Giants fall at first hurdle
GROUP A
When Gustavo Sangare scored to put Burkina Faso ahead after 24 minutes of the opening game of the tournament, the probability of a shock loss for the hosts looked real.
Cameroon were clearly nervous and struggling under a burden of expectation at the new Olembe Stadium and were there for the taking. But the Burkinabe contrived to throw away the opportunity, giving away two needless penalties and allowing the Indomitable Lions to come back and win the game.
Both spot-kicks were converted by captain Vincent Aboubakar for an unconvincing 2-1 triumph but it offered great relief to Cameroon, who were then able to put on a gala performance for their supporters in the next match as they beat Ethiopia 4-1 in Yaounde, with Aboubakar and Karl Toko Ekambi both grabbing braces.
With qualification assured, there was expectation of a 100 per cent finish to the group, but the Cape Verde Islands held them to a 1-1 draw, with Garry Rodrigues’ cheeky backheeled equaliser among the goals of the tournament.
Burkina Faso edged Cape Verde into second place, but only on goals scored, and with both having four points their progress was also assured. Ethiopia grabbed a point in their last game as they held the Burkinabe to a 1-1 draw.
GROUP B
It seems almost incredulous that pre-tournament favourites Senegal topped the group despite scoring a single goal. And a disputed one at that, handed to them in stoppage time at the end of the opening game in Bafoussam against Zimbabwe. A handball decision looked harsh but Sadio Mane converted for an unconvincing victory.
Thereafter followed similarly tepid showings against Guinea and Malawi, which both ended goalless. They might even have lost to Malawi had the referee not changed his mind about a penalty decision that he had originally awarded to the Flames.
Guinea edged Malawi in their opener and were already through with four points after two games when they lost their last game to the alreadyeliminated Zimbabwe. Captain and talisman Naby Keita contrived to get himself booked at the end of a meaningless encounter for a second caution of the tournament, ruling himself out of the last 16.
Malawi were severely affected by COVID-19 infections and against Guinea had only two substitutes with the rest of their squad in quarantine. They got more players back after that, and with a full squad produced a come-frombehind 2-1 win over Zimbabwe followed by a draw with Senegal that was not only unexpected but ensured they advanced to the knockout stage as one of the four best third-place finishers.
GROUP C
Morocco and Gabon took the top two places but it was the Comoros Islands’ shock elimination of Ghana that headlined the group action.
The two clashed in Garoua in their last group game with both needing victory to progress. But instead of a predicted romp for the four-time winners, it was the tiny island nation who humbled the Black Stars, going two goals up and seeing Ghana captain Andre Ayew red carded early on. The fairy tale threatened to crash as a ten-man Ghana fought back to equalise but Ahmed Mogni snatched a late winner for one of the great tournament upsets.
Comoros still had to wait two more days before their place in the second round was confirmed. For Ghana it was a major calamity that saw coach Milovan Rajevac shouldering the brunt of the blame – and ultimately sacked just days later. Their woes had begun with defeat to Morocco in their first game and then giving up a late equaliser to Gabon in a tempestuous 1-1 draw.
Morocco’s hopes of a clean sweep were denied by Gabon, who held them to a 2-2 draw, doing so without Pierre
Emerick Aubameyang. His AFCON proved a disaster from the moment he arrived with a COVID-19 infection to his early departure back to London.
GROUP D
Nigeria proved the only country to come through the first stage of the tournament with a 100 per cent record, putting aside their chaotic preparations which included firing coach Gernot Rohr and sending late call-up letters to players, leading to forwards Emmanuel Dennis and Odion Ighalo staying with their clubs.
Kelechi Iheanacho scored a cracker to get them going in Garoua against Egypt in a match that they thoroughly deserved to win. The Super Eagles then dispatched Sudan 3-1 in an easy victory, meaning they could rest almost all their first-choice players for the last game against Guinea-Bissau, which they won 2-0.
Losing their opening game heaped a host of criticism on Egypt and coach Carlos Queiroz, who responded in terse tones, provoking even more abuse. It did simmer down after a 1-0 win over Guinea-Bissau, although Egypt were fortunate that a stunning equaliser from Mame Balde was disallowed by VAR for a tug on defender Omar Kamal in the build-up.
Egypt then beat Sudan 1-0 in their last group game for second place but again in unconvincing fashion with Mohamed Salah struggling to combine with his team-mates. Guinea-Bissau and Sudan only managed a single point each and were therefore both eliminated at the first hurdle.
GROUP E
Never before has a defending champion been so humiliatingly dumped out of the Cup of Nations as Algeria were in Douala. The Fennec Foxes came into the tournament on a hot streak of 34 unbeaten internationals and looking strong candidates to retain their title.
The first game against Sierra Leone, back at the finals for the first time since 1996, ended goalless and proved a portent of things to come, although at the time it looked like a minor hiccup for a slick Algerian machine. But then came a sensational tussle with tiny Equatorial Guinea, who never looked overawed and grabbed a 70th-minute winner from defender Esteban Obiang.
It was a sensational victory, the likes of which had not been seen at the tournament previously. Ivory Coast had four points by then, although gifted Sierra Leone a second draw with a bizarre goalkeeping howler in the last minute of their 2-2 draw.
All four teams still had a chance of qualifying in the last round of games with Algeria needing to win. But they still looked shell-shocked as the Ivorians sent them packing with a 3-1 win, while Equatorial Guinea eliminated Sierra Leone, who would have advanced with a draw but veteran striker Kei Kamara squandered a late penalty.
GROUP F
Gambia had proven the giant killers in the qualifiers, topping a group that included Gabon, DR Congo and Angola, and enhanced that reputation in their tournament debut. They beat Mauritania 1-0 to start with, shared a penalty apiece with Mali in a 1-1 draw in their second game and then upset north African giants Tunisia thanks to a last-minute screamer from Ablie Jallow.
Seven points put them tied at the top of the standings with Mali – far exceeding expectations – while Tunisia scrapped through in third despite losing two of their three games. They were saved by a 4-0 win over Mauritania in their middle group match before then being badly hit by a COVID-19 outbreak in their camp.
The key game was always going to be at start of the fixture list when Mali beat Tunisia in their opening game through an Ibrahima Kone penalty, while Wahbi Khazri missed one for Tunisia.
Mali should have also beaten Gambia, giving away a last-gasp spot-kick, but showed their class with a 2-0 win over Mauritania at the end of the group play.
Never before has a defending champion been so humiliatingly dumped out of the Cup of Nations as Algeria were in Douala