AFCON
Neither hosts, Cote d’Ivoire nor champions, Senegal will win AFCON 2023
BY KUNLE SOLAJA.
With 25 days to the kick-off of the 34th edition of the Africa Cup of Nations, veteran Ivorian football journalist, Mamadou Gaye has predicted that both Cote d’Ivoire and Senegal will not win the competition.
Both countries, hosts and defending champions respectively, are among the giants of African football.
Yet, they have not been impressive in the premier African football championship. Cote d’Ivoire, the hosts, have just two titles in the preceding editions having won in 1992 and 2015.
Senegal which in the recent time have dominated African football as defending champions of the Africa Cup of Nations as well as current holders of the African Nations Championship (CHAN) and both the U-20 and U-17 titles just have one AFCON title to their name.
According to Gaye, a very familiar face on television across Africa, Cote d’Ivoire has a coach who does not understand the dynamics of African football.
The coach is 70-year old Jean-Louis Gasset a French former midfielder who was appointed in May 2022. Gaye, himself an Ivorian believes that the employment of the old coach who is having his first experience in Africa, was influenced by a group of players who consequently have great influence on him.
According to Gaye who spoke to Sports Village Square at the Movenpick Hotel in Marrakech, Morocco remarked that the players dictate to the old man, the choice of squad.
“This will backfire at some point. In Africa, you need to have experienced coach who understands the dynamics of the game.”
To Gaye, Cote d’Ivoire may struggle to get to the semi-finals, but he was sure they will not be contesting for the title.
As for the defending champions, Senegal, Gaye remarked that in spite of the Lions sweeping all titles across the age-graded competions as well as the African Nations Championship which is for players in the domestic leagues, the core team, the Terranga Lions is composed of ageing players.
“But they still believe thay are the best of the bests in the continent. With such attitude, it is a recipe for disaster”, remarked Gaye.
“They are forgetting the surprise factor in a tournament like this.” Gaye said that the surprise element couple with a shade of luck combined to see Senegal lifting the African title for the first time last year in Cameroon.
“The current squad does not have what it takes to retain the title. In Africa, it is not easy to retain the AFCON title.”
In 66 year history of the tournament, only three countries have been able to win back-to-back. They are Ghana in 1965 after winning the previous one in 1963; then Cameroon in 2000 and 2002 and Egypt in 2006, 2008 and 2010.
What a turn-around! After four previous competitive matches without a win, the Super Eagles have regained their winning mentality after a 3-0 defeat of Benin Republic in their opening 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying series.
The win also put the Super Eagles at the top of the Group D after both Libya and Rwanda played 1-1 draw last Thursday.
It is also the biggest win by the Super Eagles since their 2023 6-0 win over Sao Tome & Principe last year September.
Great man Ademola Lookman, he put in two goals straightening the possibility of his emerging as 2024 African Footballer of the Year.
The current title holder, Victor Osimhen proved his mettle coming off the bench in the second half to double Nigeria’s lead after Lookman’s late first half goal.
The Super Eagles will now honour their next fixture against Rwanda on Tuesday with the hope of consolidating their lead.
Benin Republic with no points and a deficit of three goals are rooted at the bottom of the log.
BY JOSEPH ODOEKWU
The National Chairman of the Nigerian Football Supporters Club (NFSC), Rev. Samuel Ikpea has called on all Nigerians to rally round and pray for the Super Eagles ahead of Saturday’s Morocco 2025 AFCON qualifier against Benin Republic in Uyo.
Ikpea who is mobilizing support for the Super Eagles ahead of the clash in Uyo said that whatever Benin Republic come with both spiritually and physically in the game, we will surely overcome them.
“In the NFSC we have Christians, Muslims as well as those who believe in traditional worship and we respect the rights of freedom of worship of every member and all Nigerians.
“When we are faced with this kind of crucial game, we call on everyone to pray through their various believes because we foresee that Benin Republic are most likely coming to fall back on ‘black magic’ to enable them perfect a back-to-back victory over our Super Eagles after beating us 2-1 in our last meeting in a World Cup qualifier”
“We cannot underestimate the efficacy of the black magic” Ikpea further stressed, “but we believe that when we come together we can neutralize it’s efficacy.
“This is no time to sleep, we all have to rally round and do our best to support our Super Eagles because they cannot do it alone without the prayers and support of all Nigerians.
“While charging Nigerians to be positive with the team, we at the NFSC have done everything positive to overturn whatever plans they are coming with and we enjoin everyone to toe that path through prayers”.
Meanwhile, the Super Eagles camp is bubbling with training in Uyo, as team Coach Austin Eguavoen, has been working hard to perfect tactics with the boys and ensure the Super Eagles soar on Saturday.
The Super Eagles have not won a qualifying match for any competition since their 6-0 defeat of Principe & Sao Tome on 10th September 2023 in Uyo. That was their last qualifying match for Cote d’Ivoire 2023 played in 2024.
Since then, they have played four World Cup qualifying matches without a win despite being the overwhelming favourites at those matches.
A forensic analysis of their World Cup qualifying since that of Qatar 2022 will reveal they had played seven consecutive matches without a win starting from their 1-1 home draw with Cape Verde in Lagos which qualified them for the play off. In the play off with Ghana, the Super Eagles drew the two matches.
In the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, they have gone four matches, getting three draws and a loss. The prospect of their getting a straight qualification from the group is doubtful as they have a mountain to climb by winning the remaining six matches, three of which are away duels of which are most likely to be played in South Africa, the home ground of their main rivals.
Zimbabwe and Lesotho play their home matches in South Africa and Nigeria also still have an away duel with Bafana Bafana.
The qualification series of AFCON 2025 presents the Super Eagles a new beginning. Starting from the semi-finals of the AFCON in Cote d’Ivoire, the team has won none of their four competitive matches in regulation time. The players have a date with destiny in Uyo this Saturday to wipe off the sagging image they have had in recent time.
A win will give the team the confidence expected in anticipation for future fixtures.
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