Bafana quartet make our Afcon team of the tournament

The Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) had a lot of highlights and will go down as one of the greatest tournaments. It was an edition filled with upsets, with hosts Ivory Coast coming from the brink of elimination to win the title. There were also players who were more instrumental than others. We pick our best XI from the just-concluded event.

Goalkeeper: Ronwen Williams (SA)

Williams, 32, kept five clean sheets in seven matches. He was the hero against Cape Verde in the quarterfinals, saving four spot kicks to earn Bafana a place in the semifinals for the first time since 2000. Williams also made an excellent save against the very same Cape Verde late in the game to deny them victory. The Mamelodi Sundowns shot-stopper eventually won the keeper of the tourney gong.

Right-back: Khuliso Mudau (SA)

Mudau used this stage to prove to himself how good he is against some of the continent’s best players. It is not surprising that he is mentioned amongst local players who are most likely to land overseas deals after their impressive showing at Afcon, alongside his Sundowns teammates Williams and Teboho Mokoena. Mudau, 28, launched a series of attacks through his unrivalled ball carrying attribute during the tournament. There was no player who dribbled pass him during the tournament. He also did well against players like Ademola Lookman and Deon Hotto, to mention a few. 

Left-back: Arthur Masuaku (DR Congo)

Masuaku, 30, was  arguably the cleanest tackler of the tournament. The left-back, who’s the property of Turkish Süper Lig club Beşiktaş, started and finished all the Leopards’ games at Afcon except for the last one, the third-place play-off against SA, where he was an unused substitution as coach Sébastien Desabre largely fielded fringe players. Masuaku scored one goal and racked up an assist.

Centre-back: Mothobi Mvala (SA) 

Mvala was rock-solid at the back for Bafana, making a number of important blocks and interceptions to ensure Bafana kept more clean sheets (five) throughout the tournament. The 29-year-old Sundowns defender also kept some of the feared strikers on the continent like his Sundowns teammate Peter Shalulile and Victor Osimhen of Nigeria at bay.

Centre-back: William Troost-Ekong (Nigeria)

Troost-Ekong was just perfect for the Super Eagles and led by example. The 30-year-old defender, who plays for Super League Greece club PAOK, helped Nigeria keep four clean sheets. Troost-Ekong also scored three crucial goals. Two of his goals were in the semifinals and in the final against SA and Ivory Coast respectively. Troost-Ekong was named the player of the tournament.

Defensive midfielder: Teboho Mokoena (SA)

Almost every SA move revolved around Mokoena. He dominated the players and was instrumental in defence. He forced teams to withdraw their best players because he was bossing the midfield. Nigeria took off Alex Iwobi  in the semifinals, while Mali had Yves Bissouma substituted after half-time in the opening match because of the 27-year-old.

Defensive midfielder: Franck Kessie (Ivory Coast)

Kessie delivered for the Elephants when it mattered the most. The 27-year-old midfielder put in two clutch displays, scoring crucial equalisers against Senegal and Nigeria in the quarterfinals and in the final. The man, who plays for Saudi Pro League club Al-Ahli, also won many midfield battles for Ivory Coast.

Right-winger: Ademola Lookman (Nigeria)

Lookman, 26, was Nigeria’s most effective offensive player at Afcon, scoring three goals with one assist. The Atalanta star’s performances inspired the Super Eagles to the final, where they eventually lost to the hosting nation, Ivory Coast. Lookman stole the shine from Osimhen, who was expected to be Nigeria’s top-scorer at Afcon.

Left-winger: Simon Adingra (Ivory Coast)

Despite only starting two matches, Adingra contributed hugely in Ivory Coast’s triumph on home soil. The 22-year-old star, who’s already scored four goals in the English Premiership for his side Brighton & Hove Albion this term, netted a 90th-minute equaliser in the round of 16 clash with Mali, which Ivory Coast would go on to win in extra-time. Adingra also assisted both of his nation’s goals in the 2-1 final win over Nigeria to clinch glory. He was named the young player of the tourney.

Forward: Emilio Nsue (Equatorial Guinea)

Nsue, who surprisingly plays as a right-back for his side CF Intercity in Spain’s third-tier, finished as the tournament’s top-scorer with five goals as Equatorial Guinea were eliminated by Guinea in the round of 16. The 34-year-old was the only player who netted a hat-trick, in the 4-2 victory over Guinea Bissau in group phase, at this Afcon. 

Forward: Gelson Dala (Angola)

Dala, 27, scored four times at Afcon. The striker, who’s on the books of Qatari side Al Wakrah, netted two braces against Mauritania and Namibia in group stages and in the round of 16 respectively. Dala also notched up one assist in Ivory Coast as Angola were eliminated by Nigeria in the quarterfinals.

Bench: Stanley Nwabili, Grant Kekana, Ghislain Konan, Seko Fofana, Sphephelo Sithole, Kamory Doumbia, Sébastien Haller, Mabululu, Ryan Mendes

Coach: Emerse Faé