 |
|
Cameroon 0-1 Egypt
Egypt won a second successive African Nations Cup in a cagey, 1-0 affair, in a partially
filled stadium, in a match-up that nobody wanted. Dull? Hardly. Wearisome? Absolutely not.
The final in Accra was just one of seven matches to have produced one goal or less. The other
twenty-five generated 94-goals – an impressive average of 3.76 goals-per-game. By comparison, EURO 2004 averaged 2.48
goals-per-game and the 2006 World Cup just 2.3. That the football in Ghana
over the duration of the competition was exciting goes without saying. And the championship match was no exception.
Egypt brought an attacking impetus from the get-go. Throughout the opening half,
Cameroon appeared at a loss to match The Pharaohs’ speed. And with Samuel Eto’o
playing as a lone striker, the Indomitable Lions were anything but in the attacking third. In fact, they rarely ventured beyond
the half-way line unless it was to chase a long-ball played to Eto’o.
Carlos Kameni should be applauded for keeping a clean-sheet through the opening period. The Cameroon and Espanyol goalkeeper was superb on the night. Mohamed Aboutrika’s lash from 35-yards on the
quarter-hour drew the first of several brilliant saves from the 23-year-old. And Emad Moteab was similarly stopped from just
inside the box before Aboutrika’s attempt on the rebound soared over the bar.
Moments earlier, Geremi had nearly found a breakthrough for Cameroon. The 29-year-old set-piece specialist was denied by Egyptian ‘keeper Essam
Al-Hadari, however; and the Group C runners-up created little else as the initial 45-minutes drew to a close.
Otto Pfister must have unloaded on his players during the interval. The Indomitable Lions had
a noticeable spring in their step upon the restart and raised the tempo of the match noticeably in the first ten minutes.
But, as he had done throughout the tournament, Hassan Shehata made the necessary adjustments and quickly had Egypt in the ascendancy once again.
That adaptability, as much as anything else, was the principal component of Egypt’s success in Ghana. Whichever side they faced, whatever tactics were drawn to defeat them merely provided Shehata
a pretext for altering his own strategy and beating the opponent at its own game. He did it time and again. Champagne football
might have flowed at its finest against Cameroon in the group phase and Cote d’Ivoire in the semifinals; but an organized,
responsible approach was necessary in beating Angola in the quarterfinal and Cameroon on Sunday. Whatever the opposition brought,
Egypt matched and then exceeded. And for that, there is only Shehata
to credit.
The manager was rewarded in the 77th-minute. After Hosny Abd Rabo had struck the woodwork
shortly after the hour-mark, the constant Egyptian pressure was always going to be reimbursed. Finally, they got the break
they needed. Cameroon captain Rigobert Song, a stalwart throughout the competition,
suffered a rare lapse in concentration as Mohamed Zidan’s pass trickled through the box to the feet of Aboutrika. The
29-year-old Al-Alhy playmaker made no mistake; and a disconsolate Song covered his face with his shirt.
From there, Egypt were not to be denied a record-extending sixth title. And with the likes of FIFA President Sepp Blatter and ex-Chelsea
manager Jose Mourinho in attendance, Ahmed Hassan lifted the 2008 African Nations Cup.
Cameroon
defender Bill Tchato commended the winners, telling the BBC, "We showed a lot of heart but congratulations to Egypt. We came up against a team that deserved to win."
Patrick Mboma, a longtime forward for the Indomitable Lions, was similarly reflective. “They
have a team based on local players,” stated the 37-year-old. “They know each other very well.”
Mourinho, meanwhile, viewed the entire tournament as a stepping-stone for African football. “Both
Nations Cup semis were played at a high level,” he told the BBC, “but now Africa can take it to the next stage.” Pausing, he qualified his comment by saying, “By the next stage I don’t
mean win the world Cup. That would be too drastic. But an African team could get to the quarterfinals or even the semis.”
The 45-year-old also made several, general observations regarding the tournament. “There
has been color, enthusiastic crowds, positive atmosphere,” he said.
And he could not have been more right. While the three weeks of continental competition produced
the usual sideshows and extracurriculars – an allegation of match-fixing, criticism of the event’s organization,
a mid-tournament managerial resignation, and controversy surrounding the presentation of last season’s African Player
of the Year award – the festive environments of Accra,
Kumasi, Tamale, and Sekondi-Takoradi only enhanced the superb quality of the football being played.
To anyone who watched the matches on television or attended them in person, several things quickly
became clear. For one, the African Nations Cup is not the European Cup or World Cup. The level of organization and immaculately
streamlined scheduling such as Germany
provided in 2006 is decidedly absent. And that’s terrific. It’s the most organic event on the FIFA calendar. It’s
football for people – not multi-national corporations, sponsors, or shmoozers.
And it was to the people that the hero, Aboutrika, dedicated Egypt’s win. “It is a great feeling to score for the country,” he said,
“but it’s not about me scoring goals. It’s about all the players and the 80-million people supporting us
back home.”
Those 80-million can take pride in being the undisputed power of African football. In addition
to retaining the Nations Cup, The Pharaohs have played an astonishing stretch of 20 competitive matches without a loss. In
fact, their last defeat came at the hands of Cote d’Ivoire on June 19, 2005 in Abidjan.
It is a streak which can be attributed to the reign of Shehata. “We tried to take the game
with good football, for Egypt and the fans” the manager told the BBC after the final
whistle on Sunday. “And it proved enough to win.”
Ghana 0-1 Cameroon; Cote d'Ivoire 1-4 Egypt
For
two weeks, Cote d’Ivoire looked as though they could obliterate any team in world football. Bring on
your Brazils, your Argentinas – they
would have all been trampled by Les Elephants. Or so it seemed. After dominating their group fixtures and annihilating Guinea in the quarterfinals, Cote d’Ivoire were
sent packing by returning champions Egypt. Granted, the 4-1 scoreline somewhat flattered The Pharaohs; but for every
Didier Drogba miss, there was an Amr Zaki goal. For every superb Essam Al-Hadari save, there was a gaffe at the opposite end.
But goalkeeping, itself, did not deliver victory for Egypt. More than anything
else, manager Hassan Shehata proved a brilliant, and vastly underrated, football mind.
Shahatelli, as he is nicknamed, represented Egypt
three times in the African Nations Cup and was named Asian Footballer of the Year in 1970. Upon transitioning into management,
he guided the national youth squad to a win in the 2003 African Youth Cup of Nations before winning the African Nations Cup
in Cairo in 2006. Most famously, he booted striker Mido off the Cup-winning squad after
a spat with the Tottenham forward.
When Shehatta brought his players to Ghana
last month, Mido wasn’t even in the squad. And while many wondered from where the goals would come, their skepticism
merely revealed an ignorance of Egyptian football. Ahead of Sunday’s showdown with Cameroon, Shehatta’s men are finally getting their due. And so is he.
Whether beating the Indomitable Lions 4-2 in the tournament opener or surviving a cagey affair
with Angola in the quarterfinals, Shehatta has proven a flexible, adaptable coach. When
the pundits predicted that Cote
d’Ivoire would resoundingly
out-score the Egyptians on Thursday, the 59-year-old developed a game plan to ensure that nothing of the sort would occur.
By soaking-up the inevitable pressure and counting on quality opportunities on the counter, Shehatta got it bang-on. The Ivorians
were frustrated; and Egypt were heading to a second successive African final.
That said, they may well have been lining up for the third-place match were it not for the stand-out
goalkeeping of Al-Hadari. As it happened, Didier Drogba nearly opened the scoring in the 11th minute when his effort
from in close was saved by the Al-Alhy ‘keeper. Moments later, Ahmed Fathi drew first blood for Egypt after a botched clearing attempt from a corner. It always happens that way. And it was Shehatta’s game-plan
in a nutshell.
In the opposite goal, it was a completely different story. Just eight minutes from the break,
Cote d’Ivoire ‘keeper Boubacar Barry was replaced by Stephane Loboue through injury.
The switch hardly galvanized Gerard Gili’s squad. The 26-year-old Greuther Furth back-up had yet to make a club appearance
all season in the German second division. Nevertheless, Drobga nearly had an equalizer on the stroke of half-time. But his
powerful header was stopped by Al-Hadari; and the rebound was cleared by Hosni Abd Rabou as Aruna Dindane lurked nearby.
Cote
d’Ivoire appeared to have
the impetus after the restart. It was Drogba again in the 48th-minute – once more coaxing a brilliant Al-Hadari
save from in tight. The 35-year-old ‘keeper produced another exemplary stop on the hour-mark when he directed Arthur
Boka’s set-piece over the cross-bar.
Les Elephants would rue the miss. Just two minutes later, it was 2-0 to Egypt. Loboue stood motionless as Zaki stroked the ball past him. But Didier Zokora was at fault as well. The Spurs midfielder
failed to clear Ahmad Hassan’s corner-kick and Zaki had only to convert a simple header for his third goal of the tournament.
It was the kind of defensive miscue that Egypt did not make on the night.
Kader Keita brought Cote d’Ivoire back into the mix immediately after, however. The Lyon
striker maintained possession as he moved across midfield before unleashing a cannonball from 25-yards. But goals were coming
fast at this point; and Zaki restored the two-goal cushion just four minutes later – catching Arsenal defender Kolo
Toure with his back to the ball.
From there, the result was never in doubt. And while Cote d’Ivoire continued to hold their
heads up and press for another, Mohamed Aboutreika rounded-out the scoring as stoppage time came to a close. For Shehatta,
it was the perfect execution of perfect tactics. And Egypt will go into Sunday’s final in search of a record-extending
6th African championship.
Cameroon, conversely, will be looking to derail the makings of an Egyptian dynasty by continuing
one of their own. A win at the weekend would equal The Pharaoh’s standard of five titles. It would also be the Indomitable
Lions’ third championship of the decade. To that end, it is appropriate that the two continental powers should clash
in the final. The winner will be remembered at the most powerful team of its generation in African football.
For Cameroon to succeed, they had better learn from Cote d’Ivoire’s failings. Two
components, in particular, will be required to topple the champions. Firstly, they must take their chances. Secondly, they
must have a sense of timing. Les Elephants were lacking in both areas; and it cost them an appearance in Accra.
Like his counterpart Shehatta, Otto Pfister has guided his squad through a variety of circumstances
in Ghana. After falling on their faces in their Group C opener against the Egyptians, Cameroon responded by drubbing Zambia
and Sudan by a combined score of 8-1. In the quarterfinals, they snuck past Group D winners Tunisia in added time. And against
the host nation in the final four, they gutted-out a cagey 1-0 result. All the while, Pfister deflected pressure from his
players by taking it upon himself. In the opening week of the competition, the 70-year-old German criticized the event’s
organization and claimed the tournament to be weighted in Ghana’s favor. And in the run-up to Thursday’s semifinal,
he got in a row with a police officer while attempting to enter Accra’s Ohene Djan Stadium ahead of a training session.
While his squad improved their performances on the field, Pfister ensured that the attention was squarely on him.
When he wasn’t ranting to the press or starting scraps with the authorities, Pfister was
molding the talented components of his team into a well-oiled machine. Still, it took the better part of two weeks for Cameroon
to shake the notion that they were a one-trick pony – an outfit with a dangerous over-reliance on Samuel Eto’o.
In fact, the group phase seemed to reinforce the perception. Of the ten Cameroon goals scored, the Barcelona marksman had
notched five. Since the outset of the knockout stages, however, the 26-year-old has been kept from the scoresheet while the
likes of Stephane Mbia, Geremi, and Alain Nkong have found the back of the net.
It is a reality that should have the Egyptians shaking in their boots. Eto’o has not tallied
in two matches. And the chances that the drought will extend through a third affair are highly unlikely. Regardless, the Indomitable
Lions are capable of getting goals from anyone. As Ghana will attest, they can handle whatever is flung their way.
That Cameroon vanquished the hosts by a 1-0 scoreline is impressive in its own right. Under Claude
Le Roy, the Black Stars had been the model of consistency and organization through their first four matches. Even in the semifinal,
they appeared constantly in the ascendancy. They simply got beat at their own game.
The overall plodding pace of the contest can be attributed to the searing heat and uncomfortable
humidity of the afternoon. It was an environment for football that should have played right into Ghana’s hands. And,
for the balance of the 90-minutes, it did. While Ghana maintained the lion’s share of the possession, Cameroon’s
opportunities were mostly limited to set-pieces. Having said that, Geremi nearly put his side ahead as the opening period
wound down.
As the second-half began, Ghana were clearly missing the presence of Michael Essien in the centre
of midfield. Without the Chelsea man’s creativity, the Black Stars struggled to move forward. Ironically, they were
handcuffed by the 25-year-old’s versatility. Le Roy employed him in the centre of defense to compensate for the loss
of John Mensah through suspension.
Still, Cameroon’s breakthrough came squarely against the run of play. Eto’o, despite
being held scoreless, made the goal as he delivered a lovely pass to Alain Nkong after collecting the ball from Jean Epalle.
Nottingham Forest striker Junior Agogo had a pair of chances to bag an equalizer. But Carlos Kameni was brilliant in denying
the 28-year-old in the 78th-minute before the player, himself, headed over the bar three minutes later.
Ghana will, after all, face Cote d’Ivoire in a match this weekend. But rather than the
final that most observers had expected them to contest, theirs will be the 3rd-place affair. Doubtless, neither
will be delighted at having to take the field in Kumasi. Both had hoped to still be playing football on Sunday. Cameroon and
Egypt, on the other hand, will settle a battle of dynasties in Accra.
Ghana 2-1 Nigeria; Cote d'Ivoire 5-0 Guinea; Egypt 2-1 Angola;
Tunisia 2-3 Cameroon
There have been several, troublesome incidents at the 2008 African Nations Cup which, in any other
year, might well have overshadowed the matches on the park. In the two weeks of competition in Ghana, Benin manager Reinhard Fabisch made a match-fixing allegation, Senegal boss Henri Kasperczak resigned, Senegal captain El Hadji Diouf was caught indulging in Kumasi’s nightlife and subsequently benched, and Didier Droba locked horns with the Confederation of
African Football (CAF) over the awarding of last year’s African Player of the Year honor. That the fixtures have not
been surpassed in attention by the sideshows is due to a single reality. The football has been terrific.
Exhibit A: Cameroon’s thrilling, extra-time victory over Group D winners Tunisia in the quarterfinals on Monday. By progressing into the final four, the Indomitable Lions are
the only semifinal participant to have finished runners-up in their section. A 4-2 loss to Egypt in their opening match ensured that they played out the group phase with considerably
less notice than the returning champions. And despite a pair of impressive wins over Zambia and Sudan to complete their schedule, Otto Pfister’s side never seemed to be considered a contender in the vein of Ghana, Egypt, and Cote
d’Ivoire.
All that has changed. Even the skeptics who considered Cameroon a one-trick pony – over-dependent on Samuel Eto’o – have changed
their tune. The Barcelona striker, while a factor, did not register on the scoresheet against
Tunisia. Nevertheless, Cameroon managed three goals. And semifinal opponents Ghana will surely be of the mind that Eto’o is unlikely to be kept from scoring in back-to-back
matches. An upset may be in the offing. Then again, Cameroon are four-time champions. They are never actually involved in an upset unless they happen to be on the receiving
end of one.
In actuality, more eyebrows would have been raised had Tunisia dumped Cameroon out of the African Nations Cup. Despite winning Group D by virtue of goals-scored over second-place Angola, the Carthage Eagles were mostly untested through the opening fixtures. And Cameroon, in an attacking mindset, wasted no time in proving just that.
Jean Makoun’s botched effort from in close might well have opened the scoring. The Lille midfielder, having run under Geremi’s cross after Eto’o’s superb run
created the opportunity, headed just wide of goalkeeper Hamdi Kasraoui. Stephane Mbia was considerably more accurate with
his header just moments later. Alexandre Song’s cross found the Rennes man at the far post for the first goal of the match.
The scrappy affair took on a decidedly more desperate component after the opener. But while Tunisia battled for a quick equalizer, Cameroon continued to hit them on the break. Just prior to the half-hour, Geremi bulged the top corner
of the net with a brilliant free-kick from well near 30-yards.
With half-time approaching, Cameroon looked in full control. Indeed, had Chaouki Ben Saada not been awarded a free-kick after 35-minutes,
the second period would certainly have been an altogether different matter. Ben Saada, however, pulled Tunisia to within a goal with his blast from distance; and Francileudo Santos nearly had
the equalizer when he rattled the woodwork just six minutes later.
The Carthage Eagles would have to wait another, agonizing 37-minutes for a level scoreline after
the restart. And in the meantime, their extended periods of possession gifted the opposition a handful of quality chances
on the counter-attack. Eto’o could have iced it in the 71st-minute had Rahdi Jaidi not made a well-timed
tackle on the 26-year-old.
Finally, the breakthrough came. Chaouki, after some hard work to the right of ‘keeper Idriss
Carlos Kameni, had the two sides headed for extra time after his goal on 82-minutes.
But Cameroon
hit back immediately. Again, it was Mbia. Toulouse midfielder
Achille Emana turned a lovely one-touch pass to the 21-year-old’s feet for the eventual match-winner in the 92nd-minute.
Tunisia persisted in menacing Kameni with set-pieces; but it was all
for naught. Cameroon will face Ghana in one of two semifinals on Thursday.
The host nation, meanwhile, overcame a resurgent Nigeria side in Sunday’s first quarterfinal. The Super Eagles, on the heels of an
impressive 2-0 win over Benin, came into the match with just a single goal conceded through
the group stage. And offensively, Berti Vogts’ high-powered squad had finally found the back of the net after drawing
blanks for 233-minutes.
Momentum, it seemed, was in Nigeria’s corner. And the belief was only reinforced when Yakubu opened the scoring with a successful
penalty in the 35th-minute. In fairness, however, Ghana had been the more enterprising of the two for much of the first-half. Asamoah Gyan and Quincy
Owusu-Abeyie, in particular, consistently menaced the Nigeria backline. And when Asamoah struck the bar just prior to the half-hour, it seemed a matter of time before
Ghana drew first blood.
All that changed when Eric Addo tackled Yakubu in the box. The Everton striker sent ‘keeper
Richard Kingson diving the wrong way before slotting his effort inside the left-hand corner.
The Black Stars refused to panic, however, and had their equalizer before referee Mohamed Benouza
blew the opening period to a close. Owusu, constantly useful, crossed to Essien who headed past Austin Ejide. The ball struck
the left post before bobbing down the line and into the goal at the opposite upright. Ghana had trailed for ten minutes – the only such stretch in their tournament thus
far.
Although the second-half took on a competitive edge which was similar to the first, it was always
Ghana in the ascendancy. The result was only put into doubt when captain
John Mensah was red-carded on the hour for a reckless challenge on winger Peter Odemwingie. A flurry of chances resulted from
the ensuing free-kick; but Nigeria
would rue their missed chances when Junior Agogo completed Sulley Muntari’s cross in the 83rd-minute.
It was a fair result for both sides. Nigeria were never going to contend for the trophy when it became evident that the attackers had no
chemistry whatsoever. And Ghana, conversely, showed the same attentiveness with 10-men that they
had throughout the group phase with 11.
Monday’s early quarterfinal matched champions Egypt with upstarts Angola. And while The Pharaohs were fully worth the 2-1 victory and a semifinal berth, the Black Antelopes
were unlucky to go out of the tournament so early.
Alberto Manucho, in particular, will be missed as the knockout phase draws to a conclusion at
the weekend. The 24-year-old Manchester United forward had been one of the competition’s foremost entertainers through
four matches and, predictably, leveled the contest just prior to the half-hour after Hosni Abd Rabou had given Egypt the lead
in the 23rd-minute.
Manucho fought off Sayed Moawad and unleashed a cannon from 25-yards which beat Essam Al-Hadari
between the sticks. It was the kind of display that the former Petro Atletico hitman has produced frequently over the past
two weeks; and you have to wonder why Sir Alex Ferguson opted to loan him to Panathinaikos rather than bringing him immediately
to Old Trafford.
Nevertheless, Manucho’s goal merely drew Angola level. Four minutes earlier, Rabou had converted a penalty after Andre Macanga handled the ball
in the area. The Angola players were furious with the referee’s decision. Several,
it must be said, were fortunate to have escaped bookings when their protestations were carried rather too far.
Still, the Manucho strike appeared to spur the Palancas Negras into action. They now had momentum;
and Amr Zaki’s go-ahead marker in the 38th-minute came firmly against the run of play. An Egyptian cross
eluded Kali’s clearing attempt and fell to Zaki – the Al-Zamalek forward making no mistake in stroking the ball
past Lama.
With plenty to play for, Angola began the second-half with a surplus of attacking impetus. Manucho
and Flavio continued to combine for quality chances in front of Hadari and the former squandered several opportunities with
Egypt on the back-foot.
In the end, The Pharaohs’ poise and bearing won out over Angola’s desperation. Egypt
will now face Cote d’Ivoire in a rematch of the 2006 Final. Angola, despite the loss, are every bit a nation on the
up and up.
Composure will only get Egypt so far in the semifinal. Cote d’Ivoire are the undisputed
favorites as the second-to-last round approaches and have scored an impressive 13-goals in four matches. Their 5-0 destruction
of Guinea, Sunday, certainly reinforced that message. But, to be fair, Guinea were very much in the mix until the final 20-minutes.
At that point, Les Elephants were nursing a slim, 1-0 lead. Kader Keita had put his side ahead
in the 25th-minute when he caught ‘keeper Kemoko Camara off his post and slid the ball in the open side.
Moments earlier, Guinea had nearly stolen the lead when Bah’s long attempt tested Boubacar Barry in the Cote d’Ivoire
net. Both goalkeepers were solid in the opening half; and Camara was called into action once again by Didier Drogba in added-time.
Shortly after the hour-mark, Syli Nationale missed another chance to equalize. Daouda Jabi’s
blast from just outside the 18-yard-box skipped just wide of the upright. It turned out to be the final piece of positive
play from Guinea. Eight minutes later, the floodgates opened.
That is to say, Drogba flung them open. After a neat one-two with Arthur Boka, the powerful Chelsea
striker finished tidily past Camara. Just three minutes later, the 29-year-old connected with Blues teammate Salomon Kalou
– the latter strolling past the Guinea ‘keeper for Cote d’Ivoire’s third.
It was Kalou again with nine minutes remaining on the clock. Yaya Toure, who has been superb
throughout the competition, picked out the 22-year-old with a seeing-eye cross after Bakary Kone provided the Barcelona midfielder
with the ball. Moments later, Kone finished the job on his own with a laser from 20-yards.
Cote d’Ivoire were deserving winners from the get-go; but you have to wonder that the scoreline
would have been somewhat closer had Guinea taken their chances when they had them. Les Elephants will now be presented an
opportunity for revenge against Egypt. The two met in the 2006 Final in Cairo with the hosts winning the trophy on penalties.
Cameroon 3-0 Sudan; Egypt 1-1 Zambia; Senegal 1-1 South Africa;
Tunisia 0-0 Angola
Samuel
Eto'o became the most prolific goalscorer in the history of the African Nations Cup, Wednesday. With a brace against Sudan, the 26-year-old
broke Cote d'Ivoire striker Laurent Pokou's record of 14-goals – a mark that had stood for 38-years. Incredibly,
Eto'o is likely to feature in three or four more competitions before he retires; and it is not inconceivable that he could
double Pokou's standard by the time he retires.
If he doesn't, he may look back to a handful of missed opportunities against Sudan. For while he
gave Cameroon the lead just shy of the half-hour, he missed a clear chance in the 14th-minute when Mahjoub
El Moez saved his effort from in close. Eto'o was gifted another break when the rebound found him with a gaping net. But his
strike flew over the goal.
While Cameroon attacked, using effective wing-play to create openings, Sudan opted for a
decidedly physical approach. Amir Damir, in particular, escaped a certain booking for a horrific tackle on right midfielder
Joel Epalle.
Sudan's reckless tactics came back to haunt them, however, when Cameroon were awarded
a penalty after Yousef Alaeldin hauled down Achille Emana in the area. Eto'o approached the spot, sent El Moez diving to the
left, and eased his shot into the centre of the goal. The tally was his fourth of the tournament and record-breaking 15th
in Nations Cup history.
Just six minutes later, the result was all but sealed. Mohammed Ali Khider's own-goal in the 34th-minute gave Cameroon a 2-0 heading
into the break. And despite some inspired play from the Sudanese after the restart, the outcome was never in doubt.
That said, Sudan squandered several quality chances throughout the second period. Alaeldin and Haitham Tambal
made good use of the flanks and delivered a number of dangerous crosses which had Carlos Kameni scrambling between his posts
to maintain the clean sheet.
It was against the run of play that Eto'o's second goal came in stoppage time. The powerful forward ran onto Epalle's
pass and guided the ball past El Moez for his tournament-leading 5th-goal. With second-place in Group C wrapped up, Cameroon will battle
Group D winners Tunisia in the quarterfinals on Monday.
Tunisia, meanwhile, played out the string of their group phase fixtures against Angola on Thursday.
With both Senegal and South Africa having self-destructed earlier in the competition, both the Carthage Eagles and Palancas Negras
entered the match with one eye squarely on the quarterfinals.
Roger Lemerre's teamsheet reflected as much. The Tunisia manager opted to award Armine Chermiti his first Nations Cup start after serving a two-match
ban in earlier games against Senegal and South Africa. Top-scorers Francileudo dos Santos and Yassine Chikaoui began the affair on the bench.
Appropriately, it was Chermiti who nearly opened the scoring after just more than a quarter-of-an-hour. Kali's giveaway
to the 20-year-old produced an effort which stretched Angolan 'keeper Lama for the save.
While Lemerre rested his stars, Angola boss Luis Goncalves kept the striking partnership of Alberto Manucho and Flavio intact. And
Manucho, the Manchester United prodigy who had been loaned-out to Panathinaikos earlier in the day, tested Tunisia goalkeeper
Hamdi Kasraoui with an effort midway through the opening half. Ze Kalanga, as well, was denied by Kasraoui in the early going.
With a draw suiting both sides, the match petered out quickly after the restart. Flavio and Manucho continued to create
the odd chance. But whenever either came within an eye of goal, their efforts tended to drop comfortably into the lap of Kasraoui.
Tunisia, in particular, took little initiative in going forward. Lemerre's five-man midfield snuffed
any creativity out of the opposing attack; and Angola resorted to comfortably passing the ball among themselves in their own end.
At the final whistle, both sides eased into the knockout stage with the 0-0 draw. Tunisia, however,
advanced as group winners by virtue of goals-scored. They will face Cameroon on Tuesday while Angola will be paired
with 2006 champions Egypt.
Like the 0-0 draw in Tamale, Egypt and Zambia were involved in a similarly dour affair in Kumasi on Wednesday. Nevertheless, The Pharaohs
lined-up in their attacking, 3-5-2 formation as manager Hassan Shahata targeted all three points. Still, it was Zambia which
made the better start. Jacob Mulenga forced Egyptian ‘keeper Essem Al-Hadri into making the game’s first, difficult
save in the early going.
On the quarter-hour, however, it was the returning champions drawing first blood. Ahmed Fathi’s lovely run produced
a Sayad Moawad cross which Amr Zaki volleyed past Kennedy Mweene. Zaki nearly had his second in the 27th-minute
when his disappointing effort was easily handled by the Zambian goalkeeper.
But for Mweene, Chipolopolo might well have been 4-0 down by the hour-mark. Zaki, again, missed a clear opportunity;
and Shahata sent Mohamed Zidan and Mohamed Aboutrika onto the pitch in search of goals shortly thereafter. Egypt continued
to dominate possession into the final minutes; but their lack of finishing returned to haunt them as the match drew to a close.
Chris Katongo, having brought down a pass inside the 18-yard-box, turned Fathi inside-out before slotting the equalizer
past Al-Hadri. It was too little, too late, however. And group-winners Egypt will be paired with Cameroon in the quarterfinals
on Monday.
Neither Senegal nor South Africa will be involved in the knockout stages. As a matter of fact, Senegal’s especially
dismal showing at the competition will prompt further examination when the management team returns to Dakar. Lamine Ndiaye, having replaced Henri Kasperczak after the Polish manager resigned following a 3-1 loss to Angola, proceeded
to Ousmane Ndoye, goalkeeper Tony Sylva, and captain El-Hadji Diouf after the trio were found in a Kumasi club on Wednesday
night.
South Africa, a colossal disappointment in their own right, opened the match with a realistic
shout for a penalty in the early minutes when Elrio Van Heerden was brought to the ground by Souleymane Diawara. The Club
Brugges winger did open the scoring, however, when he converted Teko Modise’s cross past goalkeeper Bouna Coundoul.
South Africa looked to be easing into half-time with the lead until a defensive gaffe cost Bafana
Bafana their first win of the tournament. Blackburn Rovers midfielder Aaron Mokoena mis-played a Senegal through-ball –
playing it into the path of Henri Camara who beat Moeneeb Josephs for the equalizer.
The Lions of Teranga appeared the more enterprising side after the restart. Mamadou Niang and
Siphiwe Tshabalala combined in creating several opportunities and Papa Waigo came close to notching the go-ahead as well.
On the other side of the ball, Siphiwe Tshabalala persisted in shooting either wide or high over
Condoul while Kagisho Dikgacoi’s effort in the dying minutes demanded a good save from the Colorado Rapids ‘keeper
in order to maintain the level scoreline.
Nigeria 2-0 Benin; Cote d'Ivoire 3-0 Mali
The Super Eagles finally used their wings on Tuesday. With John Utaka and Peter Odemwingie applying
consistent pressure down the right and left flanks, Nigeria booked a last-gasp berth in the quarterfinals of the 2008 African Nations Cup. By so doing, they halted a goalscoring
drought which had lasted a shocking stretch of 233-minutes. So impotent were their performances against Cote d’Ivoire and Mali that several journalists decided Super Chickens to
be a more suitable moniker.
Berti Vogts, it seems, got the message. The Nigeria manager assembled a predominantly attacking lineup against Benin. Everton striker Yakubu and Getafe’s Ikechukwu Uche spearheaded the assault while Utaka and Odemwingie created opportunities in
the wide areas. For the second match in a row, the 61-year-old omitted captain Nwankwo Kanu while Newcastle’s Obafemi Martins was left out of the side as well.
At the outset, it seemed a case of same-old, same-old for the two-time African Cup champions.
Yakubu might have had a tap-in before the first minute had run off the watch; but the 25-year-old fluffed on the chance. Utaka,
as well, came close to scoring from a Taye Taiwo cross.
On the other side of the ball, Benin failed to muster anything of quality. Mouritala Ogoubiyi’s long-range effort was easily
dealt with by goalkeeper Austin Ejide; and The Squirrels were otherwise unheard from during the course of the opening period.
Still, as the players entered the tunnel at the break, Nigeria had yet to produce a single shot on target.
All that changed after the restart. Utaka and Odemwingie finally wore down the opposing full-backs
as Yakubu and Uche persisted in buzzing about the 18-yard box. Finally, after nearly an hour, it paid off. Taiwo’s powerful
free-kick was spilled by Benin ‘keeper Chitou Rachad and Odemwingie pounced. The Lokomotiv
Moscow forward arched a delicious pass across the face of goal for John Mikel Obi to stroke past Rachad. After 53-minutes,
Nigeria had their goal.
But for more poor finishing, they might have had two or three by the time Yakubu put them into
the knockout stages on 86-minutes. Mikel’s through-ball across the centre of the park caught the powerful striker in
stride before being stroked into the goal by the Everton man. It was a superb finish; and Nigeria will require more of the same if they are to progress beyond hosts Ghana on Sunday.
Cote d’Ivoire have endured no such lack of quality in the attacking third. Their three-goal outburst against Mali, Tuesday, increased their tournament-best scoring total to eight. The Eagles, on
the other hand, bowed out of the competition at the group phase – the unfortunate victims in the so-called group of
death.
Indeed, Mali’s
poor showing somewhat vindicates Nigeria.
After Frederic Kanoute produced a narrow, 1-0 win over Benin in their opening fixture, Jean-Francois Jodar’s squad failed to notch another goal. Curiously,
the typically lethal Kanoute was substituted at the interval against Cote d’Ivoire.
By that point, Mali trailed 1-0. Didier Drogba, in his 50th-appearance for his country, had drawn first blood after just
nine minutes. Running onto a brilliant Yaya Toure pass, the Chelsea striker clinically struck the ball across the face of goal. From there, Mali were vanquished.
Benfica defender Marc Zoro nearly had the 2006 runners-up 2-0 ahead in the 18th-minute.
The 24-year-old, however, headed wide of goal from in close. Similarly, Dramane Traore missed a dangerous header as Mali made a rare foray into opposing territory against the run of play.
Still in the mix after the break, it was a curious decision from Jodar that had Kanoute switched
for Momo Sissoko. The newly-signed Juventus midfielder made a quick impression, however – canceling the significant
influence of Yaya in the middle of the park.
The bounce was quickly out of Mali’s step, though; and Zoro’s header on 54-minutes sealed the result for Cote d’Ivoire. From there, Mali seemed resigned to their fate; and it came as no surprise when Boubacar Sanogo opened his account
with four minutes remaining on the clock. The in-form Werder Bremen striker ran onto a rebound from goalkeeper Mahamadou Sidebe and tucked home his first goal of the competition. Cote d’Ivoire, having won Group B, will now face Group A runners-up Guinea in the quarterfinals on Sunday.
Guinea 1-1 Namibia; Ghana 2-0 Morocco
Morocco
bowed out of the African Nations Cup, yesterday. After opening the competition with a convincing 5-1 route of Namibia, back-to-back losses to Guinea and Ghana had the Lions of the Atlas packing their bags at the conclusion of the group phase. It was an altogether disappointing
tournament for manager Henri Michel and his players. The substandard performances, particularly in the 3-2 loss to Guinea, mark the fourth time in five Nations Cup appearances that Morocco have failed to progress into the knock-out stages.
Full credit to Guinea, however. The Syli Nationale burst out of the gate by pushing hosts Ghana to the limit. And while the victory over Morocco caught many by
surprise, captain Pascal Feindouno was nothing short of sublime in the win; and, had he not been sent-off
|
|
|
|
|
|
shortly after the hour-mark, Guinea might well have scored five or six.
With Feindouno serving his one-match ban against Namibia on Monday, Guinea entered their final Group A fixture against Namibia with no small amount of caution. Needing only a win to book their place in the quarterfinals, manager
Robert Nouzaret emphasized increased concentration among a defensive corps which had conceded twice in each of its previous
matches.
Nevertheless, Ismael Bangoura produced Guinea’s first, quality scoring opportunity shortly after kick-off. The 23-year-old
Dynamo Kiev forward volleyed just wide of goalkeeper Athiel Mbaha after a Fode Mansare cross from the left flank. Mbaha was
called into action again just four minutes later when he redirected a Daouda Jabi free-kick away from goal.
Under pressure, Namibia countered through Brian Brendall. The 21-year-old FC Civics midfielder sped upfield before crossing to Muna Katupose.
The Oshakati City
forward headed well wide, however; and Guinea
defender Bobo Balde disrupted a similar play just minutes later.
The tentative match finally got its first goal shortly after the hour-mark. Mamadou Bah’s
superb through-ball found Souleymane Youla in front of Mbaha and the Lille marksman made no mistake – depositing his effort behind the ‘keeper in the 62nd minute.
With Guinea
closing in on the three points, more questionable defending allowed Namibia to poach an equalizer. After a miss-places pass in the backline, Brendall pounced on the ball
to the right of goal, beat the remaining defenders, and blasted past Kemeko Camara.
Truth be told, a draw was a fair result. But Nouzaret would be the first to admit that his side’s
defending must improve if Guinea stand any chance of progressing through to the semifinals. They
will face Cote d’Ivoire in the last-eight on Sunday.
Morocco,
meanwhile, completed a week-long demise in Accra, Monday. That
said, the Lions of the Atlas made a positive start to their match against Ghana.
The opening half-hour saw both sides creating numerous opportunities. Sulley Muntari’s
30-yard free-kick in the 15th-minute was saved by Morocco goalkeeper Nadir Lamyaghri. The Portsmouth midfielder, renowned for his goalscoring prowess from distance, earned a similar set-piece eleven minutes later.
But rather than going for goal, as the opposition anticipated, he lobbed the ball over the defending wall and into the path
of a surging Michael Essien. The Chelsea midfielder wasted no time in slotting past Lamyaghri; and Morocco’s hopes were dealt an initial blow.
Still, the Lions of the Atlas persisted. With five minutes to play in the opening period, Ghana defender John Paintsil headed the ball into his own goal following a Hicham Aboucherouane
free-kick. The equalizer was disallowed, however, as the match official had spotted a foul in the area.
Morocco
were right to feel hard done by. They were fully deserving of a balanced scoreline at the interval and, instead, found themselves
down by a pair before the restart. In the first minute
of injury-time, Essien’s powerful run produced a second, Ghana goal. The 25-year-old darted forward with the ball from the half-way line before completing a marvelous
pass to the feet of Muntari. The exciting midfielder made no mistake as he gathered the ball with his left foot and stroked
it past Lamyaghri.
From there, Morocco were vanquished. And they knew it. Managing just a single shot on goal in the second-half, the 1976 champions made
a meek exit from the 2008 competition. As a matter of fact, the 2-0 score might well have been doubled or even tripled –
such was the pressure from the hosts in the final minutes.
With the win, Ghana wrapped-up first-place in Group A. As a result, the Black Stars will be tied to Nigeria in the quarterfinals. After a sluggish start to the tournament, the Super Eagles
finally got into stride on Tuesday – defeating Benin by a 2-0 margin while C’ote d’Ivoire eliminated Mali with a 3-0 win.
Senegal 1-3 Angola; Tunisia 3-1 South Africa; Cameroon 5-1 Zambia;
Egypt 3-0 Sudan; Cote d'Ivoire 4-1 Benin; Nigeria 0-0 Mali
In
just three days, Nigeria, Senegal and South Africa were all but eliminated from the African Nations Cup while Henri Kasperczak resigned as manager
of the Lions of Teranga. The Pole’s sudden exit sparked rioting in Dakar. A mob
of students blockaded a main rode in the capital and set tires and garbage alight before being dispersed by authorities. All
in all, it was an eventful weekend in Ghana. But due to the escalating violence in Kenya’s Rift Valley following disputed election results, the ongoing African Nations Cup was only the second-biggest
story to emerge from the continent.
Indeed, the crisis in Kenya has cast a dark
shadow over the competition. As the participating nations entered the second matchday of the event, rioting and ethnic violence
escalated in and around the cities of Nakuru and Naivasha on the eastern edge of the Rift Valley, just north of Nairobi. And with the death toll about to exceed 800, football has taken an understandable back-seat to politics at the
moment.
Nevertheless, Kasperczak’s abrupt departure seemed to catch everyone off guard. Amata Fall,
the Technical Director of the Senegalese Football Federation, admitted to being particularly surprised by the manager’s
decision.
“We are surprised he has taken this decision,” Fall told the BBC, yesterday. “There
was a good bond between him and the players.”
Kasperczak, meanwhile, expressed disappointment at the team’s performance. The loss to
Angola, preceded by a 2-2 draw with Tunisia,
has Senegal on the brink of elimination.
“I assume full responsibility for the poor showing,” stated the 61-year-old former
boss of Ligue 1 sides Metz, St-Etienne, Strasbourg, Racing Club de Paris,
Montpellier, and Lille. Internationally, Kasperczak
has also managed Cote d’Ivoire, Tunisia, Morocco, and Mali.
Senegal captain El Hadji Diouf was similarly exasperated by his side’s lack of
focus.
“The
whole team lost concentration,” commented the Bolton Wanderers forward. “It could happen to any team at any time.”
It almost didn’t happen at all. Senegal started Sunday’s match brightly. A Diomansy Kamara free-kick after 20-minutes fell to Souleymane
Diawara who headed to Abdoulaye Faye for the game’s opening goal. Had Frederic Mendy and Diouf not missed clear opportunities
in the minutes that followed, Senegal might have been three goals ahead at the half.
They would end up ruing their lack of finishing. Manchester United prospect Alberto Manucho took
complete control of the match after the break. The 24-year-old leveled matters on 50-minutes with a header from Ze Kalanga’s
seeing-eye cross. Seven minutes after the hour-mark, he put Angola
ahead after a melee in front of ‘keeper Tony Sylva.
Despite persistent
pressure from the Palancas Negras, Senegal continued to create and waste quality scoring chances. Mamadou Niang and Kamara
might have each tallied before Manucho’s winner.
Twelve minutes from time, Amado Flavio headed Sebastio Gilberto’s cross past Sylva to seal
the result. With four points in Group D, Angola are level with
Tunisia atop the bracket and will go head-to-head with the Carthage Eagles on Thursday.
Sunday’s other match had the 2010 World Cup hosts soundly beaten by Tunisia. Like Senegal in the earlier fixture, South Africa squandered countless chances in front of goal en route to a 3-1 loss at Tamale Stadium. In fact, but for a superb
save by goalkeeper Hamdi Kasraoui, Bafana Bafana might well have opened the scoring when Sibusia Zuma was put through by Steven
Pienaar shortly after kickoff.
Manager Carlos Alberto Parreira’s side were quickly countered by the Carthage Eagles, however;
and all-time top-scorer Francileudo Santos opened his account after just eight minutes. Half-an-hour later, it was Santos-turned-provider
as the Brazilian-born FC Zurich striker rattled the bar after a blistering run. The rebound fell to the feet of Chaouki Ben
Saada; and the Bastia forward slotted home for a 2-0 lead.
Just two minutes after Chaouki’s strike, Santos pounced
on a poor pass from Nasief Morris. The 28-year-old made no mistake as he stroked the ball past Moneeb Josephs. With eleven
minutes to play in the opening period, Tunisia were already 3-0 up.
After the restart, however, South Africa
nearly pulled one back. Again it was Zuma creating the chance; but Thembinkosi Fantemi missed the net with his effort. Bafana
Bafana continued to mount a prolonged offensive throughout the second half. But they were denied until Katlego Mphela converted
Pienaar’s excellent run into a goal with just three minutes remaining on the referee’s watch. It was too little
too late, however. And with a just single fixture remaining, South Africa’s early exit from the African Nations Cup is a near certainty.
While Senegal and South Africa were crashing
out of the competition in Tamale, Cameroon was revitalizing their prospects to the south in Kumasi. With a 5-1 win over Zambia at Baba Yara Sports Stadium, the Indomitable Lions joined their rivals at joint-second
in Group C – three points adrift of leaders Egypt.
Cameroon raced to a 3-0 lead by the interval through Geremi, Joseph Job, and Achille
Emana. In truth, they might have been three goals ahead by the time Geremi opened the scoring in the 28th-minute.
In particular, both Job and Emana missed chances from in close before the Newcastle midfielder
curled a spectacular free-kick beyond goalkeeper Kennedy Mweene.
Four minutes later it was Job beating Mweene after Gilles Binya’s long-range free-kick
managed to elude a trio of Zambia defenders. Similarly poor defending had Chipolopolo trailing by three at the
interval. With only a minute remaining until the half, Isaac Chansa spilled Alexandre Song’s pass into the path of Emana.
The Toulouse marksman made no mistake; and Cameroon
appeared to have the points in the bag by the interval.
Shortly after the hour-mark, it was 4-0. Samuel Eto’o’s successful penalty was his
14th-goal in his African Nations Cup career – good for a share of the all-time lead with Cote d’Ivoire’s Laurent Pokou.
Job added his second of the night with eight minutes remaining in normal time when more disorder
in the Zambia backline put him clear on goal. The clean-sheet was ruined, however, when Chris
Katongo scored in added-time.
Zambia, after an encouraging start to the tournament against Sudan, will now have to defeat Egypt in order to entertain any hope of progressing into the knockout stages. Cameroon, on the other hand, should have six points after facing Sudan on Wednesday.
Egypt, it seems, are moving from strength to strength. After handing Cameroon a surprising 4-2 defeat last week, The Pharaoh’s drubbed geographical neighbors Sudan 3-0 as an encore. It should be said, however, that the result was far from assured at the outset.
The Desert Hawks settled promptly after kickoff and were quick to take their chances. Some fine
interplay between Haitham Mustafa and Haytham Tambal nearly resulted in a shock opener for the underdogs; but Egyptian goalkeeper
Essam El-Hadary was equal to the task. Minutes later, Mustafa nearly beat El-Hadary from 25-yards. The Al-Alhy stopper fumbled
the blast before recovering the ball in the nick of time.
Ten minutes after the Mustafa chance, the champions struck. Sudanese defender Elmuiz Abdalla
fouled Hosni Abd Rabou inside the area; and the 23-year-old Strasbourg midfielder successfully
converted his second attempt after the referee had forced a retake of the initial penalty.
Mohamed Zidan, having scored twice against Cameroon,
came to life shortly after. The 24-year-old Hamburg striker shot over the bar after some fine provision from Amr Zaki and was denied
by goalkeeper Elmuez Abdalla after Zaki put him through once again on 55-minutes.
Zaki’s fine play was finally rewarded in the 78th-minute. The 24-year-old Al-Zamalek
forward played a delightful one-two with Mohamed Aboutriaka before the latter stroked the ball past Abdalla for a two-goal
lead. Aboutriaka was at it again just five minutes later after running onto an Emad Motaeb pass before completing the scoring
in the 83rd-minute.
Egypt’s six points pace Group C. Cameroon and Zambia, each on three points, make up the remaining contenders in the bracket.
In Group B, Nigeria find themselves
in a similar position to Senegal. After two matches, the Super Eagles have earned just a single point and will
be relying on others to trip up in order to progress into the quarterfinals. Most astonishing, however, is Nigeria’s goalscoring record in the competition.
That is to say, a lack thereof. Berti’ Vogts high-powered offense has yet to score a single goal in the African Nations
Cup. And with a goal-differential of -1, they can only advance if Ivory Coast
happens to beat Mali by at least two goals.
It was never supposed to be this way. In the run-up to their kick-off against Cote d’Ivoire a week ago, Nigeria was thought to
be one of the only, true contenders. That Cote d’Ivoire came
away with a well-earned 1-0 victory was hardly as dire as the absolutely dreadful follow-up performance against Mali on Friday.
Everton striker Yakubu was particularly wasteful. The 25-year-old was practically useless in
front of goal. The shots he did direct goalward were easily handled by Mali
‘keeper Mahamadou Sidibe. Still, it would be unfair to pin all of the blame on Yakubu. Vogts has simply been unable
to coax anything resembling fluency from his attackers. The likes of Kanu, John Utaka, and Obafemi Martins have been equally
inefficient.
That said, Mali contributed very little to match as well. Other than Seydou Keita’s hitting
of the bar after 83-minutes, the Eagles were every bit as impotent as the Super Eagles. However, given that they have yet
to play Cote d’Ivoire while Nigeria will conclude
the group phase against Benin, Mali will be even more
disappointed with the draw.
And rightfully so. With a match against Cote d’Ivoire looming on Tuesday, optimism cannot be running high among Jean-Francois Jodar’s squad at the moment. Along
with returning champions Egypt and hosts Ghana, Les
Elephants have to be considered a favorite for the trophy as the knockout stages approach.
Like Ghana, Cote d’Ivoire can
win in a variety of ways. As evidenced by the 1-0 victory over Nigeria
last week, they are adept at grinding out a result. And, if Friday’s 4-1 destruction of Benin is any indication, they are more than capable of turning on the style as well.
Even so, it took nearly a full period for Gerard Gili’s men to find their flow. As it happened,
Benin very nearly took the lead in the early going when Razak Omotoyossi fired just
wide of goalkeeper Boubacar Barry. In the opposite goal, Rachad Chitou responded with a fine save on Didier Drogba after the
Chelsea keeper had earned a clear opportunity on the edge of the box.
Drogba was not to be denied, however, when Barcelona midfielder
Yaya Toure played him into the clear with a superb through-ball. The 29-year-old unloaded a low, powerful drive to the corner
of the Benin net for the opening goal of the match.
Now fully in control, Cote d’Ivoire doubled the lead just four minutes later when Kolo
Toure danced around a pair of opposing defenders before supplying a lovely pass for his brother Yaya to convert.
Shortly after the restart, it was 3-0. Benin
defender Damien Chrysostome coughed up the ball to Kader Keita in the 53rd-minute and the Lyon forward calmly deposited past Chitou. Ten minutes later, a piece of vintage
interplay between Didier Drogba and Aruna Dindane rounded-out the scoring. Yaya’s long pass to Drogba was chipped to
Dindane with a single touch before the Lens marksman completed the buildup. Omotoyossi pulled one back for The Squirrels in
added-time; but Benin had been thoroughly outclassed and the scoreline was a just reflection of the
balance of play.
Baring an upset at the hands of Mali
on Tuesday, Cote d’Ivoire will win Group B and enter the quarterfinals as one of the favorites. A draw
for the Eagles, however, would guarantee a knock-out match against Ghana
next week.
Guinea 3-2 Morocco; Ghana 1-0 Namibia
Both
Morocco and Ghana entered the 2008
African Nations Cup as prohibitive favorites. The similarities end there, however. For while Ghana has delivered a pair of consistent, albeit tedious, performances, Morocco
has been all over the map.
After trouncing Namibia to open the competition,
the Lions of the Atlas proceeded to lose 3-2 to Guinea. The scoreline,
it should be noted, quite flattered the losers. Guinea, meanwhile, had
lost their opening fixture to Ghana. So when Syli Nationale greased Morocco for three points, it came with no shortage of raised eyebrows.
Henri Michel, for starters, clearly took the result for granted. Morocco’s complacency was punished after just 11-minutes when Guinea captain Pascal Feindouno scored from a set-piece. It was a superb strike. The 24-year-old St. Etienne
midfielder arched the ball around the wall and beyond Khalid Fouhami in the goal.
Feindouno, whose performance was one of the most outstanding of the tournament to date, was at
it again just prior to the hour-mark. This time, however, he was the provider as Ismael Bangura ran onto his through-ball
on the edge of the box and calmly stroked Guinea’s second
past Fouhami.
Down by a pair, Morocco finally came
to life. Hicham Aboucherouane pulled his side to within a goal after unleashing a cannon from distance. From there, the match
took on a frenzied pace. Just three minutes after Aboucheroune’s tally, Souleymane Youla was tripped inside the area
and Feindouno successfully converted the resulting penalty.
Shortly thereafter, however, Feindouno was assessed a straight red card for kicking El-Armine Erbate below the knee.
With a man-power advantage, Morocco pressed to narrow the lead once again. They were denied, however, until Abdesalam
Ouaddou narrowed the gap to a single goal in stoppage time.
With the loss, Morocco now face a must-win
scenario against Ghana on Monday. Guinea,
meanwhile, can progress into the quarterfinals with a win over Namibia.
They could
be forgiven for fancying their chances. After the 5-1 hammering to Morocco,
Namibia were beaten 1-0 by Ghana
on Thursday. They have little to play for as the group phase winds down; while Guinea can earn a surprising berth in the knockout stages with a win.
Ghana,
meanwhile, have been steady and unspectacular. And in a competition which typically produces up-and-down performances such
as Morocco’s, there’s something to be said for the Black Stars’ consistency.
Namibia switched goalkeepers at the outset of the match; and their defensive play was
effective in the early going. Ghana mounted a handful of dangerous attacks; but each was scuppered by the efficient
backline of the Brave Warriors.
Manager Arie Schans’ tactics nearly paid off when Brian Brendall broke free on a counter-attack
in the 19th-minute. The 21-year-old FC Civics midfielder scuffed the shot, however; and Namibia would rue the missed opportunity.
On the other side of the ball, Michael Essien took complete control. From the centre of the park,
the Chelsea midfielder placed pass after pass to his forwards and engineered everything
that Ghana mustered. Finally, after nearly an entire period, he found Quincy Owusu-Abeyie
on the edge of the area. The Celta Vigo forward quickly slotted the ball to Junior Agogo who tucked it into the goal for a
1-0 lead on the cup of half-time.
Namibia had several more chances after the restart. But once again, Brendell and Colin
Benjamin missed clear chances in front of Richard Kingson. Benjamin, in particular, should have had an equalizer in the 75th-minute.
Even with a win against Guinea on Monday, Namibia’s goal-differential of -5 effectively rules them out of the knockout stages. Beyond that, anything
is possible in Group A. If Morocco can summon the kind of form with which they began the competition, they might
well beat Ghana and eliminate the hosts. A draw, assuming that Guinea beats Namibia, would see Ghana and
Guinea go through. But, as has been demonstrated in this bracket, nothing should be
assumed or taken for granted.
Tunisia 2-2 Senegal; South Africa 1-1 Angola
Prodded
by the drums of their colorful supporters, Senegal attacked, attacked,
and were unlucky to have only scored twice against Tunisia on Wednesday.
But while it was the Lions of Teranga who dictated the pace throughout the course of the 2-2 draw in Tamale, the Carthage
Eagles drew first blood.
After just nine minutes, and against the run of play, Caen forward
Issam Jemaa lashed a seeing-eye strike from wide on the left. From there, Tunisia
recoiled into a disappointing, defensive posture. Roger Lemere employed an effective offside trap; and typically useful forwards
such as Jemaa and Francileudo Santos were rendered ineffective by the negative tactics.
Senegal, however, struggled to put anything together in the attacking third. The likes
of El Hadji Diouf and Mamadou Niang tried in vain to hit the target from distance. And until the very end of the opening period,
it looked as though Tunisia might have been able to sustain the one-goal lead.
But in a rare moment of defensive confusion, Radhi Jaidi fumbled the ball into the feet of Moustaffa
Sall. The St. Etienne midfielder raced goalwards and slotted past Hamdi Kasraoui to level the scoreline.
Diouf nearly put Senegal ahead just moments
after the restart. The Bolton Wanderers forward raced into the box before directing his shot wide. Shortly after, is was Niang
failing to finish from in close. Increasingly frustrated and completely dictating play, Senegal persisted in crowding the penalty-box and hoping that a lucky break would bounce their way.
Six minutes after the hour-mark, it happened. Fulham midfielder Diomansy Kamara pounced on a
loose ball in the area and stroked it home for the go-ahead. Had the score remained 2-1, it would have been an accurate reflection
of the 90-minutes. However, Medji Traoui smashed a superb effort from 25-yards with 8-minutes to play and ensured a splitting
of the points.
Group D’s other opening fixture produced a draw as well. With two matches to play in the
bracket, any two of Senegal, Tunisia, South Africa, and Angola could progress into the knockout stages.
Like Senegal, Angola came apart at
the death – passing up an opportunity to claim all three points. Club Brugges midfielder Elrio Van Heerden leveled matters
with just three minutes to play. The 24-year-old’s blast came from just outside the 18-yard-box and was just reward
for a period of extended pressure from the South Africans.
As a matter of fact, Bafana Bafana could have been ahead at the half. But a lack of finishing
from Katlengo Mphela and Excellent Walaza left the door open for an Angolan opener.
It came on 29-minutes. Against the run of play, Manchester United starlet Alberto Manucho dove
onto an Amado Flavio cross and headed past Moeneeb Josephs. It was a spectacular effort by the 24-year-old and, no doubt,
has the brass at Old Trafford watching his development intently.
Angola nearly went 2-0 up shortly after the break. This time, it was Ze Kalanga with
the chance. But the curving ball veered away from the target after the Boavista midfielder had struck from distance.
With the pair of Group D draws, added attention will be paid to Sunday’s fixtures. Senegal will battle Angola in the early start and Tunisia
and South Africa will contest the evening match.
Egypt 4-2 Cameroon; Sudan 0-3 Zambia
The
football world was let in on a little secret, yesterday. And, much to the dismay of Hamburger SV, word is spreading like wildfire.
It seems that Africa has turned out its latest gem. Not gold; not a diamond deposit – but
no matter. The reaction has been the same. Whenever the continent unearths anything of value, prying hands are never far away.
Truth be told, Mohamed Zidan began his career in the most inconspicuous of circumstances. As
a teenager, he left Egypt for Europe. Port
Said’s El-Masry did not fancy him
a good enough passer of the ball. As a result, the 16-year-old abandoned football and moved to Denmark with his family.
Just months later, a scout from Akademisk Boldklub came upon the young Zidan playing keepie-uppie
in a Copenhagen park. The club promptly signed him to a professional contract; and over 51-matches
seasons at Gladsaxe Stadium, he produced a respectable return of 12-goals.
Akademisk, however, came upon financial difficulties in 2003 and were forced to sell the 22-year-old
striker to FC Midjylland. It was in Ikast that Zidan become the top finisher in Danish football. Having been named the Superliga’s
top young player in 2003-2004, his 30-goals over 47-matches earned a transfer to German champions Werder Bremen.
At the Weserstadion, Zidan burst out of the gate. He notched 10-goals in three friendly, pre-season
games before scoring in back-to-back contests to start the Bundesliga campaign. Nevertheless, with Miroslav Klose and Ivan
Klasnic bearing the brunt of the goalscoring responsibility for the reigning league and cup winners, Zidan was loaned to FSV
Mainz for the remainder of the season.
The Egyptian was an instant hit at Stadion am Bruchweg. During his initial stint at the club,
he produced 9-goals in 26-appearances. The following January, he was purchased outright by the relegation-threatened side.
Now 25-years-old, he responded by bagging 6-goals in 5-matches. At season’s end, he had totaled an incredible 13-goals
in 15-games. Mainz, however, were relegated; and Zidan was sold to Hamburg.
By virtue of his superb run of form from January to May, Zidan was named to Hassan Shehata’s
Egyptian squad for the 2008 African Nations Cup. Prior to yesterday’s opener against highly-regarded Cameroon, the 26-year-old had been capped a paltry six times.
He did not disappoint. As he has done
for each club on his CV, Zidan came gangbusters out of the starting block. With two goals before the interval, he had Egypt well on its way to taming the Indomitable Lions. Both were wonderful goals. Before a quarter of an hour had elapsed
from the referee’s watch, he took the ball in his own half, traded passes with Emad Moteab,
and dribbled through the Cameroonian defense before putting Egypt 2-0 ahead. Just two minutes prior, Abd Rabou had successfully
converted a penalty after Reading defender Andre Bikey handled the ball inside the area.
On the stroke of half-time, Zidan was at it again. This time, instead of weaving through a crowd
of stupefied defenders, he brought the ball under control with his chest and unleashed a cannon from outside the 18-yard box.
Cameroon
finally looked dangerous after the break and began to create scoring opportunities. Barcelona striker Samuel Eto’o quickly took advantage of his side’s pressure just six minutes after
the restart when he headed a Geremi cross past Egyptian goalkeeper Essam El Hadari.
From there, the match seemed to settle. Egypt’s midfield soaked up what pressure Cameroon mustered; and Eto’o, in particular, appeared to be growing more and more frustrated. He
completed a brace in added-time, however. The last-minute penalty was his 13th-goal in African Nations Cup competition
– level with Nigeria’s Rashidi Yekini for second-place behind all-time leading
scorer Laurent Pokou of Cote
d’Ivoire.
In Tuesday’s other match, diminutive Zambia surprised Sudan with a 3-0 win in Kumasi. The scoreline was somewhat deceptive, however. For much of the
90-minutes, the Sudanese dominated the centre of the park. Haitham Mustapha, in particular, seemed to control the midfield.
Still, even the efforts of the 30-year-old Al-Hilal field-marshal could not produce a goal for
the Nile Crocodiles. As it happened, they were on the back-heel from the get-go. After just 2-minutes of play, James Chamanga
completed a neat one-two with Strasbourg’s Jacob Mulenga. Still, Sudan were intent on pressing forward. Eight minutes after the opener, Badreldin El Doud hit the woodwork from just beyond Zambia’s 18-yard-box. The score remained 1-0 as the sides entered the tunnel at the break; but Sudan were unlucky not to be on level terms.
Their task became all the more difficult when Zambia went 2-0 up shortly after the restart. After Clive Hachilensa’s effort hit the bar, Mulenga
headed past Sudanese goalkeeper Elmuiz Abdalla for a two-goal lead. The spread was further extended just nine minutes later
when Felix Katongo turned a Rainford Kalaba rebound behind Abdalla.
Surprisingly atop Group C, Zambia’s will face a more difficult test against Cameroon on Saturday. Joint-leaders Egypt, meanwhile, will battle geographical neighbors Sudan.
Namibia 1-5 Morocco; Nigeria 0-1 Cote d'Ivoire; Mali 1-0 Benin
Day
Two of the African Nations Cup had a bit of everything. In essence, it was Africa in a nutshell. Morocco trounced Namibia in an eerily empty Ohene Djan Stadium in Accra; Nigeria’s colorful supporting contingent included a troupe of trumpeters; and
Mali’s opening fixture against Benin was delayed a quarter-hour after a power failure engulfed Sekondi-Takoradi Stadium in darkness.
The powering of the floodlights did little to brighten the product on the pitch, however. Mali took the three points by virtue of a Frederic Kanoute penalty. But if Les Aigles are to advance out of the tournament’s
group of death, they will have to come up with a much better performance against Nigeria on Saturday.
Kanoute’s Sevilla teammate Seydou Keita produced the contest’s initial scoring opportunity
in the 12th-minute, unleashing a rather speculative effort from 20-yards. The opening period was mostly uneventful
thereafter; and Mali manager Jean-Francois Jadar must have been altogether frustrated with his squad’s
complete lack of creativity.
Nevertheless,
it was Benin which appeared the more endeavoring of the sides after the interval. Mahamadou
Sidebe was called into action when a Benin corner produced a potentially dangerous header from Anichet
Adjamossi. Oumar Tchomogo was next to miss for The Squirrels – heading wide of the goal.
With the match now experiencing a bit of flow, Mali finally went in front. Mahamadou Diarra orchestrated a downfield move which left
Dramane Traore with a clear opportunity. However, the Lokomotiv Moscow forward was fouled inside the box by Benin defender Alain Gaspoz; and Kanoute converted the subsequent penalty.
Nigeria
and Cote d’Ivoire also produced a 1-0 result in Sekondi. It could not have been
more different than the ninety minutes of tedium which Mali and Benin produced,
however. With two of the competition’s most talented, attacking squads going head-to-head, chances were plenty.
Newcastle forward Obafemi Martins was on the receiving end of superb provision
throughout. Portsmouth combo John Utaka and Kanu were particularly useful. Kanu, from
just behind Martins and Yakubu, successfully linked play and created opportunities throughout.
Still, The Super Eagles could not find the back of the net. The Cote d’Ivoire midfield was all but impenetrable. Manager Gerard Gili, taking
a page from Arsene Wenger’s play-book, utilized Emmanuel Eboue on the right side of an effective quartet. Barcelona’s Yaya Toure and Tottenham’s Didier Zokora menaced the Nigerian attackers
while goalkeeper Boubacar Barry was outstanding.
Shortly after the hour-mark, the calm, pace-controlling disposition of Les Elephants paid off.
Chelsea forward Salomon Kalou, playing just behind Didier Drogba and
Aruna Dindande, took possession of the ball to the left of the box, swerved between three defenders, and deposited the game’s
only goal behind Austin Ejide.
Cote d’Ivoire, joint-leaders with Mali atop
the group, will face Benin on Friday. The Super Eagles of Nigeria, meanwhile, will battle
the Eagles of Mali.
Namibia’s
Brave Warriors looked anything but, Monday, in losing 5-1 to Morocco. Soufiane Alloudi established himself
as an early frontrunner for the Golden Boot with a hat-trick inside the opening half-hour; and Youssef
Safri imposed himself as the marshal of the midfield throughout the proceedings.
Alloudi’s first goal came after just
two minute of play. Bordeaux forward Marouane Chamakh, after hitting the post, played the
rebound straight to his accomplice. The finish was elementary.
The Al Ain striker’s second goal, coming just three minutes later, was something more of
an eye-opener. The 24-year-old lifted the ball over Namibia’s Michael Pienaar with a delightful chip before putting Lions de l’atlas two goals ahead.
Brian
Brendell brought Namibia back into things in the 23rd-minute. Hamburg midfielder Collin Benjamin dissected the Morocco defense with a superb pass – playing Brendell into clear for a 20-yard effort.
The 21-year-old FC Civics midfielder was spot-on with the shot and cut the gap to a single goal.
Nevertheless, the Moroccans continued to come in waves. Tarik Sektioui, the Porto winger, displayed his superb crossing abilities in the 28th-minute when his arching pass
met Alloudi’s head for the hat-trick. Sektioui, himself, got on the score-sheet just 12-minutes later when Namibia defender Jamunavandu Ngatjizeko fouled Michael Chretien in the area. The 30-year-old approached
the spot and calmly slotted past Abisai Shiningayamwe.
Ahead by three at the break, Morocco manager Henri Michel made a trio of changes before the 70th-minute. One of the introductions,
Monsef Zerka, headed a fifth goal past Shiningayamwe in the 74th-minute.
Morocco
will next meet Guinea on Thursday. Namibia, on the other hand, will face hosts Ghana in a must-win affair.
Ghana 2-1 Guinea
Sulley
Muntari claimed all three points for Ghana, yesterday, as the host nation of the African Nations Cup earned a last-minute
2-1 win over Guinea. The 23-year-old Portsmouth midfielder
won the match with a superb blast in the 89th minute. With both sides making desperate attempts from distance,
Muntari unleashed a stunner from 25-yards which found the top corner of the goal behind Komoko Camara.
Although the Guinea goalkeeper was
faultless on the play, he produced several gaffes in the opening period which, but for the pitiful finishing of the Black
Stars, might have seen his squad trailing by two or three at the interval. Additionally, Ghana forward Junior Agogo and midfielders Michael Essien and Muntari struck the woodwork before the initial 45-minutes
had expired.
Quincy Owusu-Abeyie produced the cross which Agogo headed against the bar. The 21-year-old terrorized
Guinea’s right flank throughout the proceedings. Currently on loan at Celta
Vigo from Spartak Moscow, the left-winger played his Under-21 football for the Dutch national side before declaring for Ghana on 10 January.
Agogo, also a menace throughout, finally created the opener when he was fouled by Oumar Kalabane
in the 54th minute. Udinese striker Asamoah Gyan promptly placed the ball on the penalty spot before hammering
his effort past Camara.
Kalabane made amends, however, when he headed captain Pascal Feindouno’s corner past Ghana ‘keeper Richard Kingson just 10-minutes later. From that point, the match seemed to settle. Both sides appeared
content with attempting long balls and efforts from distance before Muntari broke the deadlock.
The three points leave Ghana in good standing
going forward. The will next face Namibia on Thursday while Guinea
have the prospect of a must-win contest against Morocco.
Despite his side’s triumph, Black Stars manager Claude Le Roy was disappointed with the
finishing ability of his forwards.
"We created so many opportunities to score,” commented the 59-year-old. “Scoring
seems to be very complicated for us."
But while Le Roy was frustrated, his counterpart, Robert Nouzerat, was furious.
“This is the worst match Guinea
have played under me,” he fumed. “My regret is that we didn’t play the way we should have. The next game
will be decisive for us. The consequence of losing the first game is that if we lose the second, we’re out.”
|
|
|
|
