So how many real football lovers are watching the African Cup of Nations tournament? The times are great for easy viewing and everything is on SABC which is nice – makes a change from delving into DSTV or, worse, driving around, trying to find a football-loving pub to watch Leicester versus Arsenal on Sunday afternoon.
Anyway, if you love soccer you should be watching. My team was Zimbabwe – those guys never gave up and their 2-4 loss to Algeria was one of the best games so far.
Remember Algeria have in their ranks Riyad Mahrez who is African Football of the Year. Zim never gave up and Bafana’s new coach, whoever that is, should surely take some inspiration from that.
So, after a 1-0 win, Egypt reach the last eight, where they will play north African rivals Morocco here in Port-Gentil, as group winners. Hector Cuper’s side was happy to play largely on the counter after Salah’s strike but Ghana, who had already made sure of their place in the knockout stage, only threatened sporadically to make their evening more awkward.
At the back, Al Ahly’s Ahmed Hegazy was dominant all evening.
Arsenal’s Mohamed Elneny, under fire after unconvincing early performances, looked more like his old self in midfield while the addition of Abdallah Said, decisive off the bench against the Ugandans, added guile between the lines. Salah, causing problems from the right flank, was on song aside from his goal while Hull City’s Ahmed Elmohamady, given his first appearance of this tournament, offered balance and composure at right-back. At the back, Al Ahly’s Ahmed Hegazy was dominant all evening.
It has taken a while but perhaps Cuper’s Pharoahs, playing in the African Nations Cup this year for the first time since defeating the Ghanaians by the same scoreline in the 2010 final, are shaping up to be serious contenders. They will fancy their chances against a Morocco side that, while coached by ANC master Herve Renard, certainly does not match them for quality.
Win that tie and Burkina Faso or Tunisia, two good sides but perfectly beatable, will await; all of the sudden, you could make the argument that Egypt are favourites to reach the final.
Egypt vs. Ghana was the kind of game that, on a smooth surface, would have been eminently watchable — played by two technically adept teams intent on playing the ball on the floor.
Too often moves broke down due to unpredictable bounces or strange deviations, notably when Asamoah Gyan fed a breaking Andre Ayew perfectly in the first half only to see the ball sit up inconveniently to stall the move.
Perhaps, then, Egypt and Ghana are on course to meet in a final once more. Frustrating as that was, Ghana’s biggest problem may not have been the result. Gyan left the field before half-time with a groin injury, and went to hospital immediately for an MRI. It will be critical to Ghana’s hopes that their captain and talisman has not suffered the degree of damage that would keep him out for the rest of the tournament and Avram Grant (formerly of Chelsea) , who made changes to several areas of his team but persisted with Gyan in attack against Egypt, will face awkward questions if the injury proves serious.
“It doesn’t look good but Gyan is a very strong boy, he will undergo medical scans first and then we can know better,” Grant said, hardly inspiring confidence that Gyan will be fit to face DR Congo on Sunday. That will be another significant hurdle for his side although, with a full complement to pick from, Ghana would be considered favourites to progress.
Perhaps, then, Egypt and Ghana are on course to meet in a final once more. With Ivory Coast and Algeria eliminated the field is certainly lighter now and there is space for other powers to do something special.