THRILLS AND SPILLS AT ANGOLA 2010

"Letter from South Africa" is Omoseye Bolaji's regular weekly column published in the Nigerian newspaper, True National News. The column comes out every Monday. True National News is circulated all over Nigeria on a weekly basis.


February 1 2010 edition

Letter from South Africa (Column)

With Omoseye Bolaji

Thrills and spills at Angola 2010


The latest edition of the Africa Cup of Nations finals has just petered to an end. The cornucopia of football, and galaxy of proficient footballers essentially did Africa proud, with Nigeria doing quite well to get to the semi finals; though they could have done better!

The tournament, held in Angola in southern Africa started on a horrific note with the Togolese contingent being targeted and relentlessly fired on by miscreants. At least three people were killed and it is an indication of the “celebrity status” of the world we live in now that the western world seemed to be more concerned with the plight of Manchester City striker Emmanuel Adebayor - as if one particular human life is more important than others!

In South Africa the interest in the tournament was immense but less than if the national team (Bafana Bafana) had qualified to take part in the continental fiesta. But since South Africa would be hosting the first (senior) World Cup ever to be hosted in Africa , and Angola 2010 was set to showcase the best of African football witnessing preparative competitive soccer. It was also natural that South Africans would wish other southern African teams (like Malawi , Zambia , Mozambique and hosts Angola ) good luck in the tournament.

But the initial ambience in South Africa was shock that the western world seemed to be linking the shootings (the attack on the Togolese) in Angola to shortcomings in security in Africa in general! As if the world would be at risk during the 2010 World Cup finals in South Africa . Hence not only football honchos like Danny Jordaan, but hordes of sports journalists publicly stated that equating Angola with South Africa was ignorant and ridiculous .

Nigeria of course qualified to take part in Angola 2010 and large numbers of South African football fans supported the Super Eagles. Hence the shock when Egypt gunned down the Eagles 3-1 in the opening match of their group; nor was Nigeria ’s laboured win over Benin (1-0 thanks to a Yakubu penalty kick) anything to enthuse about. Millions were hoping that the Eagles would get their act together and try to go on an impressive run to show that Nigeria is still a footballing powerhouse.

It was quite gratifying to see Nigeria putting on a competent performance against Mozambique in their third match and winning by three goals to nothing. Mozambique had given Nigeria two tough matches during the World Cup qualifiers but also did the Eagles a great favour by defeating Tunisia 1-0 which helped Nigeria to qualify for the South African finals. Strikers are more likely to hit the back of the net with goals under their belt, so it was pleasing to see Peter Odemwingie and Obafemi Martins getting off the mark in the game against Mozambique .

Odemwingie has done well in the main for the Eagles since breaking into the team during the 2004 African Cup of Nations finals when he scored two brilliant goals against South Africa . His pedigree has always been unassailable, and another highlight for him was his superb goal against Tunisia in Abuja last year. Against Mozambique in the Nations Cup finals, his two goals were well timed with a symmetry that could hardly be bettered – he scored just before half time; and again just after the second half had kicked off

In the main, Southern African teams held their heads high among such exalted opposition. The highlight in the group stages was Malawi ’s sensational 3-0 win over Algeria ; the same Algeria that has always been among the top brass in African football; the same Algeria that defeated mighty Egypt to make it to the World Cup finals this year. It was not just that Malawi won the game - they comprehensively won with some superb finishing.

Angola did well to qualify for the quarter finals of the tournament. Their progress could have been a lot easier of course if they had not bizarrely let a four goal lead slip in their very first game against Mali ! But Ghana ended the hosts’ progress in the quarter finals.

As for Cameroon , they arrived at the tournament with the usual respect they command in the continent, with ace striker Samuel Eto’o stating from inception that he would relish banging in the goals. Yet he generally cut a forlorn, ineffective figure, especially in the first game which his country lost against Gabon ; and even in the 3-1 win against Zambia despite his (Eto’o’s) goal. He did little as his team bowed out eventually to Egypt .

Not that many Nigerians would be wishing Cameroon too much progress! There can be no doubt about it that no African team has suffered more at the hands of Cameroon than Nigeria over the decades – especially at the Nations Cup finals. In 1984, 1988, and 2000 (at home!) the Eagles met Cameroon in the very final of the Nations Cup but lost them all. Hence Nigeria ’s 2004 rare win over Cameroon (2-1) in the Nations Cup quarter finals was really something to celebrate for Nigerians!

Yet to be fair, kudos to Cameroon ’s Samuel Eto’o in particular, a magnificent player when at his peak. All time top scorer at the African Cup of Nations Finals. Scored vital goals in TWO European Champions league finals for Barcelona (2006, and 2008) to help them lift the great trophy. And he still added to his goals tally in Angola anyway, helping his country to the quarter finals, where they lost rather unluckily to an opportunistic Egypt .

Another of Nigeria ’s arch rivals, Ghana were to do very well at the Angola tournament. They lost their first game to Ivory Coast (3-1) and they were without some key players. Michael Essien of Chelsea is one of the most powerful, vibrant, dexterous midfielders in the world, and losing him was always going to be a blow. Yet Ghana still made it to the final where they met Egypt.

Last week Nigeria met Zambia in the quarter finals of the Nations Cup finals and many felt that this was probably a good chance for Nigeria to at least grace another semi final of a Nations Cup since 2006. Nigeria did win on penalties thanks mainly to the exploits of goalkeeper Enyeama; thereafter Ghana lurked in the semi finals last Thursday where the Super Eagles lost 1-0 to the Ghanaians.
* This article was written before the final of the tournament (which Egypt won 1-0 against Ghana); and the third place match where Nigeria defeated Algeria to clinch bronze