African Cup of Nations 2010

[Il Duce]

togo.jpg (64.89 KiB) Viewed 490 times

That is the question


Look I am really sorry but I just couldn't resisit

[Q.]

Not that anyone needed a reminder that this tourny is being played in Africa among African nations, but the violent ambush coupled with the erratic opening game is just too cliché for words.

Mali could consider themselves unlucky to have drawn the host team nation for the opening game, but somebody had to. You could almost forgive the young side for being completely awe-struck amid the fervour of a packed house, but looking deeply down the barrel at four goals to zip (two of those being penalties) they scored a couple of 'consolation' goals before injury time. And then the Angolan keeper made one blunder and Mali score a third goal. Surely not? Then the Angolan keeper makes another blunder and we have a tie. Part of me wishes I was back in the polluted traffic jams of Bamako, part of me wishes I'd at least bothered to get to a pub to watch the game here in Ouaga, however, it had been a bumpy and very dusty couple of days to get here and the hotel had hot showers - something I'd not had for over a week. Malians would be happy though, I was told by one that "if they don't win the Cup, they can stay in Angola". Tough crowd.

Today Malawi smashed Algeria, 3-0, a real upset, but Algeria were terrible and Malawi played some inspired football.

And then there was the Ivory Coast and Burkina Faso game. I don't think the locals here were expecting much to be honest, however the streets in the capital were quiet and everyone seemed to stop what they were doing, be it work or sleeping in the street, to watch the game. I cracked a Brakina beer, my first and last one (it may be cheap, but was as bad as Burkina's attack today) and sat down with the employees at the hotel. Another bizarre game, with Ivory Coast's star studded line-up completely dominating possession and shots on goal, yet somehow Burkina escape with a nil-all draw (thanks largely due to the efforts of their keeper). You would have thought Burkina had bloody won the Cup with the way the streets erupted with noise. Everyone is all smiles here, doesn't seem to matter that their team was thoroughly unconvincing.

I have adopted Ghana as my team to follow for the next couple of weeks, purely for selfish reasons though. They would have played Togo tonight, but...well, you know the rest.

[johntheclaret]

Togo officially disqualified from the competiion today.

[devilsadvocate]

togo.jpg

That is the question


Look I am really sorry but I just couldn't resisit

That made me LOL.
I am a bad person.

Terrible decision by CAF to disqualify Togo. they still haven't released their reasoning for doing so. But it is Africa and anything goes.

[johntheclaret]

No you cannot come back! Togo stars rejected despite fresh plea to play in African Cup of Nations

The Africa Cup of Nations descended into farce in Angola on Monday with grief-stricken players from Togo requesting to rejoin the tournament after a three-day period of national mourning and accusing the organisers of being ‘ridiculous’ for rejecting the plea.

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) were condemned for officially disqualifying Emmanuel Adebayor and his team-mates for failing to show for Monday's game against Ghana at the Estadio Chimandela in war-torn Cabinda.

Togo’s absence marked a poignant end to their ill-fated campaign after Friday’s gun attack on their team bus left two members of their party and a coach driver dead.

Confusion surrounded Togo’s request to rejoin the tournament after escorting their murdered colleagues back to their homeland on Sunday.

While sports minister Christophe Tchao said a formal request had been made to CAF, the country’s prime minister Gilbert Fossoun Houngbo denied any such request had been made.
Back home: Eric Akoto arrives with team-mates in Lome on Sunday
The players clearly wanted to return — with the belief being that, out of respect for the three men killed in Friday’s terror attack, their opponents would agree to having the fixtures rescheduled — and striker Thomas Dossevi described the CAF decision as ‘serious and ridiculous’.

[Il Duce]

Group C
Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
Egypt 1 1 0 0 3 1 +2 3
Benin 1 1 0 0 2 2 0 1
Mozambique 1 0 0 1 2 2 0 1
Nigeria 1 0 0 1 1 3 –2 0

Egypt 3 – 1 Nigeria
Mozambique 2 – 2 Benin

[Q.]

Apparently Egypt looked the goods, there was a blackout in Ouaga for most of the game so saw very little. Benin lucky to escape with a draw, Mozambique a surprise packet. Could underachievers Nigeria miss the cut?

Group B could prove very interesting with Togo's withdrawal, surely Burkina Faso wouldn't make the next round, their game against Ghana will be decisive.

[nuggety goodness]

how different will the Ghana WC side be to the side that is on display here?

hopefully the Aussies can get a look at what our opposition will be like for the WC...

[Q.]

**** Ghana Hope they get knocked out, the bastards

[Il Duce]

Group D
Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
Gabon 1 1 0 0 1 0 +1 3
Zambia 1 0 1 0 1 1 0 1
Tunisia 1 0 1 0 1 1 0 1
Cameroon 1 0 0 1 0 1 –1 0

Cameroon 0 – 1 Gabon
Zambia 1 – 1 Tunisia

[Q.]

Okay, back on the Ghana bandwagon (fickle much?), should be a huuuuge game tonight!!!!

[Il Duce]

Group A
Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
Angola 2 1 1 0 6 4 +2 4
Malawi 2 1 0 1 3 2 +1 3
Algeria 2 1 0 1 1 3 –2 3
Mali 2 0 1 1 4 5 –1 1

Mali 0 – 1 Algeria
Angola 2 – 0 Malawi

Group B
Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
Côte d'Ivoire 2 1 1 0 3 1 +2 4
Burkina Faso 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 1
Ghana 1 0 0 1 1 3 –2 0
Côte d'Ivoire 3 – 1 Ghana

Côte d'Ivoire have qualifyed for the next round/

[Q.]

Pretty good game last night, still hard to believe Cote d'Ivoire scored twice with a man down. Ghana looking down the barrel of elimination after my kiss of death.

Game just gone, Nigeria defeat Benin 1-0.

[Il Duce]

Group C
Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
Egypt 2 2 0 0 5 1 +4 6 (qualifyed for next round)
Nigeria 2 1 0 1 2 3 –1 3
Benin 2 0 1 1 2 3 –1 1
Mozambique 2 0 1 1 2 4 –2 1

Nigeria 1 – 0 Benin
Egypt 2 – 0 Mozambique

Group D
Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
Gabon 2 1 1 0 1 0 +1 4
Cameroon 2 1 0 1 3 3 0 3
Tunisia 2 0 2 0 1 1 0 2
Zambia 2 0 1 1 3 4 –1 1

Gabon 0 – 0 Tunisia
Cameroon 3 – 2 Zambia

[mal]

Prediction

MALi 1
MALawi 0

Bagayoko to score the goal becoz Ima John Lennon fan

[Il Duce]

Group A
Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
Angola 3 1 2 0 6 4 +2 5 (qualifyed)
Algeria 3 1 1 1 1 3 –2 4 (qualifyed)
Mali 3 1 1 1 7 6 +1 4
Malawi 3 1 0 2 4 5 –1 3

Algeria finished ahead of Mali based on head-to-head record (see tie-breaking criteria).

Angola 0 – 0 Algeria
Mali 3 – 1 Malawi

[nuggety goodness]

Group A
Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
Angola 3 1 2 0 6 4 +2 5 (qualifyed)
Algeria 3 1 1 1 1 3 –2 4 (qualifyed)
Mali 3 1 1 1 7 6 +1 4
Malawi 3 1 0 2 4 5 –1 3

Algeria finished ahead of Mali based on head-to-head record (see tie-breaking criteria).

Angola 0 – 0 Algeria
Mali 3 – 1 Malawi

that's strange, wouldn't the tie breaker only come into play if they had the same goal difference?!?

[RoosterMarty]

Some comps pretty much ignore goal difference and prefer head to head, think Serie A does this.

[Il Duce]

Some comps pretty much ignore goal difference and prefer head to head, think Serie A does this.

yeah serie a does that.

[Q.]

Ouagadougou is buzzing in anticipation of this arvo's game. Lost count of how many times a Burkina Faso guernsey has been hawkered to me.