Afcon redeems itself with flair
FOOTBALL isn't just about quality, sometimes it's also about excitement and the creation of memories, and the group stages of the Afcon provided two moments that will live forever in the minds of those who witnessed them.
HEMMED IN: Gabon's Pierre Emerick Aubameyang, centre, is challenged by Tunisia's Khalil Chammem, right, and Houcine Ragued during their Africa Cup of Nations Group C match at Franceville Stadium in Gabon on Tuesday.
Photo: ReutersIn that regard, this tournament already outstrips the desperately disappointing affair in Angola two years ago, which went down in history for the deadly attack on the Togo team and very little else.
The first of those moments came in Bata. Equatorial Guinea had just conceded a last-minute equaliser to Senegal when the ball was rolled square to Kily, 25 yards out.
The right-back, who plays in the fourth-flight in Spain, must have been exhausted, having shuttled up and down the flank from start to finish, but from somewhere he found a powerful shot that arced into the top corner and took the co-hosts through to the quarterfinal on a flood of emotion.
Two days later came the sequel, and it was even better, a wonderfully attacking game between Gabon and Morocco.
Two goals within 36 seconds of playing time tipped the game from Morocco to the co-hosts, but then Morocco equalised with a last-minute penalty - and credit to the Gambian ref Bakary Gassama for having the courage to give it despite the noisy home crowd. And then, seven minutes into injury time, Bruno Mbanangoye whipped a free-kick into the top corner to give Gabon the win and cap perhaps the finest match seen in any international tournament in the past decade.
Ghana and Ivory Coast aside, nobody has really been burdened by expectation, and with fewer giants there has been less reason for the mid-ranking teams to fear humiliation.
Guinea played with great verve, took their place in the record books with a 6-1, but ended up eliminated thanks to their 1-0 defeat in an engaging game against Mali. Senegal were the great disappointment, undone by a forward-heavy squad that was exposed by a canny Zambia in a shambolic opening half-hour.
Ghana did enough to qualify comfortably, as did Ivory Coast. Only the knockout stages will tell us whether there is a team here of the quality of Egypt in 2008 or Cameroon, 2000.
Andrew5
Very true my brother, the Gabon - Morocco game was one of the best i've ever watched in recent timesReport Abuse
PHUMA_LANGA_SIKOTHE
just enjoy any game involving Gabon. No 9 Aubameyang & 10 captain Cousin a marvel to watch!Report Abuse
