Mashaba, Giresse in spotlight after South Africa, Senegal exit

EQUATORIAL GUINEA

South Africa and Senegal are this morning expected to depart Equatorial Guinea for their respective home bases in the wake of embarrassing group stage exits suffered at the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations.

The two sides, considered bigwigs in African football, are no longer needed here hours after becoming the biggest casualties of this competition thus far, following defeats to rivals Ghana and Algeria respectively. The latter two qualified to the quarters from what many had baptized as the group of death.

South Africa coach Shakes Mashaba might also be pondering whether it was appropriate to “carry clothes that will last him the entire duration of the tournament” as he explained to journalists when he led the Bafana Bafana from Johannesburg to Malabo for the start of this competition two weeks ago. “I think it would be worse if I came here prepared to last for a week or two” Mashaba responded to a question in Mongomo, moments after the draw against Senegal in their second match of the group.

In all fairness South Africa’s exit was somewhat expected by a majority all over the continent, with many fanatics predicting as much on social media when the draw for this tournament was made by the organisers last month.

Not even an impressive qualifying run would convince the support base and in the end, the South Africans who took the lead in all their three group fixtures but eventually won none, leave here with a record of just a single win in their last 12 games in this competition.

Even football followers from Kenya and Uganda, whose various national teams have not qualified for this competition for a combined span of over four decades, could afford to make fun of South Africa’s dismal run here.

Senegal’s elimination in Malabo was the biggest surprise of the two cases, atleast in the eyes of many a supporter in Bata, judging from the reactions at the Palacio Afrique resturante on Salesianos street moments after the final table standings popped up the TV screens to the audience.

Granted most of those in attendance at this entertaiment spot had been keen on the proceedings of the other group’s contest pitting South Africa against Ghana, which was being been played concurrently in Mongomo.

“Politics might have accounted for Senegal’s exit, not lack of quality, that is always the case there” a man donning Burkina Faso’s national team jersey and scarf explained at the table we were sharing inside the pub.

Suspect team selection
Team selection might also have played a factor in the West African side’s down fall, judging by the discussions between the team and technical bench, moments after the team’s draw with South Africa in the penultimate group fixture in Mongomo over the weekend.

A 2-0 defeat to the Desert Foxes in their ultimate match of Group C might have confirmed the damage, but cracks had started to appear during the West African side’s penultimate group fixture against South Africa in Mongomo over the weekend.

Coach Alain Giresse opted to exclude Newcastle United attacker Papisse Demba Cisse in his starting line-up in the contest, much to the dismay of the country’s journalists stationed at the media centre in the venue and a number of supporters attached to the home side, who kept on singing the EPL star’s name as the proceedings progressed.

This decision was always going to be a masterstroke if Senegal triumphed in the contest, but that wasn’t the case, and so, the same quickly became a point of reference thereafter. “Many fans on social media back at home are of the suggestion Cisse should have started this match at the expense of (Mame) Diouf considering the experience and finishing statistics of the two players,” a journalist posed to Senegal’s assistant coach Aliou Cisse during a brief exchange down the tunnel.

Another baffling decision, to leave out one of the team’s best players, former Chelsea forward Demba Ba who is currently based in Turkey from the squad, is now proving to say the least, questionable.
Considering what normally happens to trainers who are normally perceived to have “underperformed”, the futures of Mashaba and Giresse are said to be subject to intense speculation.

AFCON Notebook

You cross the road only at the zebra crossing
The Highway code in Equatorial Guinea is completely different from what the road users in Uganda are accustomed to. Firstly, all vehicles here are left hand drives, which are driven on the right hand side of the road and overtake on the left lane when need arises. Next, is that use of zebra crossing is a must when crossing the road. Failure to do so attracts a fine by the hawk eyed “Town Police” as they are known, or if you are lucky enough, the continuous hooting by one or more of the impatient public service vehicle 4 drivers.

The locals love their alcohol, not cigarettes
Alcohol consumption here, is like in other African countries, relatively high and an exercise that goes on atleast for 16 hours a day. In Bata and Mongomo for example, Alcohol is not only sold in pubs or entertainment joints, but also in ordinary shops or even hotels. It seems one is allowed to drink the famous tipple at any time with some spotted enjoying contents from the bottle as early as 9am during working days. However smoking is not such a popular pass time here. Actually save for the few foreigners and mostly the white, I am yet to see a local resident holding onto a lit cigarette butt.

Mongomo town furious after switch of match
Mongomo residents are reportedly angry following the decision by the Confederation of African Football to shift the eagerly awaited quarter final engagement involving the host national team and Tunisia to Bata.Various local news reports on TV showed interviews with residents of the agricultural town located some 160km from Bata complaining bitterly of the decision to “deny us our rights”. The tournament organizers have formally cited the poor state of the newly laid turfs for this decision.

Celebrating progress 48 hours later
Equatorial Guinea fanatics wont be denied their turn on the bike following the team’s splendid performance against Burkina Faso the other day, it seems. Some 48 hours later, fans in their hundreds were still gathered in front of TV watching the replay of that contest that ended in a 2-0 result in favour of the hosts. And that’s not all some are still celebrating the goals as if the match was live, and discussing some moves and the referee’s decisions.

Fans of eliminated countries hang around
A couple of football fans from Zambia, Burkina Fasso and Gabon can still be spotted in Bata, a couple of days since their teams were eliminated from the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations. Some of them claim they are here to enjoy the party regardless of their sides not being here, having made earlier plans to stay here for much longer, while other are complaining it is taking much longer than anticipated in rescheduling their flights back at home.

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