A Nations Cup of twists and turns

The Nations Cup in Gabon is not lacking in twists and turns with 24 of 32 matches already played. During the group matches, we have seen a coach disarm a team of a trophy he helped them win, and favourites un-favourite-d.

Some of the pitch surfaces like the one at the rather beautiful Stade de Port Gentil have been awful, with Ghana, Uganda, Egypt and Mali coaches all complaining about its state. Attendance has generally been half-hearted so far.

That aside, some of the football, as we head to the quarterfinals this weekend, has been eye-catching – perhaps a sign of what is to come in the business end of this 31st edition of the Nations Cup.

We have been served to sumptuous goals too; Paul-Jose M’Poku’s free-kick that dipped in off the crossbar as DR Congo dismissed Togo 3-1, and Rachid Alioui’s 25-yarder drive for Morocco to confirm Ivory Coast’s tickets back home.

Kings dethroned
Talking of Ivory Coast, what a way for the hitherto Kings of African football to be dethroned!
On February 8, 2015 in Estadio de Bata, Equatorial Guinea, Herve Renard – in his neat, fitting shirt - was kissing the Afcon trophy with Yaya Toure and the rest of the Ivory Coast team after edging Ghana 9-8 on penalties.

Yaya has since retired, but with the addition of Wilfried Zaha after the Crystal Palace winger changed his allegiance from England, onto the already star-filled team, Ivory Coast were huge favourites to make the last four.

Fast forward to January 24, 2017 in Oyem, Northern Gabon, coach Renard was not kissing the trophy; not yet at least. But he was overseeing the departure of his former champions, Ivory Coast, as his current team – Morocco beat them 1-0 to make the quarters.

The defeat earned Ivory Coast the unfortunate slot in history as they joined Zambia, who also failed to progress from the group as defending champions in 2015. Renard still dreams of going all the way again but is not carried away.

“There are teams above us in the African Cup, but when they are in front of us, they will have to prove it,” said the Morocco coach.

Morocco face Egypt on Sunday.
Only Egypt – in 2010 – have managed to reach the quarterfinals as defending champions in recent history.

Disappointing Algeria, Gabon
The other teams to grab headlines in the group stage, poor headlines; are Algeria and Gabon.
Algeria went into the tournament as one of the favourites to wrestle the title from the Ivorians but instead leave with their reputation in tatters.

Their superstar, Riyad Mahrez and his Leicester City teammate Islam Slimani did each score a brace against Zimbabwe and Senegal but overall the Desert Foxes were underwhelming for a team that came to Gabon as overwhelming title favourites.

Quickly to the hosts, apart from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who scored two goals as they drew all their three matches, there was nothing really spectacular about Gabon.

But for a host nation, the least expected of Antonio Camacho’s side was progressing from the group. Instead, Gabon joined Ethiopia, Tunisia and Ivory Coast as hosts that never progressed from the group stage.
Staying the course
Aliou Cisse of Senegal and DRC’s Florent Ibenge are not sharing from Algeria, Ivory Coast and Gabon’s cup of a bitter drink.

The only men left carrying the flag of indigenous coaches have lived up to the billing, topping their respective groups heading into the quarterfinals.

Burkina Faso and Ghana have also done just good enough to progress after two matches in Group A and B but it is Senegal against Cameroon on Saturday that is the pick of the quarterfinals.