AFCON
A New Order Emerges At AFCON As All 2021 Quarter-finalists Are Booted Out! –
BY KUNLE SOLAJA.
How are the mighty fallen is a Biblical statement that fits into the unfolding scenario at the 34th edition of the Africa Cup of Nations in Cote d’Ivoire. Those expected to reach for the skies have fallen. Those grudgingly regarded are still in the race!
As at the last matchday of Group A, hosts, Cote d’Ivoire had been written off following their 4-0 loss to assumed upstarts, Equatorial Guinea. Even the Super Eagles were grudgingly regarded as their victory over lowly ranked Guinea Bissau was through an own goal.
Record winners Egypt were misfiring and have now exited. Defending champions dusted all in the group stage and were seen as the team to beat. Just like the Super Eagles who had a perfect finish at the group stage of the 2021 edition, Senegal’s adventures terminated at the Round of 16.
It means that the ‘order’ of defending champions not having back-to-back victories is affirmed. Since Egypt won in 2010, no champion has successfully defended title.
Cote d’Ivoire rose from the brink of elimination back into reckoning. Top favourites, Morocco who handed the hosts the lifeline have surprisingly been eliminated.
Now the initial field of 24 has been narrowed to eight. Incidentally, all the eight teams at the last edition have also been eliminated.
Tunisia who shockingly ousted initial favourites, Nigeria at the 2021 edition could not even navigate their ways out of the group stage.
Another 2021 quarter-finalists, The Gambia finished bottom in Group C this time around. Cameroon got eliminated by their perennial nemesis, the Super Eagles at the Round of 16.
Burkina Faso got eliminated by their neighbours, Mali while Egypt and Morocco who were quarter-finalists at Cameroon 2021 have also been been eliminated.
The eight-team field to the title match is now narrowed to five from West Africa, two from Southern Africa while only DR Congo holds the flag for Central Africa.
The title race resumes on Friday as Nigeria take on Angola while DR Congo play against Guinea. On Saturday, Mali will take on Cote d’Ivoire while Cape Verde take on South Africa.
The on-going CAF AFCON Cote d’Ivoire 2023 Coaches Symposium in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire has brought together, the last three coaches that handled the Nigeria national football team.
Gernot Rohr, Jose Peseiro and Austin Eguavoen are part of the the elite coaches currently gathered in Abidjan.
Gernot Rohr whose tenure of 5 years and 55 matches is the longest ever by any coach in Nigeria, is currently handling Nigeria’s Africa Cupof Nations and World Cup qualifying rivals, Benin Republic. He was succeeded in the interim by Austin Eguavoen who is currently having another interim stint.
Peseiro left his position after the Africa Cup of Nations
The goalless outing of Rwanda and Nigeria in Tuesday’s Africa Cup of Nations’ qualifying match has thrown up some lessons, according to New Times, the leading newspaper in Rwanda.
New Times reckons that both teams put up a great show as Amavubi showed their pedigree against one of the giants in African football. It then pointed out the five elements that shaped the game.
Amavubi played with total confidence
No African country comes close to Nigeria in terms of “big players” country. Almost all their players are playing for top clubs in Europe’s top leagues but that did not deter Frank Spittler’s men.
They played with total confidence and self-belief. At a point in the game, Rwanda and APR FC left-back Claude Niyomugabo was mesmerizing former Chelsea and Lazio player Ola Aina who is now with Nottingham forest to the point that he was booked his jersey when he couldn’t match his pace.
Confidence among Rwandan players was high and it helped them to get goalless draw results.
Bizimana, the midfield controller
The Amavubi skipper pocketed Nigerian midfield led by Wilfred Ndidi. He run a one-man show in the middle of the pitch as he was unplayable.
His passes and tackles were superb. He track-backed several times as deep as his own penalty box to win balls.
Lookman’s danger left Rwandan defense shaking
Victor Osimhen is arguably Nigeria’s star man but it is clear that Ademola Lookman is the most dangerous player in the team.
He could hold on the ball, dribble, shoot and pass. The Atalanta winger was the best player for the visitors as he gave Amavubi a tough time before being substituted in the 89th minute for Taiwo Awoniyi.
Amavubi’s attacking problem
“The only problem with my team is in attack. You could see the difference between my attackers and the Nigerian attackers but that is what we have now. Maybe it is the Nigerian attackers who should have played against the Nigerian defenders. We created some chances but couldn’t score.”
These were some of the comments made by Amavubi head coach Torsten Spittler in the post-match press conference.
Rwanda looked solid both at the back and in midfield but the likes of Innocent Nshuti and Gilbert Mugisha weren’t up to the task in attack.
They wasted three good chances that could have resulted in goals.
Goal scoring is a problem for Amavubi and Spittler is ready to find an antidote. The German gaffer was, however, happy that his team was able to create chances which is a sign of improvement.
Fiacre Ntwari’s heroics
The Amavubi shot stopper was the hero of the day for Rwanda, and he has showed why he is among the best goalkeepers in Africa now.
Against a rampaging Nigerian attack of Victor Boniface, Osimhen, Lookman, Awoniyi and Samuel Chukwueze among others, Ntwari pulled as many as nine superb saves to keep his side in the game.
The Kaizer Chiefs shot stopper was very cool in the posts as he prevented the Nigerian attackers from scoring.
Ntwari, is gradually carving a niche for himself and he is proving to be a key component of the Amavubi set up.
BY KUNLE SOLAJA
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has clarified the position of interim manager of the Super Eagles, Austin Eguavoen. “He is still in charge”, the NFF Head of Communications, Ademola Olajire told Sports Village Square, this Wednesday.
Austin Eguavoen who is the Technical Director at the NFF was drafted to handle the Super Eagles when the negotiation with Germany’s Bruno Labbadia broke down. Eguavoen, a former Super Eagles player and later coach was drafted to rescue the situation.
It was claimed that having executed the Super Eagles’ immediate assignments, his job was done. But the NFF spokesman has clarified that nothing has changed from the initial announcement concerning Eguavoen.
“He remains with the team and his is an employee of the NFF which has drafted him to the Super Eagles. He remains there until the federation takes another decision.
“He was surprised when we landed from our Kigali trip and I showed the trending news on the social media.”
The Super Eagles’ next assignment will be on MatchDay 3 of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers next month when the team hosts Libya in Uyo.
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