the momentum gained from getting to the World Cup Finals for the first time in 2006. Though they failed to win a match in Germany, they did hold Mexico and Iran to draws and lost only 1-0 against Portugal.
This relative success for a team so lacking in experience transferred to their ACN 2008 qualifying campaign where they cruised to top spot in Group 6 ahead of Eritrea, Kenya and Swaziland. They're another team that seem to be able to score lots of goals from many different sources, so perhaps this is the year for Angola to go beyond Round 1.
Next is Senegal, a team that made their World Cup debut four years before Angola and made even more of an impact by beating reigning champions France in their first game. 2002 was quite a year for them as they also reached the Final of the African Nations Cup in Mali, losing out only on penalties to Cameroon, but since then, Senegal have lost their way somewhat.
Beaten in the quarter-finals of the last competition by eventual champions Tunisia and prevented from qualifying for the 2006 World Cup by Togo has seen Senegal's rise to fame nipped in the bud, but they're still a threat as can be seen by the wealth of recognisable players in their squad.
Names like El Hadji Diouf, Henri Camara, Abdoulaye Faye and Papa Bouba Diop are already familiar to fans of the Premier League and together with numerous others plying their trade in Europe, Senegal should have the strength in depth to go far in this competition.
The third team in the group are somewhat of a curiosity. South Africa are gearing up to host the World Cup Finals in two years time - the first African country to do so - and they'll no doubt be the focus of attention for many onlookers keen to see how their preparations are going.
They may be in for a surprise. With apartheid at an end, the South Africans arrived on the scene and won the ACN in 1996, but a gradual decline in fortunes followed to the point where they failed to progress past Round 1 on the last two occasions. They didn't even score a goal in the 2006 competition and finished bottom of their group.
The concern raised by such under-achievement still remains today. The Bafana Bafana were quietly efficient in reaching Ghana 2008 but not exactly clinical. Three wins from six matches, as well as a couple of draws, was only good enough to get them into second place behind Zambia and even then they only qualified as the third-best of the three highest scoring group runners-up.
Dangerously close to not qualifying at all, South Africa are on a mission to convince the sceptical and while it's entirely possible that they'll win through to the quarter-finals, it'd be a foolish man that bets a lot of money on them winning the competition outright.
Last but not least, Tunisia. As we've already mentioned, they were the winners of the African Nations Cup in 2004 and did so on home soil. Reason enough to win it, you'd think, but at the time everyone was expecting Nigeria to win instead.
It's the first lesson in following Tunisia: dismiss them at your peril. They've become masters at the art of being the backmarker while others set off at a ferocious pace in this sort of contest. The only question is whether they ever actually make a late break for glory or not.
They tried in 2006 but were denied progress beyond the quarter-finals thanks to a penalty shoot-out win by Nigeria and in the run-up to this year's finals they began slowly again by qualifying as runners-up in Group 4 behind Sudan.
Many of the players in the current squad come from the Etoile Du Sahel club that recently played in the FIFA World Club Cup, so they shouldn't be short of confidence and experience. Many of the others are playing their club football around Europe, so if it's discipline, fitness and tactical awareness you want, Tunisia could be the team for you.
This group, however, could be the one that springs the biggest surprise. Chances are, whoever you predict to get out of this group and into the quarter-finals won't, so sit back, watch the action and prepare to raise an eyebrow or two as the biggest saga of the First Round unfolds.
Group D Matches:
Jan 23: Tunisia v Senegal (Tamale)
Jan 23: South Africa v Angola (Tamale)
Jan 27: Senegal v Angola (Tamale)
Jan 27: Tunisia v South Africa (Tamale)
Jan 31: Senegal v South Africa (Kumasi)
Jan 31: Tunisia v Angola (Tamale)
So that completes our preview of the 2008 African Cup of Nations. It'll be great seeing who's the more determined to lift the trophy over the next three weeks and we'll be doing our best to spread the word on the tournament with regular news reports and video clips just for you.
There's also the chance to talk about your thoughts on the competition right here by leaving us a comment or two in our regular posts, or alternatively, why not head over to one of our favourite sites, Pitch Invasion, where you can do the same with other like-minded folk? You'll be jolly glad you did...
Group D
Every major competition seems to have a 'Group of Death', and where this year's African Cup of Nations is concerned, this is it. Whoever gets through to the quarter-finals from here will consider themselves lucky to be alive.
First, there's Angola, a team whose international football history has only really lasted for about 25 years. Even after their first entry to the African tournament in 1982, they only reached the Finals for the first time in 1996 and haven't gone past the First Round since.
What gives them a chance this time, however, is the momentum gained from getting to the World Cup Finals for the first time in 2006. Though they failed to win a match in Germany, they did hold Mexico and Iran to draws and lost only 1-0 against Portugal.
This relative success for a team so lacking in experience transferred to their ACN 2008 qualifying campaign where they cruised to top spot in Group 6 ahead of Eritrea, Kenya and Swaziland. They're another team that seem to be able to score lots of goals from many different sources, so perhaps this is the year for Angola to go beyond Round 1.
Next is Senegal, a team that made their World Cup debut four years before Angola and made even more of an impact by beating reigning champions France in their first game. 2002 was quite a year for them as they also reached the Final of the African Nations Cup in Mali, losing out only on penalties to Cameroon, but since then, Senegal have lost their way somewhat.
Beaten in the quarter-finals of the last competition by eventual champions Tunisia and prevented from qualifying for the 2006 World Cup by Togo has seen Senegal's rise to fame nipped in the bud, but they're still a threat as can be seen by the wealth of recognisable players in their squad.
Names like El Hadji Diouf, Henri Camara, Abdoulaye Faye and Papa Bouba Diop are already familiar to fans of the Premier League and together with numerous others plying their trade in Europe, Senegal should have the strength in depth to go far in this competition.
The third team in the group are somewhat of a curiosity. South Africa are gearing up to host the World Cup Finals in two years time - the first African country to do so - and they'll no doubt be the focus of attention for many onlookers keen to see how their preparations are going.
They may be in for a surprise. With apartheid at an end, the South Africans arrived on the scene and won the ACN in 1996, but a gradual decline in fortunes followed to the point where they failed to progress past Round 1 on the last two occasions. They didn't even score a goal in the 2006 competition and finished bottom of their group.
The concern raised by such under-achievement still remains today. The Bafana Bafana were quietly efficient in reaching Ghana 2008 but not exactly clinical. Three wins from six matches, as well as a couple of draws, was only good enough to get them into second place behind Zambia and even then they only qualified as the third-best of the three highest scoring group runners-up.
Dangerously close to not qualifying at all, South Africa are on a mission to convince the sceptical and while it's entirely possible that they'll win through to the quarter-finals, it'd be a foolish man that bets a lot of money on them winning the competition outright.
Last but not least, Tunisia. As we've already mentioned, they were the winners of the African Nations Cup in 2004 and did so on home soil. Reason enough to win it, you'd think, but at the time everyone was expecting Nigeria to win instead.
It's the first lesson in following Tunisia: dismiss them at your peril. They've become masters at the art of being the backmarker while others set off at a ferocious pace in this sort of contest. The only question is whether they ever actually make a late break for glory or not.
They tried in 2006 but were denied progress beyond the quarter-finals thanks to a penalty shoot-out win by Nigeria and in the run-up to this year's finals they began slowly again by qualifying as runners-up in Group 4 behind Sudan.
Many of the players in the current squad come from the Etoile Du Sahel club that recently played in the FIFA World Club Cup, so they shouldn't be short of confidence and experience. Many of the others are playing their club football around Europe, so if it's discipline, fitness and tactical awareness you want, Tunisia could be the team for you.
This group, however, could be the one that springs the biggest surprise. Chances are, whoever you predict to get out of this group and into the quarter-finals won't, so sit back, watch the action and prepare to raise an eyebrow or two as the biggest saga of the First Round unfolds.
Group D Matches:
Jan 23: Tunisia v Senegal (Tamale)
Jan 23: South Africa v Angola (Tamale)
Jan 27: Senegal v Angola (Tamale)
Jan 27: Tunisia v South Africa (Tamale)
Jan 31: Senegal v South Africa (Kumasi)
Jan 31: Tunisia v Angola (Tamale)
So that completes our preview of the 2008 African Cup of Nations. It'll be great seeing who's the more determined to lift the trophy over the next three weeks and we'll be doing our best to spread the word on the tournament with regular news reports and video clips just for you.
There's also the chance to talk about your thoughts on the competition right here by leaving us a comment or two in our regular posts, or alternatively, why not head over to one of our favourite sites, Pitch Invasion, where you can do the same with other like-minded folk? You'll be jolly glad you did...
Saturday, 19 January 2008
African Cup of Nations Preview (Part 3)
Group C
When Cameroon do well in the African Nations Cup, they usually win it outright. When they don't do well, they fail miserably. That's the ying and the yang of the Indomitable Lions - forget middle ground: they're simply isn't any where Cameroon are concerned.
Wins in 1984, 1988, 2000 and 2002 are all very impressive, but their achievements in the African competition the rest of the time are practically non-existent. Just as well they always arrive in the African Cup of Nations with great potential, and 2008 will be no exception.
Qualifying proved the simplest of exercises for Cameroon, albeit in one of the weaker groups. They scored two, if not three goals against Rwanda, Liberia and Equatorial Guinea until qualification was assured before the last game, but it wasn't just the number of goals scored that was impressive - it was the sheer range of players that did it for them.
So Cameroon shouldn't have a problem finding goals in Group C of the Finals. What about their main opponents in the group and current champions, Egypt? Well though not as prolific, the Egyptians are more than a match for many teams although Botswana, Burundi and Mauritania all earned commendable draws against them in the qualifying round.
That aside, they earned their place in this year's African Cup of Nations by remaining unbeaten throughout, something that few other teams can boast. So will the record holders win it again this year? We don't think so. A quarter-final place is a racing certainty, but anything beyond that may be more unlikely given the strength of the opposition elsewhere.
The return of Sudan to the Finals is one that should be cheered loudly as the biggest country on the continent hasn't qualified since 1976. In a place where civil war has been prevalent for so many years, it's hardly surprising we've not seen too much of the Sudanese football team, but they enter the 2008 Cup of Nations on a real high.
That's because in qualifying for the tournament, they actually came top of their group above the 2004 champions, Tunisia. They even manage to beat the Tunisians in the final crunch game 3-2 having already taken care of Mauritius and the Seychelles. They'll be an exciting prospect to watch despite being one of the complete outsiders, but if any dark horse is going to cause an upset in this competition, it could be Sudan. It's just a shame they've got Cameroon and Egypt to get past, unfortunately...
The final team in Group C are Zambia. Another of the underdogs, they've not progressed past the first round in the last five tournaments, but that doesn't prevent them being well-followed and much-admired on the international football scene.
In 1993, a military plane carrying the Zambia team to a World Cup qualifying match in Senegal crashed into the sea shortly after take-off, killing eighteen players plus the crew of the aircraft. Once the country recovered from the shock of such a loss, attention turned to rebuilding the squad in the hope that one day they may achieve glory and provide a fitting tribute to all those who died.
The following year, Zambia reached the final of the African Cup of Nations, losing by a single goal to Nigeria and in 1996 they finished third overall. It was a remarkable achievement and one that the present day team long to match or surpass. Whether they win or lose this year, Zambia will be looked on with great admiration for as long as they remain in the competition.
Group C Matches:
Jan 22: Egypt v Cameroon (Kumasi)
Jan 22: Sudan v Zambia (Kumasi)
Jan 26: Cameroon v Zambia (Kumasi)
Jan 26: Egypt v Sudan (Kumasi)
Jan 30: Cameroon v Sudan (Tamale)
Jan 30: Egypt v Zambia (Kumasi)
In the final part of our preview: Angola, Senegal, South Africa and Tunisia
When Cameroon do well in the African Nations Cup, they usually win it outright. When they don't do well, they fail miserably. That's the ying and the yang of the Indomitable Lions - forget middle ground: they're simply isn't any where Cameroon are concerned.
Wins in 1984, 1988, 2000 and 2002 are all very impressive, but their achievements in the African competition the rest of the time are practically non-existent. Just as well they always arrive in the African Cup of Nations with great potential, and 2008 will be no exception.
Qualifying proved the simplest of exercises for Cameroon, albeit in one of the weaker groups. They scored two, if not three goals against Rwanda, Liberia and Equatorial Guinea until qualification was assured before the last game, but it wasn't just the number of goals scored that was impressive - it was the sheer range of players that did it for them.
So Cameroon shouldn't have a problem finding goals in Group C of the Finals. What about their main opponents in the group and current champions, Egypt? Well though not as prolific, the Egyptians are more than a match for many teams although Botswana, Burundi and Mauritania all earned commendable draws against them in the qualifying round.
That aside, they earned their place in this year's African Cup of Nations by remaining unbeaten throughout, something that few other teams can boast. So will the record holders win it again this year? We don't think so. A quarter-final place is a racing certainty, but anything beyond that may be more unlikely given the strength of the opposition elsewhere.
The return of Sudan to the Finals is one that should be cheered loudly as the biggest country on the continent hasn't qualified since 1976. In a place where civil war has been prevalent for so many years, it's hardly surprising we've not seen too much of the Sudanese football team, but they enter the 2008 Cup of Nations on a real high.
That's because in qualifying for the tournament, they actually came top of their group above the 2004 champions, Tunisia. They even manage to beat the Tunisians in the final crunch game 3-2 having already taken care of Mauritius and the Seychelles. They'll be an exciting prospect to watch despite being one of the complete outsiders, but if any dark horse is going to cause an upset in this competition, it could be Sudan. It's just a shame they've got Cameroon and Egypt to get past, unfortunately...
The final team in Group C are Zambia. Another of the underdogs, they've not progressed past the first round in the last five tournaments, but that doesn't prevent them being well-followed and much-admired on the international football scene.
In 1993, a military plane carrying the Zambia team to a World Cup qualifying match in Senegal crashed into the sea shortly after take-off, killing eighteen players plus the crew of the aircraft. Once the country recovered from the shock of such a loss, attention turned to rebuilding the squad in the hope that one day they may achieve glory and provide a fitting tribute to all those who died.
The following year, Zambia reached the final of the African Cup of Nations, losing by a single goal to Nigeria and in 1996 they finished third overall. It was a remarkable achievement and one that the present day team long to match or surpass. Whether they win or lose this year, Zambia will be looked on with great admiration for as long as they remain in the competition.
Group C Matches:
Jan 22: Egypt v Cameroon (Kumasi)
Jan 22: Sudan v Zambia (Kumasi)
Jan 26: Cameroon v Zambia (Kumasi)
Jan 26: Egypt v Sudan (Kumasi)
Jan 30: Cameroon v Sudan (Tamale)
Jan 30: Egypt v Zambia (Kumasi)
In the final part of our preview: Angola, Senegal, South Africa and Tunisia
Thursday, 17 January 2008
The Friday List of Little or No Consequence #45
Eagles, Elephants and Other Animals
The 16 Competing Teams Of The 2008 African Cup of Nations in Nickname Form
1. The Black Antelopes (Angola)
2. The Squirrels (Benin)
3. The Indomitable Lions (Cameroon)
4. The Pharaohs (Egypt)
5. The Black Stars (Ghana)
6. Syli Nationale* (Guinea)
7. The Elephants (Ivory Coast)
8. The Eagles (Mali)
9. The Atlas Lions (Morocco)
10. The Brave Warriors (Namibia)
11. The Super Eagles (Nigeria)
12. The Lions of Teranga (Senegal)
13. Bafana Bafana** (South Africa)
14. The Desert Hawks (Sudan)
15. The Eagles of Carthage (Tunisia)
16. The Copper Bullets (Zambia)
* The Syli was once the main currency of Guinea and means 'elephant' in English.
** Translated into English: 'The Boys'
The 16 Competing Teams Of The 2008 African Cup of Nations in Nickname Form
1. The Black Antelopes (Angola)
2. The Squirrels (Benin)
3. The Indomitable Lions (Cameroon)
4. The Pharaohs (Egypt)
5. The Black Stars (Ghana)
6. Syli Nationale* (Guinea)
7. The Elephants (Ivory Coast)
8. The Eagles (Mali)
9. The Atlas Lions (Morocco)
10. The Brave Warriors (Namibia)
11. The Super Eagles (Nigeria)
12. The Lions of Teranga (Senegal)
13. Bafana Bafana** (South Africa)
14. The Desert Hawks (Sudan)
15. The Eagles of Carthage (Tunisia)
16. The Copper Bullets (Zambia)
* The Syli was once the main currency of Guinea and means 'elephant' in English.
** Translated into English: 'The Boys'
African Cup of Nations Preview (Part 2)
Yesterday we dealt with Group A and today we move onto Group B. Here's another four teams to consider prior to Sunday's big kick-off...
Group B
If you thought Namibia were a bit 'part time', think again. We start by looking at Benin, at country that have only ever made it to one previous African Cup of Nations in 2004. The rest of the time, they've either not qualified or not entered in equal measures. Football, as far as Benin are concerned, is something you're either good at or you're not, and that's about it.
Yet for all their 'might play, might not' attitude, Benin astounded everyone by edging Togo out of the running in qualifying group 9 to become one of the three best runners-up in the competition. Finishing just one point behind group winners Mali, Benin had a storming finish that included a 6-0 win over Sierra Leone and a 4-1 win over Togo.
It's arguably the best we've seen from a Benin side ever (most probably) and we would feel inclined to credit them with a chance of greatness... except we've just seen the other three teams in Group B.
Let's take Ivory Coast first. Runners-up in the last Cup of Nations and conquerors of Serbia and Montenegro in the 2006 World Cup, they're looking to go one better in 2008. With players to call on including Didier Zokora (Tottenham), Emmanuel Eboue (Arsenal) and Didier Drogba (Chelsea), you can bet the Orange-shirted neighbours of the hosts, Ghana, will continue in the fine form that saw them qualify unbeaten.
Then there's Mali. Though they didn't reach the 2006 Finals, their previous two attempts resulted in fourth place finishes, but they'll be hard pushed to do that well in 2008. Take away a 6-0 win over Sierra Leone in the qualifiers and you have a team that scored only four goals in the other five games and conceded one. Top of the group they may have ended up, but they'll need to find more goals from somewhere and not just from star striker Fredi Kanoute.
And finally we come to Nigeria, one of the favourites not only to win the group, but the competition in general. Led by former German legend Berti Vogts, the Super Eagles were on fantastic form in qualifying Group 3, dropping points in only one of their six games and finishing four clear of runners-up Uganda.
A check of the scoresheets from that campaign looks like an advertisement for the Premier League. Games 1 and 2 featured goals from Everton's Aiyegbeni Yakubu, Game 3 saw a first goal for Portsmouth's Nwankwo Kanu, John Utaka (also of Portsmouth) scored in Game 4 and in Game 5, Kanu and Yakubu scored again.
But the talent doesn't stop there. Consider for a moment Joseph Yobo of Everton, Chelsea's John Obi Mikel as well as many other familiar names playing in England and across Europe, and what you have are a Nigeria team that could well pick up its first title since 1994. Though the African Cup of Nations often throws up surprises, don't be surprised if Nigeria pick up the trophy in three weeks' time.
Group B Matches:
Jan 21: Nigeria v Ivory Coast (Sekondi-Takoradi)
Jan 21: Mali v Benin (Sekondi-Takoradi)
Jan 25: Ivory Coast v Benin (Sekondi-Takoradi)
Jan 25: Nigeria v Mali (Sekondi-Takoradi)
Jan 29: Nigeria v Benin (Sekondi-Takoradi)
Jan 29: Ivory Coast v Mali (Accra)
Coming next in Part 3: Cameroon, Egypt, Sudan and Zambia...
Group B
If you thought Namibia were a bit 'part time', think again. We start by looking at Benin, at country that have only ever made it to one previous African Cup of Nations in 2004. The rest of the time, they've either not qualified or not entered in equal measures. Football, as far as Benin are concerned, is something you're either good at or you're not, and that's about it.
Yet for all their 'might play, might not' attitude, Benin astounded everyone by edging Togo out of the running in qualifying group 9 to become one of the three best runners-up in the competition. Finishing just one point behind group winners Mali, Benin had a storming finish that included a 6-0 win over Sierra Leone and a 4-1 win over Togo.
It's arguably the best we've seen from a Benin side ever (most probably) and we would feel inclined to credit them with a chance of greatness... except we've just seen the other three teams in Group B.
Let's take Ivory Coast first. Runners-up in the last Cup of Nations and conquerors of Serbia and Montenegro in the 2006 World Cup, they're looking to go one better in 2008. With players to call on including Didier Zokora (Tottenham), Emmanuel Eboue (Arsenal) and Didier Drogba (Chelsea), you can bet the Orange-shirted neighbours of the hosts, Ghana, will continue in the fine form that saw them qualify unbeaten.
Then there's Mali. Though they didn't reach the 2006 Finals, their previous two attempts resulted in fourth place finishes, but they'll be hard pushed to do that well in 2008. Take away a 6-0 win over Sierra Leone in the qualifiers and you have a team that scored only four goals in the other five games and conceded one. Top of the group they may have ended up, but they'll need to find more goals from somewhere and not just from star striker Fredi Kanoute.
And finally we come to Nigeria, one of the favourites not only to win the group, but the competition in general. Led by former German legend Berti Vogts, the Super Eagles were on fantastic form in qualifying Group 3, dropping points in only one of their six games and finishing four clear of runners-up Uganda.
A check of the scoresheets from that campaign looks like an advertisement for the Premier League. Games 1 and 2 featured goals from Everton's Aiyegbeni Yakubu, Game 3 saw a first goal for Portsmouth's Nwankwo Kanu, John Utaka (also of Portsmouth) scored in Game 4 and in Game 5, Kanu and Yakubu scored again.
But the talent doesn't stop there. Consider for a moment Joseph Yobo of Everton, Chelsea's John Obi Mikel as well as many other familiar names playing in England and across Europe, and what you have are a Nigeria team that could well pick up its first title since 1994. Though the African Cup of Nations often throws up surprises, don't be surprised if Nigeria pick up the trophy in three weeks' time.
Group B Matches:
Jan 21: Nigeria v Ivory Coast (Sekondi-Takoradi)
Jan 21: Mali v Benin (Sekondi-Takoradi)
Jan 25: Ivory Coast v Benin (Sekondi-Takoradi)
Jan 25: Nigeria v Mali (Sekondi-Takoradi)
Jan 29: Nigeria v Benin (Sekondi-Takoradi)
Jan 29: Ivory Coast v Mali (Accra)
Coming next in Part 3: Cameroon, Egypt, Sudan and Zambia...
Wednesday, 16 January 2008
African Cup of Nations Preview (Part 1)
Rejoice and regale for the African Nations Cup will be with us once again on Sunday!
Whatever your opinion on African football, few can deny it's raw, entertaining and often exciting in a way that few other parts of the world can match. The African Cup of Nations brings together the best 16 teams from The Dark Continent in a bid to prove that very point, and this year the action takes place in Ghana, a country that has won the title on four previous occasions.
In a competition where being the host can give you a handy advantage towards winning outright, Ghana could well be looking a fifth title. The last time they hosted the competition on their own in 1978, they picked up the trophy, but having won it only once since in 1982, the Ghanaians may be excused for thinking it could be their time to win again.
So what lies ahead for the host nation and the fifteen qualifiers over the next three weeks? SPAOTP aims to tell you, and to make it all the easier to digest we're breaking down our guide into four pieces, looking at the teams in Groups A to D. Today, naturally enough, it's Group A...
Group A
Ghana, the host nation, can do big things in this tournament. Their recent record has been quite impressive, particularly against fellow African countries, and they have a few players that are making their talent known abroad too.
Top of that list unquestionably is Chelsea's Michael Essien. He'll be the rock in midfield that the rest of the team will be based around. Then there's Sulley Muntari of Portsmouth, another midfielder that's scored four goals already this season, and to complete an excellent midfield line-up is captain Stephen Appiah. Formerly of Juventus and Parma, he's now making a name for himself at Fenerbahce.
If you're looking for familiar names in the Guinea team, there's really only one - Bobo Balde, known to Celtic fans everywhere. Yet he's just one member of a team that collectively made sure Algeria didn't even get to the Nations Cup by finishing top of their qualifying group. The last time that happened to Algeria was 1978, so that's quite an achievement in anyone's book.
Yet for all that, Guinea looked at times decidedly average during the qualifiers. They lost their second match 1-0 to the Cape Verde Islands and had to rely on Gambia beating Algeria 2-1 in the last round of games to secure top spot in the group. They've reached the quarter-finals of the last two African Nations Cups but don't be so sure on Guinea making it three on-the-trot this time out.
Next, we have Morocco, a powerhouse of African football in the 1990's, yet strangely haven't qualified for a World Cup since. In qualifying for this year's Nations Cup, they had an easier task than most in that they featured in a team of three rather than four, and promptly ended the group six points clear of second-place Zimbabwe. All well and good, except the Moroccans were rather economical in the goal-scoring department, putting the ball in the net no more than twice in any of their four games.
Morocco are also hanging on to past glories where the team sheet is concerned. There are still one or two familiar names that once graced the Premier League to conjure with, but their star has long since faded. Talal El Karkouri, previously of Charlton Athletic, has now moved onto the Qatar Sports Club, Youssef Safri labours on with Southampton in the Championship, and the likes of Mustapha Hadji have long since left the national team altogether.
It's not inconceivable that this could be Morocco's fourth Round 1 exit in their last five attempts, but they'll have to deal with Guinea first if they're to prove otherwise.
Finally, Namibia, a relative newcomer to the African Cup of Nations. They didn't even enter the competition until 1998, and since then have only qualified for the Finals once back in 1998 when they crashed out in the first round.
In qualifying for this year's ACN, they were pitted in, what was by their standards, a tough group consisting of Ethiopia, Libya and the Democratic Republic of Congo. With the latter set as favourites to win a place in the Ghana Finals, it was an achievement in itself that Namibia put paid to their chances, especially after they lost two of their opening three games.
Yet their persistence paid off and when it came to their final must-win game against the Ethiopians, they held their nerve to win 3-2 while Congo DR were drawing 1-1 with Libya. Unconvincing they may have been at times, but a battling side they have proved to be and it may that particular quality that puts paid to Morocco or Guinea getting through to Round 2 of the Finals if it doesn't help themselves.
Group A Matches:
Jan 20: Ghana v Guinea (Accra)
Jan 21: Namibia v Morocco (Accra)
Jan 24: Guinea v Morocco (Accra)
Jan 24: Ghana v Namibia (Accra)
Jan 28: Ghana v Morocco (Accra)
Jan 28: Guinea v Namibia (Sekondi-Takoradi)
Coming next in Part 2: Benin, Ivory Coast, Mali and Nigeria...
Whatever your opinion on African football, few can deny it's raw, entertaining and often exciting in a way that few other parts of the world can match. The African Cup of Nations brings together the best 16 teams from The Dark Continent in a bid to prove that very point, and this year the action takes place in Ghana, a country that has won the title on four previous occasions.
In a competition where being the host can give you a handy advantage towards winning outright, Ghana could well be looking a fifth title. The last time they hosted the competition on their own in 1978, they picked up the trophy, but having won it only once since in 1982, the Ghanaians may be excused for thinking it could be their time to win again.
So what lies ahead for the host nation and the fifteen qualifiers over the next three weeks? SPAOTP aims to tell you, and to make it all the easier to digest we're breaking down our guide into four pieces, looking at the teams in Groups A to D. Today, naturally enough, it's Group A...
Group A
Ghana, the host nation, can do big things in this tournament. Their recent record has been quite impressive, particularly against fellow African countries, and they have a few players that are making their talent known abroad too.
Top of that list unquestionably is Chelsea's Michael Essien. He'll be the rock in midfield that the rest of the team will be based around. Then there's Sulley Muntari of Portsmouth, another midfielder that's scored four goals already this season, and to complete an excellent midfield line-up is captain Stephen Appiah. Formerly of Juventus and Parma, he's now making a name for himself at Fenerbahce.
If you're looking for familiar names in the Guinea team, there's really only one - Bobo Balde, known to Celtic fans everywhere. Yet he's just one member of a team that collectively made sure Algeria didn't even get to the Nations Cup by finishing top of their qualifying group. The last time that happened to Algeria was 1978, so that's quite an achievement in anyone's book.
Yet for all that, Guinea looked at times decidedly average during the qualifiers. They lost their second match 1-0 to the Cape Verde Islands and had to rely on Gambia beating Algeria 2-1 in the last round of games to secure top spot in the group. They've reached the quarter-finals of the last two African Nations Cups but don't be so sure on Guinea making it three on-the-trot this time out.
Next, we have Morocco, a powerhouse of African football in the 1990's, yet strangely haven't qualified for a World Cup since. In qualifying for this year's Nations Cup, they had an easier task than most in that they featured in a team of three rather than four, and promptly ended the group six points clear of second-place Zimbabwe. All well and good, except the Moroccans were rather economical in the goal-scoring department, putting the ball in the net no more than twice in any of their four games.
Morocco are also hanging on to past glories where the team sheet is concerned. There are still one or two familiar names that once graced the Premier League to conjure with, but their star has long since faded. Talal El Karkouri, previously of Charlton Athletic, has now moved onto the Qatar Sports Club, Youssef Safri labours on with Southampton in the Championship, and the likes of Mustapha Hadji have long since left the national team altogether.
It's not inconceivable that this could be Morocco's fourth Round 1 exit in their last five attempts, but they'll have to deal with Guinea first if they're to prove otherwise.
Finally, Namibia, a relative newcomer to the African Cup of Nations. They didn't even enter the competition until 1998, and since then have only qualified for the Finals once back in 1998 when they crashed out in the first round.
In qualifying for this year's ACN, they were pitted in, what was by their standards, a tough group consisting of Ethiopia, Libya and the Democratic Republic of Congo. With the latter set as favourites to win a place in the Ghana Finals, it was an achievement in itself that Namibia put paid to their chances, especially after they lost two of their opening three games.
Yet their persistence paid off and when it came to their final must-win game against the Ethiopians, they held their nerve to win 3-2 while Congo DR were drawing 1-1 with Libya. Unconvincing they may have been at times, but a battling side they have proved to be and it may that particular quality that puts paid to Morocco or Guinea getting through to Round 2 of the Finals if it doesn't help themselves.
Group A Matches:
Jan 20: Ghana v Guinea (Accra)
Jan 21: Namibia v Morocco (Accra)
Jan 24: Guinea v Morocco (Accra)
Jan 24: Ghana v Namibia (Accra)
Jan 28: Ghana v Morocco (Accra)
Jan 28: Guinea v Namibia (Sekondi-Takoradi)
Coming next in Part 2: Benin, Ivory Coast, Mali and Nigeria...
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