Sello Rabothata
Sello Rabothata
The Ghana 2008 MTN Africa Cup of Nations is now in full swing in this west African country and already fans are riding a roller- coaster of emotions with the action dished out so far.
From that breathtaking opening ceremony at the Ohene Djan stadium in Accra on Sunday evening to the first game between hosts Ghana and Guinea, the script couldn't have been better written.
For those who missed this occasion for some reason or other, do not despair as the African Soccer Television crew was on hand to capture the scenes which will be screened on SABC Sport's Laduma programme on Sunday afternoon.
On learning that the opening ceremony at this continental showpiece was coordinated by a South African company, pride filled our hearts and gave so much hope of our capabilities and for the coming 2010 Fifa World Cup we are to host.
On the footballing side the hosting Black Stars couldn't have wished for a better start than the 2-1 victory over Guinea, albeit after being stretched to the full and only escaping in the last minute through a Sulley Muntari scorcher.
For the Cosafa region, it was a start best forgotten following Namibia's 5-1 pasting by rampant Morocco to complete the Group A openers.
Nigeria was left in shock in Sekondi when an uncompromising Didier Drogba and Salomon Kalou led Ivory Coast to a well deserved 2-1 victory.
The star-studded Super Eagles now have their work cut out as Mali made sure of the three points with a 1-0 win over Benin in their Group B opener.
But the talk of the opening games was focused on the clash of Group C's titans, Egypt and Cameroon.
Defending champions Egypt made football look so easy in the first half that Cameroon's Indomitable Lions found themselves trailing by three goals to nil.
Try as they might in the second half, the west African giants, led by Samuel Eto'o, failed to recover, eventually going down 4-2. Matters were compounded by a rampant display by fellow Group C rivals the Chipolopolo of Zambia.
Afcon is in full swing
Sello Rabothata
Sello Rabothata
The Ghana 2008 MTN Africa Cup of Nations is now in full swing in this west African country and already fans are riding a roller- coaster of emotions with the action dished out so far.
From that breathtaking opening ceremony at the Ohene Djan stadium in Accra on Sunday evening to the first game between hosts Ghana and Guinea, the script couldn't have been better written.
For those who missed this occasion for some reason or other, do not despair as the African Soccer Television crew was on hand to capture the scenes which will be screened on SABC Sport's Laduma programme on Sunday afternoon.
On learning that the opening ceremony at this continental showpiece was coordinated by a South African company, pride filled our hearts and gave so much hope of our capabilities and for the coming 2010 Fifa World Cup we are to host.
On the footballing side the hosting Black Stars couldn't have wished for a better start than the 2-1 victory over Guinea, albeit after being stretched to the full and only escaping in the last minute through a Sulley Muntari scorcher.
For the Cosafa region, it was a start best forgotten following Namibia's 5-1 pasting by rampant Morocco to complete the Group A openers.
Nigeria was left in shock in Sekondi when an uncompromising Didier Drogba and Salomon Kalou led Ivory Coast to a well deserved 2-1 victory.
The star-studded Super Eagles now have their work cut out as Mali made sure of the three points with a 1-0 win over Benin in their Group B opener.
But the talk of the opening games was focused on the clash of Group C's titans, Egypt and Cameroon.
Defending champions Egypt made football look so easy in the first half that Cameroon's Indomitable Lions found themselves trailing by three goals to nil.
Try as they might in the second half, the west African giants, led by Samuel Eto'o, failed to recover, eventually going down 4-2. Matters were compounded by a rampant display by fellow Group C rivals the Chipolopolo of Zambia.