AFCON
Cote d’Ivoire savour AFCON triumph but future is unclear –
Cote d’Ivoire’s stunning Africa Cup of Nations triumph was a fitting end to the most thrilling edition of the tournament in recent memory but the manner of their victory makes it impossible to imagine what the long-term impact could be.
The Elephants really should have been eliminated from their own competition in the group stage after losing 4-0 to Equatorial Guinea on January 22, their heaviest ever home defeat.
That would have made them just the second host country in 30 years to go out of the AFCON in the group stage, but instead they squeezed through as the last of the four best third-placed teams.
Their group-stage showing led to the departure of veteran French coach Jean-Louis Gasset, who had been in charge since May 2022.
He was replaced by Emerse Fae, a former Ivorian international who had never coached before.
Yet Fae oversaw an incredible turnaround in the team’s fortunes, as the Ivorians came from behind to beat holders Senegal in the last 16 and overcame a 1-0 deficit with 10 men to beat Mali in the quarter-finals.
After beating the Democratic Republic of Congo 1-0 in the last four, it felt somehow inevitable that they would win the final, and it was apt that they came from behind to beat Nigeria 2-1 to lift the trophy.
“We are miracle survivors, but I think we had to go through everything we went through to understand that it all could end at any moment,” said midfielder Seko Fofana.
“Take the example of Senegal, who had won all their games and then got knocked out by us. We were in difficulty, with two defeats in the group stage. We adapted to a difficult context and did what we had to do to make the country proud.”
Haller comeback story
It also felt fitting that the match-winner in the semi-final and final should be Sebastien Haller, given how remarkable the Borussia Dortmund striker’s own story has been.
A year ago he was just returning to action after treatment for testicular cancer. Seen as the leader of the Ivorian team here, he suffered an ankle injury with his club in December and played no part during the group stage.
It is Ivory Coast’s third Cup of Nations triumph, putting them level with Nigeria and behind only Egypt, Cameroon and Ghana as teams with the most victories.
Ivorians will feel a sense of pride at their victory as well as with the success of the tournament, which with 119 goals scored was more prolific than either of the two previous editions since the AFCON was expanded to 24 teams.
An average of 2.29 goals per game was the highest at a Cup of Nations since 2012.
The focus remained entirely on the football, two years after the AFCON in Cameroon was marred by a deadly crush at the Olembe Stadium in Yaounde which left eight people dead.
“They all have a special taste, but you have to say that there is nothing more beautiful than winning an AFCON at home,” said Max-Alain Gradel, the only survivor along with Serge Aurier from the last Ivorian team to win the title in 2015.
“I don’t think we could have dreamed of a better outcome.”
What next?
It remains to be seen if Fae will keep the job permanently, something he had refused to discuss before the final.
“The truth is that I asked those in charge not to talk to us about what is going to happen after the competition,” said the French-born Fae.
Whoever is in charge going forward, the Elephants, Africa’s eighth-ranked side, should build on their AFCON success to qualify for the 2026 World Cup.
They already top a group containing Kenya, Gabon, Burundi, Gambia, and Seychelles as they aim to become one of nine African nations to advance directly to the expanded 48-team tournament.
Before that they are supposed to defend their Cup of Nations crown in Morocco next year.
The only question, and not a small one, is when exactly that AFCON will take place, something Confederation of African Football president Patrice Motsepe refused to confirm last week.
Morocco is preparing to host the competition in June and July next year, but a clash with FIFA’s new, expanded Club World Cup could yet mean it gets brought forward to January and February.
-AFP
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.
What a goal-laden day for Nigeria; Falconets also win with wide margin!
Hurray, Super Eagles back to winning ways!
‘Oh Come All Ye Faithful!’, Rev Ikpea calls on football fans to rally round Super Eagles
Breaking! Uzoho suspended from Super Eagles’ next match with Sierra Leone
No longer Super League as CAF changes name of its new clubs competition
AIU releases its report on Tobi Amusan
-
TRANSFER MARKET3 days agoPoints of Interest as Napoli’s coach apologises to Victor Osimhen
-
Badminton1 week agoAmerican beats Nigeria’s Segun Obasanjo
-
TRANSFER MARKET1 week agoTransfer market still bubbling as Chelsea agents lands in Napoli for Osimhen
-
TRANSFER MARKET1 week agoBREAKING! Osimhen is left stranded! Future remains uncertain
-
TRANSFER MARKET5 days agoLukaku pays respect to Osimhen
-
Nigerian Football1 week agoAs in 1974 , 1995 and 2005 another coach, Labbadia disappears from Nigeria’s national team job
-
PARALYMPICS5 days agoHow Mikano powered Eniola to Nigeria’s first medal at Paris 2024
-
AFCON1 week agoInterim Commander, Eguavoen opens up on his plans for Super Eagles