AFCON - The African Mirror

Oct

15

2024

Nigerian team returns home: AFCON qualifier in limbo as CAF deliberates

FOOTBALL

IN a dramatic turn of events, Nigeria's national football team, the Super Eagles, have returned home without playing their scheduled Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier against Libya, following a contentious incident that left the team stranded for hours at a Libyan airport. According to the latest reports, building upon the initial Reuters coverage, the Nigerian team boarded their plane and flew back to Nigeria without kicking a ball, leaving the fate of the crucial qualifier hanging in the balance. The Confederation of African Football (CAF) is now expected to announce its decision on the fixture. Sources close to the…

Jun

23

2024

By The African Mirror

Next Cup of Nations finals to start in December 2025

FOOTBALL

THE next Africa Cup of Nations finals have been put back six months and will now be played from December 21, 2025, to January 18, 2026, the Confederation of African (CAF) football announced. The 2025 tournament in Morocco was supposed to take place in mid-year but has been shifted because of FIFA’s newly expanded Club World Cup with 32 teams in the United States next June and July. CAF has also postponed the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations by 12 months to July 5-26 next year. That is also being hosted in Morocco. Dates for the two tournaments have been…

Feb

20

2024

By The African Mirror

Traore, Diatta banned following Cup of Nations outbursts

AFCON 2023

MALI captain Hamari Traore and Senegal winger Krepin Diatta have been suspended for an effective two matches each following their respective tempestuous reactions to exits at the hands of hosts Ivory Coast at the Africa Cup of Nations. The Ivorians defeated Senegal on penalties in the last 16, with Diatta incensed over what he perceived to be incorrect calls from the match officials. He described the Confederation of African Football as "corrupt" and was found guilty of bringing the game into disrepute which also carried a fine of $10,000. Ivory Coast went on to beat Mali 2-1 after extra time in the quarter-finals following…

Feb

15

2024

By CHUKA ONWUMECHILI

African football won the 34th Afcon, with Côte d’Ivoire a close second

AFCON 2023

The 34th Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) came to an end in Côte d'Ivoire with millions of viewers around the world shouting at TV screens, and an astonishing performance by Côte d'Ivoire both on the field as champions and off it as hosts. The West African country beat Nigeria 2-1 in the final but the good news was bigger than the match. The group stage of the most important national tournament in Africa produced an average of 2.47 goals per game – the highest in the competition for over a decade. CHUKA ONWUMECHILI, Professor of Communications, Howard University As a…

Feb

13

2024

By JOEL OMOTTO, BIRD STORY AGENCY

AFCON 2023: Major wins from the most exciting Cup of Nations in history

NEWS

HOSTS Cote d’Ivoire are still celebrating their victory after edging Nigeria 2-1 in a thrilling final to win the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). The Elephants stayed true to their character as they came from a goal down to defeat Nigeria, ending an event that had captured the attention of the world. AFCON 2023 has been lauded as the best in history and it is not hard to understand why, given the major wins achieved in Cote d’Ivoire on and off the pitch. The Elephants’ Resilience The Ivorians managed just one win in three group-stage games, beating Guinea-Bissau 2-0…

Feb

11

2024

By JOEL OMOTTO, BIRD STORY AGENCY

Former Banyana Banyana captain scores major first at AFCON 2023

AFCON 2023

AT the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), there has been a distinct female voice in the commentary box. For those who don't know, it's the voice of Amanda Dlamini, the former South African football national team captain and the first woman to commentate a game at the men’s AFCON. In yet another major score for women at this tournament, Dlamini’s mastery of her craft, including deep analysis of the action and a good understating of the game, tactics and players, have shown that on all levels, women’s inclusion in the men’s game was not only long overdue but also…

Feb

01

2024

By MARK GLEESON

Morocco’s Cup of Nations calamity contrasts with World Cup heroics

FOOTBALL

ANOTHER African Cup of Nations calamity for Morocco keeps up a consistent sequence of failures in the tournament that contrasts starkly with their performance at the last World Cup. Morocco became the first African side to reach the World Cup semi-finals some 14 months ago and went into the Cup of Nations finals as favourites. Before the tournament, they had one loss in 12 games and invested heavily in their preparations, including arriving a week before kick-off in the Ivory Coast to adjust to the severe heat and suffocating humidity. But their hopes ended on Tuesday with elimination in the…

Jan

31

2024

By The African Mirror

Mali seal quarter-final place with 2-1 win over Burkina Faso

AFCON 2023

MALI profited from quick starts to each half as an own goal from Edmond Tapsoba and a strike by Lassine Sinayoko secured a 2-1 victory over Burkina Faso in an Africa Cup of Nations last-16 clash at the Stade Amadou Gon Coulibaly in Korhogo on Tuesday. Mali scored within three minutes at the start of the match as the unfortunate Tapsoba turned the ball into his own net, and caught the Burkinabe cold again when they added a second two minutes after the break as Sinayoko netted his third goal of the tournament. Burkina Faso pulled a goal back when…

Jan

30

2024

By The African Mirror

5 key talking points as Afcon enters the knock-out phase in Côte d’Ivoire

AFCON 2023

JUDGING from media and online activity, this has been the most talked about Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) in many years. That’s not just because the tournament, held every two years, is becoming a significant event on the international football calendar. It’s also because there was a lot at stake this year – for competing nations, teams, organisers (the Confederation of African Football or Caf) and hosts (Côte d'Ivoire). WYCLIFFE W. NJORORAI SIMIYU, Professor and Chair of Kinesiology and Health Science, Stephen F. Austin State University This is, after all, the third Afcon to test the new format of 24…

Jan

27

2024

By The African Mirror

Afcon’s decision to allow 24 countries to play is paying off – and having dramatic repercussions

AFCON 2023

BY the end of the group stage, the 34th Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) was one of the most exciting and memorable Afcon tournaments in recent memory. This was particularly true of the performances of the continent’s best players on the field. As a scholar of sports communication with a focus on African football, I’ve followed developments with interest, notably the 2019 decision to increase the number of national teams in the final stage from 16 to 24. CHUKA ONWUMECHILI, Professor of Communications, Howard University There were several critics of the expansion of the tournament. They argued that Afcon was…