AFCON
A to Z of Africa Cup of Nations Cote d’Ivoire 2023
BY KUNLE SOLAJA.
The Africa Cup of Nations holding in Cote d’Ivoire in January is the 34th edition and marks the second time the competition will hold in that country. Cote d’Ivoire last hosted the competition in 1984.
CHANGING FACES OF AFCON
It is the third edition to feature a 24-team format. The competition at the beginning in 1957 had irregular format. Three countries were in attendance at the inaugural edition in 1957 and that of 1959.
It increased to four in 1952 and six in 1963. From 1968 in Ethiopia to 1990 in Algeria, an eight-team format became the tradition.
The edition in Senegal in 1992 began a 12-team format which ended at the following edition in Tunisia 1994. The 1996 edition saw the introduction of a 16-team format, although 15 featured following the withdrawal of Nigeria.
The 16-team format ran till Gabon 2017. Since Egypt 2019, it has been a 24-team fiesta.
From Ethiopia 1968 edition, the competition attained a regular interval of two years and in the even-numbered years.
SWITCH TO ODD NUMBERED YEARS
However, CAF decided to abandoned the even-numbered year tournament for an odd-numbered one in 2013, hence, there was a back-to-back edition of 2012 and 2013. Before 2013, the last time the competition held in an odd-numbered year was Tunisia 1965.
The essence of switching to odd-numbered years was to avoid holding any edition in the same year as the FIFA World Cup. Ten years on, the calendar for the competition had not taken any definite pattern. The 2021 edition was held in 2022 just as the 2023 edition will hold in 2024.
The calendar is expected to be normalised with Morocco 2025 – Again as in 2012 and 2013, the competition will be held in back-to-back years.
HOST NATIONS JINXED
For 17 years and spanning eight editions, hosts countries have not won the Africa Cup of Nations. The last hosts to win were the Egyptians in 2006. When they hosted again in 2019, they did not even get podium finish.
If it is stretched back to 1992, a period of 31 years and 16 editions, only three host nations have won – South Africa 1996, Tunisia 2004 and Egypt 2006.
The on-going CAF AFCON Cote d’Ivoire 2023 Coaches Symposium in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire has brought together, the last three coaches that handled the Nigeria national football team.
Gernot Rohr, Jose Peseiro and Austin Eguavoen are part of the the elite coaches currently gathered in Abidjan.
Gernot Rohr whose tenure of 5 years and 55 matches is the longest ever by any coach in Nigeria, is currently handling Nigeria’s Africa Cupof Nations and World Cup qualifying rivals, Benin Republic. He was succeeded in the interim by Austin Eguavoen who is currently having another interim stint.
Peseiro left his position after the Africa Cup of Nations
The goalless outing of Rwanda and Nigeria in Tuesday’s Africa Cup of Nations’ qualifying match has thrown up some lessons, according to New Times, the leading newspaper in Rwanda.
New Times reckons that both teams put up a great show as Amavubi showed their pedigree against one of the giants in African football. It then pointed out the five elements that shaped the game.
Amavubi played with total confidence
No African country comes close to Nigeria in terms of “big players” country. Almost all their players are playing for top clubs in Europe’s top leagues but that did not deter Frank Spittler’s men.
They played with total confidence and self-belief. At a point in the game, Rwanda and APR FC left-back Claude Niyomugabo was mesmerizing former Chelsea and Lazio player Ola Aina who is now with Nottingham forest to the point that he was booked his jersey when he couldn’t match his pace.
Confidence among Rwandan players was high and it helped them to get goalless draw results.
Bizimana, the midfield controller
The Amavubi skipper pocketed Nigerian midfield led by Wilfred Ndidi. He run a one-man show in the middle of the pitch as he was unplayable.
His passes and tackles were superb. He track-backed several times as deep as his own penalty box to win balls.
Lookman’s danger left Rwandan defense shaking
Victor Osimhen is arguably Nigeria’s star man but it is clear that Ademola Lookman is the most dangerous player in the team.
He could hold on the ball, dribble, shoot and pass. The Atalanta winger was the best player for the visitors as he gave Amavubi a tough time before being substituted in the 89th minute for Taiwo Awoniyi.
Amavubi’s attacking problem
“The only problem with my team is in attack. You could see the difference between my attackers and the Nigerian attackers but that is what we have now. Maybe it is the Nigerian attackers who should have played against the Nigerian defenders. We created some chances but couldn’t score.”
These were some of the comments made by Amavubi head coach Torsten Spittler in the post-match press conference.
Rwanda looked solid both at the back and in midfield but the likes of Innocent Nshuti and Gilbert Mugisha weren’t up to the task in attack.
They wasted three good chances that could have resulted in goals.
Goal scoring is a problem for Amavubi and Spittler is ready to find an antidote. The German gaffer was, however, happy that his team was able to create chances which is a sign of improvement.
Fiacre Ntwari’s heroics
The Amavubi shot stopper was the hero of the day for Rwanda, and he has showed why he is among the best goalkeepers in Africa now.
Against a rampaging Nigerian attack of Victor Boniface, Osimhen, Lookman, Awoniyi and Samuel Chukwueze among others, Ntwari pulled as many as nine superb saves to keep his side in the game.
The Kaizer Chiefs shot stopper was very cool in the posts as he prevented the Nigerian attackers from scoring.
Ntwari, is gradually carving a niche for himself and he is proving to be a key component of the Amavubi set up.
BY KUNLE SOLAJA
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has clarified the position of interim manager of the Super Eagles, Austin Eguavoen. “He is still in charge”, the NFF Head of Communications, Ademola Olajire told Sports Village Square, this Wednesday.
Austin Eguavoen who is the Technical Director at the NFF was drafted to handle the Super Eagles when the negotiation with Germany’s Bruno Labbadia broke down. Eguavoen, a former Super Eagles player and later coach was drafted to rescue the situation.
It was claimed that having executed the Super Eagles’ immediate assignments, his job was done. But the NFF spokesman has clarified that nothing has changed from the initial announcement concerning Eguavoen.
“He remains with the team and his is an employee of the NFF which has drafted him to the Super Eagles. He remains there until the federation takes another decision.
“He was surprised when we landed from our Kigali trip and I showed the trending news on the social media.”
The Super Eagles’ next assignment will be on MatchDay 3 of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers next month when the team hosts Libya in Uyo.
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