By Lawrencia Nyamekye Adjei (AIPS Young Reporter, Ghana)
ABIDJAN, February 1, 2024 – You are most likely going to taste fufu or Acheke when you come to Cote d’Ivoire. You probably may add some few French vocabulary to your diction. Even better, if you are in the West African country, you dance whenever you hear Tam Sir’s Coup du Marteau. Nothing prepared the African continent and the world for the unthinkable. The 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), has been termed the giant slayer and the respecter of none. If you held your breath after exit of former champions Tunisia, Algeria, Zambia, and Ghana, then get an incentive spirometer because Cote d’Ivoire 2023 has presented a script fit for a blockbuster movie.
Writers, broadcasters, and fans across the world had easily predicted that holders Senegal and World Cup semi-finalists Morocco—Africa’s top two teams in the FIFA world rankings—would go all the way due to their form, class, and pedigree. However, this year’s tournament totally reiterated that African football is different and best understood when the tournament is underway, because how do you explain a total wipeout of all eight quarterfinalists from AFCON 2021 – the last edition of the tournament?
WHEN IT MATTERS MOST
It remains a mystery how Equatorial Guinea struggled against Guinea. The team that scored nine goals in the group stage failed to find the back of the net in their last-16 tie, including missing a crucial penalty. When it mattered the most, Emilio Nsue couldn’t give his team what they needed the most. In a post-match interview, Nsue apologised to their fans and promised to do better. “We tried our best. I personally apologise for missing the penalty, but all my teammates, we tried our best. We have to learn about this mistake to continue working.”
PLAYING AS A TEAM
The Pharaohs of Egypt, who have won the tournament record seven times, were banking on the brilliance of their goalkeeper Gabal to be the hero of the night during the penalty shootout against DR Congo, but football has a way of turning heroes into villains, as Gabal ended up missing his penalty kick. DR Congo, who earlier in the tournament held their own in a 1-1 draw against Morocco, kicked out Egypt. The two-time Africa Cup of Nations champions, according to Jeff Kinyanjui, is his most exciting team so far. “My most exciting team has to be DR Congo. I like the fact that they gave Morocco sleepless nights on and off the pitch. They are playing really nice football. They are playing as a team. They say football is a team sport, and they have really shown that.”
BEAUTIFUL FOOTBALL
Two-time quarter-finalists Cape Verde have continued to amaze the continent with their impressive play. The Blue Sharks are making their 4th appearance a memorable one, like they did in their debut in South Africa in 2013 when they reached the quarterfinals. Their quality caught the attention of Ugandan journalist Clive Omutegeke. “My most entertaining team in the AFCON, without a doubt, has to be Cape Verde. I am not shocked that they have gotten this far in the competition. They are playing beautiful, organised football, and I hope they can stay longer.”
THE HOSTS CELEBRATE
At the Charles Konan Banny Stadium in Yamoussoukro, Ivorians were confident that the round of 16 game was their last game in the tournament. They turned up in their number (19,184) for what they thought would be their last dance. So unlike in their 4-0 defeat to Equatorial Guinea, where fans started leaving the Alassane Ouattara Staduim after conceding their second goal, the Ivorian fans, clad in white, orange and green, cheered the team until the end. Who would have thought that Senegal, the country that played in the finals of the last two AFCONs, would bow to Cote d’Ivoire, who needed Morocco to win against Zambia to scrape in the knockout stage?
NORTH AFRICAN TEAMS OUT
As if the world had not had enough surprises, Bafana Bafana of South Africa took theirs to an absolutely insane level. Outright favourites Morocco failed to score, including Hakimi, who missed a penalty that could have changed the fortunes of his side. And against the odds, South Africa enjoyed a 2-0 victory. All four North African teams have now been knocked out of the AFCON.
The quarter-finals are set, and the eight countries are: hosts Cote D’Ivoire, three-time champions Nigeria, 1996 winners South Africa, two-time champions DR Congo, Angola, Guinea, and Cape Verde.
QUARTER-FINAL FIXTURES
Friday, February 2
17h00 GMT | Nigeria v Angola
20h00 GMT | DR Congo v Guinea
Saturday, February 3
17h00 GMT | Mali v Cote d’Ivoire
20h00 GMT | Cape Verde v South Africa
