The African Nations Cup thread

Group A: Tunisia, DR Congo, Guinea, Rwanda
Group B: Senegal, Burkina Faso, Kenya, Mali
Group C: Cameroon, Algeria, Egypt, Zimbabwe
Group D: Nigeria, Benin, Morocco, South Africa

Good to see that Doctor Congo is playing again too.

Eurosport used to show sumo wrestling too, which I love, but I've only been back with Sky for a few weeks, so I don't know if they still do.

The last African Nations Cup was among the dullest international tournaments I've ever seen.

kanoute on fire!!

plucky underdogs coming up trumps left, right and centre!!!

GAVIN PEACOCK!!!!

this competition has everything, including some ace pitchside advertising, wouldn't you just love world cup 2010 to be in libya? also what is "Fa Fa Fa Fa" (just behind the left hand goal at all the matches i've seen so far)?

the algerian's winner was a corker of a goal too, although matty holland comparing it to maradonna was possibly a *little* over the top...

And I haven't even mentioned the 5-3!

also: Senagal wuz robbed!

No thread for this year, so I'll revive this one.

I've seen more this year than in previous ones - or at least enough to make it worthwhile. Tournament has been dominated by second half yellow cards, I think there were seven in yesterday's Ghana/Mali game, but a large number of boring defensive games. Highlight thus far is undoubtedly Ethiopia's keeper being sent off while being stretchered off the pitch, following him kung-fu kicking a Zambian forward in the chest. Ethiopia were denied a goal in the first half after an absolutely ridiculous bounce of the ball when their forward lobbed the Zambian keeper.

Zambia have just drawn with Nigeria, their keeper scored a penalty with 5 minutes to go and saved one from John Obi Mikel in the first half. You can keep your Eden Hazards.

I read that Ethiopia, who have no Europe-based players except one in the Swedish league, were playing an attractive passing game, any truth to that? I love watching sides that are completely unknown quantities but can still play a bit, cf North Korea at the last WC.

Ethiopia were by far the better side in their first match and did play really nice football, but played for an hour with 10 men which curtailed their game a bit - that said, Zambia were dreadful at the back and should have been punished heavily. I'd guess if there's a result in tonight's Ethiopia/Burkina Faso game then the winner of that will top the group, especially if it's Ethiopa as Nigeria look woeful.

South Africa's group (them, Cape Verde, Morocco, Angola) has probably been the dullest, Ghana's the one with the most fouls. Ivory Coast/Tunisia tomorrow will decide the winner of the group as those two are easily the best two teams in it.

Burkina 1-0 up at half time, but they've hit the post and passed the ball around beautifully. Unfortunately they've had to substitute both players who look likely to get them goals through injury, the first appears to have had a sudden pain in the cock after 3 minutes (nobody around him, completely off the ball) which he struggled with for 5 more before leaving the field in tears. This is the worst pitch in the competition though - it looked dry as concrete, with about as much grass, during the Nigeria game which they've 'cured' by dumping a couple of tons of sand on it.

Burkina's keeper gets a straight red, he's come for the ball and completely forgotten there's a thing called a penalty area. A country mile outside of the box.

Read this article the other day, it's on one of Ethiopia's forwards who grew up in the US. Doesn't look to have gotten on the field much yet if at all but it's an interesting story.

http://edition.cnn.com/2013/01/18/sport/football/football-africa-cup-nations-ethiopia-fuad-ibrahim/index.html

but they've hit the post and passed the ball around beautifully. Unfortunately they've had to substitute both players who look likely to get them goals through injury,

is "they" here Burkina or Ethiopia?

Sorry, they is Ethiopia.

And as I type that, Burkina have a second.

End up with 4, naked men protesting on the pitch.

Ethiopia's goalkeeper just got red carded for a challenge on Victor Moses & all the subs have already been made.

Yeah, it's always heartwarming to see an outfield player pull on a keeper's jersey. Got pretty close to the penalty as well.

togo through after a draw with tunisia. no north african teams make it out of the groups.

They've all been scrap, that might be why. Algeria's performance this afternoon against Cote D'D'Ivoire might well be the best any if them have played all tournament.

First time I've seen anything of this year's tourney. Nigeria looking v good in the 1st semi vs Mali, just taken the lead. Had managed to forget about the vuvuzelas.

3-0 and it's not even half-time yet.

This was meant to be the close semi final.

Moses causing merry havoc down the right wing all half.

Nigeria have been very average up till now, only coming to life in the Ivory Coast match where neither side were that convincing. Mali came back from 3-0 down in the 2010 semi so it's not over yet by any means.

Fancy Burkina to take Ghana in the other semi.

4-0

looked offside tbf

Haha I am the kiss of death. Both of them looked like there was something wrong with them but they're all on the scoreboard.

pens in the other semi.

vorsah goes first for ghana and shanks it about 3 yards wide, lol

burkina faso win! Some shameful pens in that shootout tho'.

I forgot that Eurosport (exists) are showing this. DR Congo (Bolasie plays for them) and Tunisia about to play on TV now. Group B has every team on 2 pts! Anyone been following this?

O'Neills make DR Congo's jerseys lol

The last six finals have produced a cumulative total of three goals. Nil nil at 90 minutes this time.

Terrific goal from Balde.

Ah, VAR to Egypt’s rescue.

Algeria in real trouble here.

Algeria in real trouble here.

Iwobi bringing a touch of Everton to Nigeria’s AFCON campaign, coming on to replace a player on a yellow card and getting a straight red four minutes later. Nigeria, Algeria and Ghana all out now.

Comoros have a defender in goal as all their keepers have COVID.

And down to ten men after five minutes.

these refs are absolutely fucking atrocious

var -> penalty -> var -> red card -> repeat ad nauseam

The red was harsh but I could see it being given elsewhere. The penalties and cheap yellows adding up to reds have been a huge problem, though. There were two really soft second yellows earlier.

Not sure Comoros going with the guy who’s 5’8” as their stand in keeper was wise.

it's like they don't take force of challenge into account at all. if the bottom of your foot contacts an opponent at any speed, accidentally or otherwise, yer off son

fucking ban slo-mo in var and all

Just rolling back to say come on Super Scorpions! (I've spent a fair bit of time in The Gambia; lovely to see them getting so far.)

well they got goal of the tournament possibly sewn up at least

Fuck.

BBC reporting 6 people killed in crush at game tonight.

Crazy to give a red card for that. Completely accidental.

Let’s see if Senegal can get a shot on target vs nine men, having failed against ten.

gonna have to start invoking the c-word soon

actually having seen, the second one's more a red than the first imo, first def fits the 'sole of foot makes contact yer off', second one is wild and reckless goalkeeping, had to go

It’s obviously reckless goalkeeping but isn’t really ‘dangerous play’ and was a genuine attempt to win the ball, imo.

it's less a red for the dangerous nature of the collision and more for the 'keeper charges out of box, gets man not ball' thing, which is almost universally a red unless it's out on the wing, which isn't so much the case here

great malawi goal

Hakimi with the stunning free kick he has been threatening.

Burkina Faso deservedly through to the semis. Tunisia were really poor.

COME ON MOROCCO

C’mon Onana. I’m not watching Egypt do this again in the final.

Aaagh.

Horrendous pens

Yeah, you could have put the mortgage on Moukoudi and N’Jie not scoring just from their run-ups.

It was written in the stars that Mo and Sadio would meet in the final. So why I put that pre-tournament tenner on Morocco I'll never know

If Egypt win this, having scored three goals in six matches, excluding the one in extra time, I will be extremely mad. Greece managed six in 2004.

Get in sadio lad!!!!

I don’t think anyone fucked about with their run-ups - take note Cameroon!

lol where the fuck are these cunts taking the trophy