African Cup of Nations
kirk2008-01-29 21:00:57
1852: Full-time Nigeria 2-0 Benin
Scenes of jubilation for the Super Eagles, who are through to the last eight. They will play Ghana in Accra on Sunday. They have really got out of jail today after a less then impressive performance through the group stage. They go through on goal difference.
1850: Full-time Ivory Coast 3-0 Mali
Played three, won three reads the group stage analysis for the Elephants. They will play Guinea in their quarter-final tie in Sekondi on Sunday. For Mali, it has been a day of crushing disappointment and this is the end of the road for them at this tournament.
Which means Ghana play Nigeria. Could be a good one...
Cameroon 3 Sudan 0
Egypt 1 Zambia 1
Egypt win the group, Cameroon second.
South Africa, who showed signs of improvement, now have their work cut out to pull themselves into 2010 World Cup contenders. Senegal have an abundance of talent but rarely was it seen in Ghana and they head home with their heads hanging, especially after the nightclub incident reported at 1759. Is this the end for Diouf, Diop, Camara and co?
1854: FULL TIME in Kumasi - Senegal 1-1 South Africa.
1851: FULL TIME in Tamale - it's all over for Senegal and South Africa in Kumasi regardless of how their score finishes because Tunisia and Angola have drawn 0-0.
Ghana - Nigeria
Ivory Coast - Guinea
Egypt - Angola
Tunisia - Cameroon
The quarters look good, a couple of local derbies should produce some good games.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20080201/sp_soccer_afp/fblafr2008ghangr
Full of character and guts, the Black Stars have emerged winners. Semi-finals here they come.
Sleep will be a rare commodity on Accra tonight. The Ohene Djan erupts with joy which no doubt echoes throughout the proud West African nation.
Didier Drogba (70)
Salomon Kalou (73)
Salomon Kalou (81)
Bakari Kone (86)
Salomon Kalou scored a double as Ivory Coast cruised into the semi-finals of the African Nations Cup with a 5-0 demolition of Guinea in Sekondi on Sunday. Ivory Coast next play either Tunisia or Cameroon, who meet in their quarter-final in Tamale on Monday. Abdelkader Keita opened the scoring in the 25th minute of the quarter-final at the Essipon stadium after outpacing the Guinea defence for a 1-0 halftime lead. Captain Didier Drogba made it two in the 70th having been put through by Kalou, who netted his double in the space of nine minutes between the 73rd and 81st. Substitute Bakary Kone rubbed salt in Guinea's wounds by adding a fifth four minutes from time.
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/report?id=236089&cc=3436
Fully agree, it's great to watch teams just going for it.
Amr Zaki (38)
A fortunate bounce off the body of striker Amr Zaki was enough to ensure Egypt retained hopes of a successful African Nations Cup title defence with a 2-1 win over Angola in their quarter-final on Monday. Zaki's 38th-minute goal proved the winner at Kumasi's Baba Yara stadium, setting up a semi-final with the Ivory Coast at the same venue on Thursday. Egypt took the lead with a Hosni Abd Rabou penalty in the 23rd minute but Angola equalised soon after with a superb dipping shot by Manucho. The semi-final will be repeat of the 2006 final in Cairo, which the Egyptians won on penalties.
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/report?id=236354&cc=3436
Yassine Chikhaoui (81)
Stephane Mbia (19)
Geremi (27)
Stephane Mbia (92)
Seems like a great game. Tunisia equals with about 10min to go and Cameroon win it in extra time. No report yet on Soccernet, but a longer report from the BBC: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/africa/7225170.stm
Someone had already posted about the clash between the African Cup of Nations and CAF award ceremony and there is fresh controversy:
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=505188&campaign=rss&source=soccernet&cc=3436
Ivory Coast accuse CAF over Kanoute's awardDon't understand why they couldn't have the awards in Ghana or at the conclusion of the African Cup of Nations.SEKONDI, Ghana, Feb 4 (Reuters) - Ivory Coast striker Didier Drogba did not win the 2007 African Footballer of the Year award because he refused to attend Friday's ceremony in Lome.
Team spokesman Jean-Claude Djacus said the Confederation of African Football (CAF) had planned to give the award to the Chelsea forward but decided not to after he said he would not travel to the Togolese capital to collect it. CAF chief communications director Suleiman Habuba was not immediately available for comment. Drogba is playing in the African Nations Cup in Ghana with Ivory Coast who have reached the semi-finals. The award went to Mali striker Frederic Kanoute. 'CAF has brought itself into disrepute,' Djacus said. 'They called Didier on the eve of the ceremony to tell him they would give the award to Kanoute if he did not come. Didier is now saying that he does not want to be part of the 2008 vote.'
<!-- end pagetitle --> <!-- begin text11 div --> <!-- begin left column -->
Egypt v Ivory Coast
Cameroon v Ghana
Just about all the major favourites are through, only Egypt being a slight underdog getting this far even though they are defending champions. So pretty predictable. On form a Ivory Coast v Ghana final, as these two teams have been the most consistent over the tournament and probably over the last few years.
<!-- end pagetitle --><!-- begin text11 div --><!-- begin left column -->
Drogba, who won the 2006 award, said it made no sense to have the awards ceremony in another country while such a high-profile African event was ongoing.
"If I refused to go to Lome it was first for my team-mates, as you don't organise such an event just two days before a quarter-final," the Chelsea forward said.
"I didn't go as well because of the son of Ulrich Stilieke (the former Ivory Coast coach) has died.
"We're all working for the African continent, there's a huge media presence in Ghana for a competition that was heavily criticised 10 years ago.
"So there comes a time when we all have to pull together."
The goal came on the break against the run of play in the 71st minute with substitute Alain Nkong slotting home a Samuel Eto'o pass from 14 yards out.
After 51 minutes the half comes to an end. Ivory Coast finished strongly but Egypt played well as a team unit.
Ahmed Fathi (12)
Amr Zaki (62)
Amr Zaki (67)
Mohamed Aboutriaka (90)
Striker Amr Zaki scored twice to help defending champions Egypt to a stunning 4-1 win over favourites Ivory Coast in their African Nations Cup semi-final on Thursday.
In an enthralling match, Ahmed Fathi gave Egypt an early lead before Zaki struck twice in five minutes just after the hour with Abdelkader Keita replying one minute after Zaki's first goal. Mohamed Aboutrika added a fourth in injury-time. Egypt, who meet Cameroon in Sunday's final in Accra, were also helped by an inspired performance from goalkeeper Essam Al Hadari, who denied Ivory Coast striker Didier Drogba a goal on three occasions with the score still at 1-0. The match was a repeat of the 2006 final when Egypt beat Ivory Coast on penalties after a goalless draw in Cairo.
WOW!!!
I was surprised with both results today. Was predicting a Ghana v Ivory Coast final, and was only really giving Cameroon a chance against Ghana. I had thought that Egypt hadn't played that well in their last couple of games compared to Ivory Coast who seem to be in fine form. Just had a look and maybe Egypt are the bogey team for Ivory Coast, they beat them 3-1 and then on penalties in the final of the previous ANC.
I'll try to find it on YouTube and post a link later.
I'll try to find it on YouTube and post a link later.
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x4b0f3_ghancamersemi_travel?from=rss
Nothing on the sending off
Bullion2008-02-08 16:47:00
wonder what the coach, and teammates, said to Bikey after the match????
The only goal of the game came in the 77th minute when Mohamed Aboutrika pushed home a Mohamed Zidan pass after a mistake by Cameroon's Rigobert Song.
The Pharaohs also went close when Hosni Abd Rabou hit the post on 61 minutes and they become the first side to win back-to-back titles twice.
Cameroon were seeking a fifth title, but rarely troubled the Pharaohs.
Ghana 4 - 2 Ivory Coast Sulley Muntari (10)
Owusu-Abeyie Quincy (70)
Junior Agogo (80)
Haminu Draman (85)
Boubacar Sanogo (24)
Boubacar Sanogo (32)
Overall I think that there were 99 goals scored, which is the highest in the AFCON. I think that 32 games were played (4groups with 6 games + 4 quarters + 2 semis + 2 finals) so just over 3 goals a game and only 3 red cards. Some amazing goals were scored.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/africa/7258905.stm
snubbed their own fans....