AFCON
NIGERIA V CAMEROON: FAMILIAR FOES CONTEST AFCON 2019 QUARTER FINAL TICKET
BY MUYIWA AKINTUNDE
One of the two perennial rivals in the continent will bow out of Egypt 2019 this evening. Nigerians are hoping the victims would be the defending champions, the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon.
In the quarterfinal pairings of the ongoing tournament, Nigeria versus Cameroon is the second most frequent in AFCON history, next to Ghana against Tunisia.
This is the seventh head-to-head clashes between the neighbours while Ghana and Tunisia will be going after each others jugular for the eighth time on Monday.
Cameroon won the first three of their five African titles beating Nigeria in the final on each occasion – 1984 in Abidjan, 1988 in Rabat and 2000 in Lagos.
But the most painful and unforgettable of Cameroon’s triumphs over their neighbours was right in front of 60,000 vibrant fans when Nigeria co-hosted the 22nd AFCON with Ghana
In the epic final at the National Stadium in Surulere, the Lions silenced the home crowd within the first 31 minutes with goals by Patrick M’Boma and Samuel Eto’o Fils.
But Raphael Ndukwe Chukwu, then a striker with South African club Mamelodi Sundowns got one back on the dot of 45 minutes while Austin JayJay Okocha levelled up two minutes after the restart. In the ensuing penalty shootouts that followed the deadlock, Nigeria lost 3-4 with the penalty miss of Victor Nosa Ikpeba the most agonising.
Perhaps if VAR had then been introduced and applied, that goal would have stood and Nigeria would have lifted the trophy.
Nigeria had their own pound of flesh in Senegal 1992 beating Cameroon 2-1 to win the bronze medal and also in the quarterfinal of Tunisia 2004 winning 2-1.
Both sides settled for 1-1 at the group stage before meeting in the final of Morocco 1988.
Since that year 2000 agonising episode, the Indomitable Lions have never had the upper hand over the Super Eagles.
Most recently, Nigeria walloped their rivals 4-0 on September 1, 2017 and forced 1-1 in Yaounde three days later on their way to 2018 FIFA World Cup finals in Russia.
In 22 previous encounters, Cameroon have prevailed only four times, three of them most significant.
In Egypt 2019, Nigeria and Cameroon have failed to live up to their pre-tournament ratings.
The Super Eagles struggled to lone goal victories over Burundi and Guinea and then got shamed 0-2 by Madagascar to finish second in a group they were expected to dominate.
Cameroon, on their part, managed to deliver two second half goals to overcome Guinea-Bissau in their opening match. They then suffered goal drought playing goalless against Ghana and Benin Republic and ending up as runners-up in Group F.
Having not scored in their respective last match, Nigeria and Cameroon have to either rediscover their way to the net or go through the agony of penalty shootouts.
Later in the day, hosts Egypt will be challenged by South Africa, one of the third placed teams at the group stage.
Both sides have met only twice in AFCON with the Pharaohs winning both. At the group stage of South Africa 1996, Egypt did not spare their hosts and won 1-0.
By that time however, the Bafana Bafana had already qualified for the knockout stages as Group A winners having defeated Cameroon (3-0) and Angola (1-0), and would later travel all the way to win the title.
Egypt denied South Africa a successful defence of that title in Burkina Faso 1998 as they won 2-0 in the final.
In all meetings however, South Africa have the advantage over Egypt winning six and drawing one in 11 competitive and friendly clashes.
In Egypt 2019, the hosted finished the group stage unblemished. With no goal conceded and three wins out of three matches, they landed in the last 16 ahead of their final first round game; prolific striker Mohamed Salah and Mahmoud ‘Trezeguet’ Hassan delivering.
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On the contrary, South Africa did not have a single goal attempt in defeats to Côte d’Ivoire and Morocco in Group D while they beat neighbours Namibia by their only goal of Egypt 2019.
The winners of these matches will square up in the quarterfinals.
The Confederation of African Football has announced a major overhaul of its flagship competition, with the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) set to expand from 24 to 28 teams.
CAF President Patrice Motsepe disclosed the decision on Sunday following an executive committee meeting, describing it as part of the body’s commitment to elevating African football to global standards.
Motsepe said the expansion would create more opportunities for countries across the continent while ensuring that top African players worldwide return home to compete at the highest level.
“This is about our commitment to world-class football, bringing together the best African players from across the globe to compete on the continent,” he stated.
However, the CAF boss did not provide details on how the new 28-team format would be structured or when the expansion would take effect, leaving questions over qualification pathways and tournament scheduling.
Continuity for 2027, New Cycle from 2028
Motsepe confirmed that the 2027 AFCON will proceed as planned with co-hosts Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, maintaining the current 24-team format for that edition.
In a significant shift, CAF also announced that another AFCON tournament will be staged in 2028, after which the competition will move to a four-year cycle—aligning more closely with other major international tournaments.
CAF Nations League Introduced
In addition to AFCON reforms, CAF revealed plans to introduce an African Nations League starting from 2029. The new competition will be held annually, with a 16-team final tournament staged every two years.
The initiative is aimed at improving the competitiveness, structure and commercial value of the African national team football.
“We have to stop this situation where African fixtures are not predictable, consistent and reliable,” Motsepe said. “We must also focus on developing football in regions like East Africa, which has enormous potential.”
A New Era for African Football
The proposed changes mark one of the most ambitious restructurings of African football competitions in recent years, with CAF seeking to expand participation, enhance organisation and create a more predictable football calendar.
While details are still emerging, the decisions are expected to have far-reaching implications for national teams, qualification formats and the overall growth of the game across the continent.
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The Confederation of African Football said it would implement changes and improvements to its statutes and regulations that would ensure that the farcical scenes at January’s Africa Cup of Nations final do not happen again.
CAF president Patrice Motsepe said the changes would strengthen trust and confidence in its referees, VAR operators and judicial bodies, but did not give concrete details.
The announcement followed a meeting of CAF’s executive committee in Cairo on Sunday and came on a tumultuous day for the organisation as its general secretary resigned.
African football’s governing body has been battling a crisis of confidence after its Appeal Board stripped Senegal of the Cup of Nations title in a decision that has been met with widespread derision.
Senegal were ruled to have forfeited the final in Rabat on January 18 after walking off the pitch in protest at a potentially decisive penalty awarded to Morocco. They returned and scored a goal in extra time to win the game 1-0.
The decision is being challenged at the Court of Arbitration for Sport and if Senegal win back their title it will be a further blow to CAF’s credibility.
“CAF has taken extensive legal advice from top African and international football lawyers and experts, to ensure that the CAF statutes and regulations adhere to and implement global football best practices, on and off the field,” Motsepe said in a statement on Sunday.
“This is important for the respect, integrity and credibility of African referees, VAR operators and the CAF Disciplinary Board and Appeal Board.
“CAF is working with FIFA for the ongoing training of African referees, VAR operators and match commissioners so that they are as good as the best in the world… CAF has made significant progress over the past five years in implementing governance, ethics, transparency and managerial best practices,” the CAF president added.
More precise details on the changes and how they would avoid a repeat of the Cup of Nations final controversy were not given by Motsepe, who earlier this month admitted his organisation was struggling with perceptions about its integrity.
-Reuters
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By Kunle Solaja
The Confederation of African Football may be considering possible disciplinary measures against Senegal following reports that the country’s national team has continued to parade the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) trophy despite being stripped of the title.
The development has triggered fresh debate within African football circles, with CAF understood to be treating the matter as a potential breach of its statutes and disciplinary code.
Sources close to the continental body indicate that Senegal’s actions could be interpreted as defiance of an official ruling, raising concerns about respect for regulatory authority and the precedent such conduct may set for other member associations.
CAF is believed to be weighing a range of sanctions, which could include financial penalties, formal reprimands, or restrictions on the country’s participation in certain CAF programmes and competitions.
While no final decision has been announced, insiders suggest that the governing body is keen to send a strong message on compliance and institutional discipline.
There are also indications that CAF’s disciplinary committee may be tasked with reviewing the circumstances surrounding the continued public display of the trophy, including whether the act constitutes misconduct under its regulations.
The issue is seen as more than a symbolic dispute over silverware. Analysts argue that how CAF handles the situation will reflect its ability to enforce decisions and maintain order among its 54 member associations.
“CAF cannot afford to appear weak on matters of discipline,” a source familiar with the situation said. “If a federation openly disregards a ruling, it undermines the entire governance structure.”
CAF is expected to provide clarity on the issue during an upcoming press engagement, where its president may outline the organisation’s position and any disciplinary steps to be taken.
For Senegal, the situation presents a delicate balancing act between national pride and compliance with continental football authority. For CAF, it represents a critical test of leadership and regulatory enforcement at a time when the credibility of African football governance remains under close watch.
The coming days are likely to determine whether the matter escalates into a full disciplinary case or is resolved through diplomatic engagement behind the scenes.
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