AFCON - The African Mirror

Jan

12

2026

THE FOUR HORSEMEN: Africa’s titans sharpen their swords for semi-final armageddon

FOOTBALL

LADIES and gentlemen, boys and girls, football romantics and chaos enthusiasts alike: buckle the hell up. Because the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations has just delivered exactly what it promised on the tin - a semi-final lineup so deliciously stacked with heavyweight champions, tactical masterminds, and sheer unadulterated star power that even the most cynical pundit is secretly checking flight prices to Morocco. After a quarter-final weekend that had more plot twists than a telenovela and more drama than your aunt's WhatsApp family group, the dust has settled. Standing tall amidst the wreckage of shattered dreams and tactical whiteboards…

Jan

10

2026

By JOVIAL RANTAO

The Atlas Lions finally got their roar back (And Cameroon wishes they’d lost their voice)

FOOTBALL

WELL, well, well. If you'd told Morocco fans a week ago that their boys would waltz into the AFCON semi-finals with the swagger of a cat who's just knocked over your favorite vase, they might have raised a skeptical eyebrow. But here we are, folks, and the Atlas Lions have finally remembered they have claws. Morocco 2, Cameroon 0: A Home Crowd and a History-Making Heartbreaker Under the lights at Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium - where the noise levels could probably be heard in Casablanca - Morocco delivered the kind of performance that makes you wonder why they ever bothered…

Jan

10

2026

By SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

How AFCON’s ‘Lumumba’ became football’s most powerful statue

NEWS

WHILE 40,000 fans jumped, screamed, and lost their voices across Morocco's stadiums, one man stood absolutely, defiantly, gloriously still. Michel Nkuka Mboladinga didn't need to move. He was already making history. Draped in suits so bright they could guide ships to shore - electric blues, sunshine yellows, eye-watering greens - this self-appointed guardian of memory transformed himself into a living sculpture. His right arm thrust skyward, his gaze fixed on some distant horizon of justice, he channelled the spirit of Patrice Lumumba, the martyred hero of the Democratic Republic of Congo's independence, murdered in 1961 by Belgian colonial interests who…

Jan

08

2026

By The African Mirror

AFCON 2025 Quarter-Finals: Eight giants, four epic battles

FOOTBALL

The TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025 has reached its defining moment. Eight nations - representing 21 continental titles between them - will clash over two days in what promises to be an extraordinary showcase of African football excellence. These are players who command multi-million dollar valuations at the world's elite clubs, now representing continental pride on the biggest African stage. Friday, 9 January: West African Derby and Host Nation Showdown 17:00 (16:00 GMT) — Mali vs Senegal The quarter-finals open with a compelling West African rivalry as reigning champions Senegal face the resilient Mali in a battle…

Jan

07

2026

By The African Mirror

AFCON 2025: Boulbina’s ridiculously late screamer saves Algeria from penalty purgatory

FOOTBALL

JUST when everyone was mentally preparing for the cruel lottery of a shootout, along came super-sub Adil Boulbina to deliver the most perfectly timed party trick since someone invented fashionably late arrivals. The Algerian forward, who'd barely had time to work up a sweat after replacing a teammate in the 113th minute, decided that 118 minutes was precisely the right moment to unleash an absolute peach of a strike that sent DR Congo packing and Algeria dancing into the quarter-finals. Algeria 1-0 DR Congo (AET) – or as it should be known, "How to Give an Entire Nation a Collective…

Jan

06

2026

By The African Mirror

AFCON 2025 Battle for Quarterfinals: Tales of triumph and tenacity

FOOTBALL

Nigeria's Symphony of Supremacy IN the unforgiving theatre of knockout football, Nigeria delivered a masterclass that married ruthless efficiency with breathtaking elegance. The Super Eagles didn't merely defeat Mozambique - they dismantled them with the kind of surgical precision that announces a genuine title contender. From the opening whistle, this was a statement written in green and white. Victor Osimhen, that magnificent predator lurking between penalty areas, had a goal chalked off within two minutes, but the Nigerian juggernaut was already in motion, unstoppable as the tides. When Ademola Lookman slotted home the opener in the 20th minute with the…

Jan

05

2026

By The African Mirror

The Beautiful Chaos of Rabat: Where Lions learned to dance on tightropes

FOOTBALL

THEY say fortune favours the brave, but on Sunday in Rabat, it seems fortune just favours whoever can score when they're supposed to be getting absolutely battered. Cameroon 2-1 South Africa: The art of winning while losing Picture this: You're Cameroon. You've spent the first half-hour of your Round of 16 match looking like a lightweight boxer who forgot to bring his gloves. South Africa is pressing, probing, and generally making you look like you'd rather be anywhere else - perhaps enjoying a nice cup of tea somewhere far from a football pitch. Bafana Bafana came out swinging harder than…

Jan

02

2026

By The African Mirror

GOVERNMENT SEIZES CONTROL: Gabon national team disbanded, captain, predecessor banned

FOOTBALL

IN an unprecedented move that has sent shockwaves through African football, the government of Gabon has effectively seized control of the national team, assuming the roles of selector, coach and manager in a dramatic intervention that now threatens the nation with a FIFA ban. Acting Sports Minister Simplice-Desire Mamboula announced on live television that the government has taken the drastic step of disbanding the entire national team following their catastrophic Total Energies Africa Cup of Nations campaign in Morocco, which ended with three consecutive defeats. In a sweeping purge, the government has banned both current and former captains Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang…

Jan

02

2026

By SPORTS CORRESPONDENT

AFCON 2025: The beautiful chaos unfolds

FOOTBALL

WELL, well, well. If you needed reminding why the Africa Cup of Nations remains the most deliciously unpredictable tournament on the planet, Morocco 2025's group stage just delivered a masterclass in controlled chaos, absolute brilliance, and the kind of goalmouth carnage that makes football purists weep with joy. Eighty-seven goals in 24 matches. That's 3.6 goals per game for those keeping score at home, which is more than your average European snoozefest can muster on a good day. Africa's finest didn't just come to play; they came to perform. Group A: Morocco Flexes at Home, Mali Refuses to Budge The…

Dec

31

2025

By The African Mirror

When winning means losing your captain: An AFCON tale of triumph, Tanzania, and tactical tomfoolery

FOOTBALL

IN what can only be described as a masterclass in "how to make life unnecessarily difficult for yourself," Senegal managed to finish top of Group D while simultaneously torpedoing their knockout stage plans. It's the football equivalent of acing your final exam but accidentally setting your notes on fire on the way out of the classroom. The Lions of Teranga dispatched Benin 3-0 in Tangier on Tuesday, which sounds straightforward until you learn that their captain, Kalidou Koulibaly, decided to audition for a career in professional wrestling with about 20 minutes remaining. The Al-Hilal defender's "clumsy tackle" - diplomatic Reuters-speak…