» The Africa Cup of Nations

Egypt takes Africa Cup of Nations.

Ana — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 18:33:03 +0000

Egypt got its 6th African Cup title yesterday against Cameroon. In a day where defenders are not supposed to have bad days, Cameroon back boy Song, had one. On top of that, as Cameroon adopted a defensive game, Egypt kept pressuring until the goal finally happened. Eto’o watched all that happen up front, a place where the ball hardly ever went.

With this title, Egypt has moved a step forwar and opened up an advantage of 2 titles compared to both Cameroon and Ghana, with 4 titles. The Egyptians have also won 2006, 1998, 1986, 1959 e 1957.

Coming from a 4-2 loss against the same Egypt in the first phase of the tournament, Cameroon (who shoud have started with a more offensive position) adopted a very defensive game. Eto’o was the only man up front and it seemed as if they were going to be happy with the tie.

But as we all know, if you play to defend in a game where you should be scoring goals, you are most likely getting one inside your own net.

Cameroon defender, Rigobert Song, did not have a happy day. And Egypt, who definetely played much better, took home the title.

Here is the winning goal:

Hot Egypt crush Ivory Coast

Ana — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 03:16:16 +0000

From Teo, at Ole Ole.

Egypt will defend its African Cup of Nations title in the championship game after routing Ivory Coast 4-1 in Kumasi tonight. Two goals from in-form striker Amr Zaki sealed victory for Egypt after with Abdulkader Keita’s goal in between offering a glimmer of hope to the Elephants. Zaki’s first goal appeared to close the door on Ivory Coast in the 62nd minute before Keita struck back almost immediately. But within five minutes Zaki produced a sweet strike of his own to restore Egypt’s two-goal cushion.

Mohamed Aboutreika iced the win with a goal in stoppage time, while it was Ahmed Fathi who opened the scoring for Egypt and gave it a 1-0 half time lead.

Ivory Coast endured a miserable night with goalkeeper Boubacar Barry leaving the game injured and Kolo Toure, rushed back from injury, well off his game.

After disrupting what had been a flawless centre-back paring of Didier Zokora and Marc Zoro, it was the latter who made way for Toure. Ivory Coast now go to the game most of the experts predicted would be the final, but is instead a third-place playoff with Ghana in Kumasi on Saturday.

Egypt now defends its crown against Cameroon in Accra on Sunday.

Africa Cup of Nations: “More quality goals as Senegal and Tunisia draw”

Ana — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 22:15:23 +0000

Nice match round up from AusTeo’s blog at oleole.com. Nice video after the jump.

“A thundering late strike from Mejdi Traoui has rescued a point for Tunisia in its 2-2 draw with Senegal in Tamale this evening. It was a point dropped for the Senegalese who needed a host of chances to take a 2-1 lead but then failed to keep them coming after the go-ahead goal. Traoui’s swerving strike left Tony Sylva standing in the Senegal goal as he hit the ball from outside the area under plenty of defensive pressure.”

“The game continued the amazing action and standard of goals at this edition of the Cup of Nations. Issam Jemaa’s opener for Tunisia came from the tightest of angles while Traoui’s thunderbolt came under considerable defensive pressure from outside the area.But it was Tunisia who had every right to go in unhappy at half time after Senegal’s Moustafa Sall equalised with the last kick of the first half.After exchanging early attacking periods in the opening ten minutes and meeting packed defensive lines, it was only ever going to be a precision strike like Jemaa‘s that would break the deadlock.However with the opening period petering out it was a costly error from Tunisia captain Radhi Jaidi that put the ball into Sall’s path.

The late goal gave Senegal all the momentum at the start of the second half. Diomansy Kamara’s strikers’ instincts got the better of him with one opportunity as he blazed away for goal despite a tee-up of an open Sall beckoning. But it was those predatory instincts that made the difference as Kamara put his foot to a shot to clear a goal-mouth scramble and find the back of the net.

After Traoui’s late strike neither side took the initiative to go on and open its Cup of Nations account with three points.

Tunisia will have plenty to think about before the next match, with Traoui and fellow striker Dos Santos both picking up yellow cards for dives. Dos Santos’ particularly incriminating as he went to ground in the opposite direction of any momentum the minimal contact he received would have pushed him.

The crowd in Tamale looked unimpressive, with the stadium’s size blamed by the local pundits for the poor turnout with the proximity of the competing teams also mentioned.”

by AusTeo

TUNISIE SENEGAL : CAN 2008 Résumé des buts
Uploaded by first_tounsi

The Africa Cup of Nations - “Names Win Games”

Ana — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 19:59:48 +0000

Here is a very nice round-up from AusTeo’s blog.

It’s the players Europe and Asia are familiar with that have dictated favouritism for the African Nations Cup starting tomorrow. But it comes with justification at this stage as a paper champion is decided among the pundits for the upcoming tournament. By group, here’s a brief assessment of how the teams stack up before a ball is kicked. Who knows, perhaps things will be turned on their heads after the opening round of group stage games.

Group A

1. Ghana - clear favourite
2. Morocco - slight edge for 2nd
3. Guinea - slight underdog for 2nd
4. Namibia - 95% to finish last

Upsetting the host Ghana seems mightily unlikely in Group A. Without doubt the Ghanaians have the best engine room in the competition with Muntari and Essien. It’s the box-to-box combination that will take pressure off the strikers and ease the load on defeners.

Morocco’s forward line, Marouane Chamakh in particular, will dicatate if it can find a way past Bobo Balde and Guinea. While the Guineans take one of their stronger teams to the tournament it’s Morocco who are proven over three games in Nations Cup play and the better shout to steal a draw from the hosts if Ghana are to drop points.

Namibia suffered the loss of its senior coach last month and although pledging to play for Ben Bamfuchile will need miracles of its squad of predominantly African-based players is to find a way through.

Group B

1. Ivory Coast - strong favourite for 1st
2. Mali - slight favourite for 2nd
3. Nigera - slight underdog for 2nd
4. Benin - heavy favourite for last

With a team widely considered the favourite for the tournament with the bookmakers (or at least level with Ghana) it’s Ivory Coast who are regarded as the powerhouse of African football. The names make them the paper champions; Toure, Eboue, Zokora, Kalou and Drogba and even then there are players being left out. Trophies aren’t won on paper, but this group stage almost certainly will be.

Mali’s excellent record in Cup of Nations makes them my pick to edge Nigeria. Nigeria has names and faces that we will all recognise and the familiarity might make them a safer pick. But starting with Ivory Coast will be a mighty challenge. Lose or draw while Mali beats Benin and Nigeria has the tough task of playing from behind.

The Benin side is not stocked with well known players and will have the untried Achille Rouga at centre back from French club Rennes and its next-best known player Romauld Boco in midfield. But it’s even more difficult to see a miracle here than Namibia in Group A.

Group C

1. Cameroon - slight favourite for 1st
2. Zambia - slight favourite for 2nd
3. Egypt - slight underdog for 2nd
4. Sudan - strong favourite for 4th

Cameroon’s book-ends of Kameni in goals and Eto’o up forward are they key to the team that was king of African football at the turn of the century. With a host of veterans from the 1998 and 2002 World Cups still in the Cameroon line-up the experience is there to carry the team through a difficult group.

Christopher Katongo must score goals for Zambia to progress with the nation’s other big-name striker Collins Mbesuma deemed unfit. I’m backing an upset here, Egypt to lack the strike power to take second place.

Egypt took the hard line with Mido and Ghali for not playing regular club football by leaving the duo out. An out-and-out star is missing from the forward line as a result, with Egypt’s African-based players the key to finding a way through this group. Zidan shoulders the goalscoring responsibility.

Sudan’s squad is drawn from just two clubs and although that will provide team unity, one doubts any of them will be making moves to Europe come the tournament’s end. Teams with a strong unity do tend to win major championships, just look at Greece in 2004, but the gulf in class seems to great here. Add to that Sudan’s pre-tournament form line offers little.

Group D

1. Senegal - slight favourite for 1st
2. Tunisia - slight favourite for 2nd
3. South Africa - slight underdog for 2nd
4. Angola - medium underdog for 2nd

Group D looks like being the group of death, with any slip-up from Senegal likely to open a four-way battle for both progression places. El-Hadji Diouf’s return from retirement and Senegal’s wealth of European-based players gives it both a skill and tactical edge over Tunisia and Angola.

However Tunisia’s team unity and brilliant record qualifying and performing in major tournaments (albeit wasteful of opportunities at World Cups) gives it second for mine. South Africa’s omission of Benni McCarthy is the difference between second and third. The bookmakers have the Bafana at 25-1, far longer than some of the players in their team merit. But it would require peak performances from the strikers the South Africans opt for, in McCarthy’s absence there are many around the same level to chose from so form is crucial. The Premier League-centric view of South Africa’s hopes is that it’s Pienaar who is the key. He will perform, the key is those who are yet to prove themselves at this level.

If the tactical and defensive discipline that kept the scores low for Angola at the 2006 World Cup is present the team can progress. But its’ goals the team needs, Angola will need attacking creativity and to play at a higher tempo (which in turn does involve greater defensive risk). Let’s hope there’s no “Sebastian Abreu sydnrome” with an obligaiton to play Manucho because he’s moved to Manchester United. Low-scoring games and Angola are a fighting chance. But don’t back them in a shoot-out.