Sports

AFCON 2023: All set for fierce battle as semifinalists emerge

Published

11 months ago

February 4, 2024

The 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) has steamrolled into the crucial semifinal stage with the best four teams remaining in the competition all gunning for the ultimate trophy that will make them African champions.

All the four teams standing— Nigeria, South Africa, DR Congo and host, Ivory Coast— all have eyes on the trophy, and as it stands, there is no writing off any of them.

On Saturday, the host, who came out of the group stage as the third best loser, came from a goal down to knock out Mali, while South Africa eliminated stubborn Cape Verde on penalties.

Before then, the Super Eagles of Nigeria, currently the highest ranked team left in the tournament, had shown champions’ stuff by becoming the first country to book a spot in the semifinals with a 1-0 victory over Angola, while DR Congo came from behind to beat Guinea 3-1.

Africanewswatch.com takes a look at the four teams getting set to battle for the final scheduled for February 11.

Nigeria

On current form, the Super Eagles stand as the most experienced team at this stage with its 16th semi-final appearance in the AFCON tournament.

Despite entering the tournament as favorites, the team had faced damning criticism, especially from some fans who never believed the team could even get out of their group.

But the coach Jose Peseiro-tutored team are now the fans’ favourites with their composed and experienced display which has seen them yet to get into second gear.

The team has also conceded only one goal on it’s way to the semi-finals and is the only team to reach the semi-final without playing an extra time, which will make them fresh against South Africa on Wednesday, February 7.

DR Congo

DR Congo proved its burgeoning prowess when defeating Guinea in the quarter-finals, stamping its authority as one of Africa’s emerging football force to reckon with.

Facing the Syli National, in the quarters, the Leopards displayed raw strength and overcame an early goal to win 3-1.

The victory marked the fifth time in the history of DR Congo that they have reached the semi-finals of the Cup of Nations.

It is interesting to note that the DRC actually won the African Nations Cup in 1968 and 1974 when they were still known as Zaire.

Ivory Coast

The host of the 2023 AFCON must be the luckiest country left in the tournament as they barely made out of the group and scrapped through to the round of 16 as one of the third best losers.

The Elephants were almost eliminated after a 4-0 defeat to Equatorial Guinea, but a quick change in the coaching setup saw them bounce back to eliminate the reigning African champions, Senegal.

They made further progress in the quarter final match in a dramatic victory over Mali, with Oumar Diakité’s last-minute goal securing their place in the semi-finals.

This will be Ivory Coast’s ninth semi-final appearance in the AFCON, when they take on DR Congo, setting the stage for a rematch of the 2015 semi-final where the Elephants emerged victorious with a 3-1 scoreline in Bata, Equatorial Guinea.

South Africa

The Bafana Bafana’s return to the pinnacle of African football after a 24-year absence is a thing to celebrate with their progress to the semi-finals after defeating a stubborn Cape Verde on penalties.

After losing its first group match, the South Africans girded up in the next group matches, winning them convincingly, before knocking out one of the pre-tournament favourites, Morocco.

But how they will fare against the rock-solid Super Eagles on Wednesday will be a testament of their mental strength.

In their last semi-final appearance, South Africa suffered a 2-0 loss to Nigeria in 2000, so much like a revenge will be on their mind come February 7.

Related Topics:AFCON 2023 Featured Semifinal Super Eagles

Click to comment

Sports

Nigeria’s Lookman, Zambia’s Banda big winners at 2024 CAF Award

Published

1 day ago

December 17, 2024

Isaac Dachen

Nigerian sensation, Ademola Lookman, has wrapped his footballing year with another win after being declared as the Men’s Footballer of the Year by the Confederation of African Football (CAF).

Lookman, who plays for Italian club side Atalanta, was the biggest winner at the star-studded 2024 CAF Awards in Marrakech following 12 months with Italian side Atalanta and the Nigerian Super Eagles. He follows in the footsteps of compatriot Victor Osimhen, who claimed the award in 2023.

This is the first time Nigeria has had consecutive men’s award winners since nearly thirty years, when Nwankwo Kanu (1996) and Victor Ikpeba (1997) were awarded.

Other top African achievers recognized for their exploits during the event include South Africa’s Ronwen Williams and Zambia’s Barbra Banda. Banda was instrumental in leading Orlando Pride to the NWSL Shield and Championship in the 2024 National Women’s Soccer League season in the United States. She scored the game-winning goal in the final against Washington Spirit.

Other winners include Nigeria’s Chiamaka Nnadozie, who won Women’s Goalkeeper of the Year award for the second year in a row after another impressive season for French side Paris FC.

Sanaâ Mssoudy, a forward for AS FAR and Morocco, received the Women’s Interclub Player of the Year award after winning the 2024 CAF Women’s Champions League Best Player title. Agile box-to-box midfielder, Lamine Camara of Senegal and Monaco, won the Men’s Young Player of the Year award for his outstanding performances for both club and country.

Doha El Madani, a 19-year-old Moroccan and AS FAR player, won the Women’s Young Player of the Year award after scoring six goals in five games to win the Golden Boot at the 2024 CAF Women’s Champions League.

See the full winners list below:

2024 CAF AWARDS WINNERS

CAF PLAYER OF THE YEAR (MEN)
Ademola Lookman (Nigeria / Atalanta)

CAF PLAYER OF THE YEAR (WOMEN)
Barbra Banda (Zambia / Orlando Pride)

CAF GOALKEEPER OF THE YEAR (MEN)
Ronwen Williams (South Africa / Mamelodi Sundowns)

CAF GOALKEEPER OF THE YEAR (WOMEN)
Chiamaka Nnadozie (Nigeria / Paris FC)

CAF INTERCLUB PLAYER OF THE YEAR (MEN)
Ronwen Williams (South Africa / Mamelodi Sundowns)

CAF INTERCLUB PLAYER OF THE YEAR (WOMEN)
Sanaâ Mssoudy (Morocco / AS FAR)

CAF YOUNG PLAYER OF THE YEAR (MEN)
Lamine Camara (Senegal / AS Monaco)

CAF YOUNG PLAYER OF THE YEAR (WOMEN)
Doha El Madani (Morocco / AS FAR)

CAF COACH OF THE YEAR (MEN)
Emerse Fae (Cote d’Ivoire)

CAF COACH OF THE YEAR (WOMEN)
Lamia Boumehdi (TP Mazembe)

CAF NATIONAL TEAM OF THE YEAR (MEN)
Cote d’Ivoire

CAF NATIONAL TEAM OF THE YEAR (WOMEN)
Nigeria

CAF CLUB OF THE YEAR (MEN)
Al Ahly (Egypt)

CAF CLUB OF THE YEAR (WOMEN)
TP Mazembe (DR Congo)

CAF REFEREE OF THE YEAR (MEN)
Mutaz Ibrahim (Libya)

CAF REFEREE OF THE YEAR (WOMEN)
Bouchra Karboubi (Morocco)

CAF ASSISTANT REFEREE OF THE YEAR (MEN)
Elvis Guy Noupue Nguegoue (Cameroon)

CAF ASSISTANT REFEREE OF THE YEAR (WOMEN)
Diana Chikotesha (Zambia)

CAF GOAL OF THE YEAR
Mabululu (Angola)

Sports

Salah wins 6th EPL Player of the Month award

Published

3 days ago

December 15, 2024

Isaac Dachen

Egyptian national team captain and Liverpool forward, Mohamed Salah, was on Saturday voted the EA SPORTS Player of the Month for November 2024, making it his sixth POTM diadem in his career.

Salah, who has been in inspiring form this season, has scored and assisted five of Liverpool’s seven goals as the Reds won all three of their Premier League matches to stay top of the table.

Salah’s was November’s highest scorer in the Premier League and the Egyptian is now on 13 goals for the season, level with Erling Haaland in the Golden Boot race.

The 32-year-old also has 21 combined goals and assists this season, the most in the Premier League, four more than Cole Palmer, who ranked second in the voting.

This award also puts Salah alongside Premier League legends like Steven Gerrard and Cristiano Ronaldo, who also won the Player of the Month award six times, and is now just one win away from equaling the record of seven awards, held by Harry Kane and Sergio Aguero.