Football-mad fans and the presence of Mohamed Salah can revive flagging tournament but for the fourth time in a row the original hosts – this time Cameroon – have had to be replacedSix weeks ago the notion that Egypt might host this summer’s Africa Cup of Nations had barely passed anyone’s lips. Yet Tuesday’s overwhelming decision by the Confederation of African Football’s executive committee has conferred on them that responsibility and it marks the end of a chaotic process that, quite aside from the logistical blundering that has brought about this situation, leaves the continent once again asking itself broader questions.Egypt’s candidacy was approved by a vote of 16 to one, with one abstention, a rival South African bid having...
The appointment of the Dutch duo to manage the national team has been met with scepticism but a successful trip to Comoros would help ease some of the pressureLocated at the tip of Grande Comore island in the Indian Ocean and surrounded by elegant palm trees that seem to look down on it like leafy floodlights, the Said Mohamed Cheikh Stadium is one of international football’s most picturesque venues. But when Comoros, ranked 149th in the world, host the champions of Africa on Saturday, all eyes will be on the visiting dugout, where Clarence Seedorf and his assistant manager, Patrick Kluivert, will oversee Cameroon for the first time. Related: Clarence Seedorf named Cameroon manager with Kluivert as assistant Related: World...
François Omam-Biyik’s goal and an unheralded team of journeymen defeated Diego Maradona’s world championsOf the great World Cup upsets – the USA’s victory over England in 1950, North Korea’s over Italy in 1966 and Algeria’s over West Germany in 1982 probably push it close – this one stands alone in myth and memory. It was not a perfect match but it was an irresistible narrative, as the World Cup champions, led by the great Diego Maradona, were vanquished by an unheralded team largely assembled of journeymen players from the French lower divisions – though for some of them even that was either an impossible dream or a distant memory.In the space of 90 minutes African football, once derided for being...
The goalkeeper Ikechukwu Ezenwa faces the biggest match of his Nigeria career in Friday’s qualifier against Cameroon, who have nine players unavailable in protest at their own FADiego Costa would have fainted on the spot. This summer Marcelo Bielsa took charge of Lille and quickly compiled a list of 11 players whom he did not plan to use – and then he relayed the news by text message. Between them the XI had 274 caps, with Nigeria’s Vincent Enyeama holding 101 of those. He seemed unlikely to add to that tally but now, as the Super Eagles face a critical pair of World Cup qualifiers against Cameroon, the African champions, many of his compatriots wish they could call on a...
From the standout match, player and goal through to personal highlights, disappointments and more, here is the verdict on the contest in GabonEgypt 1-2 Cameroon The best was saved until last. This was a watchable tournament throughout but, with almost an hour of the final played, Egypt appeared to be seeing it out to a conclusion that, given some of the attacking football on view from other sides, was not necessarily the most palatable. Then came an out-of-the-blue equaliser from Nicolas Nkoulou, a whirlwind of an onslaught from Cameroon in the final 30 minutes and a goal from Vincent Aboubakar that will bear replaying over and over again. All in front of a full house, largely peopled by Cameroonian expats,...