Sports

Afcon: Some African Nations Cup records you probably didn’t know

Published

4 months ago

January 8, 2024

With the 2023 African Cup of Nations (Afcon) tournament set to kick off in Ivory Coast, some major records will be up for obliteration while new ones will be set.

That has always been the norm whenever the tournament comes around, and the 37th edition of the African “Mundial” will not be an exception.

However, there are records you probably did not know about or took particular notice of.

Africanewswatch.com brings you the Afcon records in no particular order.

South Africa is the only team to exit the AFCON with no win, no draw and no goal in 2006.

Cameroon has recorded the most clean sheets in a single tournament— six in 2002 edition)

Nigeria has found a place on the podium a record 15 times at the tournament which comprises of three gold medals, four silver medals and eight bronze medals.

Ghana – in 1963, and South Africa – 1996, are the only teams to have hosted and won the tournament in their debut appearance.

Egypt has played the most matches in the tournament finals, with a total of 107 matches.

Egypt, in 1957, Ghana, in 1963 and South Africa in 1996, are the only teams to have won the tournament in their debut appearance.

Egypt is the only team to win three consecutive Africa Cup of Nations finals in 2006, 2008 and 2010.

Egypt has appeared in the most final matches of the tournament, with 10 appearances and seven wins

Tunisia is the team with the most consecutive appearances at the Africa Cup of Nations, with 16 from 1994 to 2023

Egypt has the longest penalty shoot-out winning streak in the tournament’s history, with six consecutive victories starting from 1986. The streak was however, ended after 35 years when they lost 4-2 on penalties to Senegal in 2022 in Cameroon.

The highest attendance during a game was 120, 000 recorded at the Cairo stadium when Egypt took on Cameroon in the final in 1986.

Most goals scored in a single match was Egypt 6-3 Nigeria in 1963

Longest penalty shootout was Ivory Coast v Cameroon 12-11 in the 2006 final.

Highest winning margin: Ivory Coast 6-1 Ethiopia in 1970

Most goals in a single tournament: 102 in Egypt 2019, under the 24-team system

Longest unbeaten streak: Egypt (24 matches) from 2004 to 2017 finals, where they lost 1-2 to Cameroon.

Related Topics:AFCON Featured Football history Tournament

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Sports

Al Ahly, Esperance to clash in CAF Champions League final

Published

1 day ago

April 27, 2024

Akanimoh Etim

Two of Africa’s club giants, Egypt’s Al Ahly and Esperance of Tunisia, will do battle next month over two legs for the right to be crowned champions of the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League.

Title-holders Al Ahly and their long-standing rivals Esperance both booked their places in the final with dramatic semi-final victories over DR Congo”s TP Mazembe and Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa respectively on Friday night.

While Al Ahly, winners of five of the last seven editions of the continent’s top draw tournament, with a record 11 in total, overcame TP Mazembe with a 3-0 aggregate victory in the semi-final second leg after a goalless first leg last Saturday, Esperance surprised Sundowns with a 1-0 victory in Pretoria to wrap up a 2-0 aggregate win.

The two-legged final will mark the third encounter between Ahly and Esperance in the Champions League final, with the Egyptians winning in 2012 and the Tunisians triumphing in 2018.

In 2023, the two clubs clashed in the semi-finals with Ahly emerging victorious home and away, securing a 4-0 aggregate triumph.

Esperance who are aiming for a fifth Champions League title, will host the first leg in Rades on May 18, with the return fixture scheduled in Cairo seven days later.

Sports

Former Zambian captain Rainford Kalaba discharged from hospital after near-fatal accident

Published

2 days ago

April 26, 2024

Akanimoh Etim

Former Zambian national team captain, Rainford Kalaba, has been discharged from hospital weeks after he was involved in a near-fatal accident where he sustained serious injuries.

The accident which involved a head-on collision between a Mercedes-Benz car in which Kalaba was in, and a truck, had initially sparked fears for his life and has since been in the Intensive Care Unit of the Zambian University Teaching Hospital (UTH).

The good news on the footballer’s progress was released by the UTH Public Relations Officer, Nzeba Chanda, who informed that the Chipolopolo legend has been discharged after showing positive signs of recovery.

“Mr. Rainford Kalaba has been discharged from the UTH-Adult where he was admitted after being involved in a road traffic accident two weeks ago,” Chanda said, adding that Kalaba will continue his recovery at his family home.

According to local media reports, the 37-year-old was a passenger in a Mercedes Benz when it collided with an oncoming truck in the south-eastern Zambian town of Kafue a week and five days ago.

In his active playing days, Kalaba spent the majority of his club career at TP Mazembe of the Democratic Republic of Congo, winning the CAF Champions League with the club in 2015 and the CAF Confederation Cup in 2016.

He also had a spell with clubsides in Portugal including FC Braga, and was a major part of the Zambian squad that won the Africa Cup of Nations in 2012 under Frenchman, Herve Renard.