{"id":26867,"date":"2024-02-06T20:31:41","date_gmt":"2024-02-06T20:31:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/eritrea\/all-news\/why-africa-football-giants-failed-to-go-past-round-of-16-in-afcon"},"modified":"2024-02-06T21:23:54","modified_gmt":"2024-02-06T21:23:54","slug":"why-africa-football-giants-failed-to-go-past-round-of-16-in-afcon","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/eritrea\/all-news\/why-africa-football-giants-failed-to-go-past-round-of-16-in-afcon","title":{"rendered":"Why Africa football giants failed to go past round of 16 in Afcon"},"content":{"rendered":"

Africa-Press – Eritrea. <\/strong><\/span>Nothing has been more exhilarating than the ongoing 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Cote d’Ivoire which has set the continent alight.<\/p>\n

The premier biennial African football showpiece has proved a big spectacle, constantly keeping football enthusiasts on the edge of their seats while leaving hearts pumping fast and hard as adrenaline levels soar beyond control.<\/p>\n

We have witnessed wild and incredible scenes in the tournament where nations traditionally perceived to be the continental behemoths have faltered and tumbled down by the wayside even as the tournament edges to a close.<\/p>\n

Notably, all nations that flew the continent flag at the 2022 World Cup have booked their flights back home, a clear indication that this year\u2019s competition failed to inspire the African household names to victory.<\/p>\n

Nothing could be more enthralling than Morocco\u2019s dramatic exit. Given the vast potential, they exhibited at the Qatar 2023 World Cup. Many people expected the North African nation to experience a plain sailing campaign.<\/p>\n

The Atlas Lions\u2019 dream of laying claim to the coveted silverware went up in smoke after they crashed to South Africa on post-match penalties.<\/p>\n

Boasting a star-studded lineup that included Qatar World Cup hero Achraf Hakimi, Morocco entered the showpiece as a hot favourite. But their fans returned home a disappointed lot following the shock exit.<\/p>\n

Morocco were the latest African giants to be put to the sword during their abrasive duel against South Africa where Hakimi squandered a crucial penalty in the dying minutes of the crunch tie.<\/p>\n

One of Africa\u2019s most successful national football teams, Morocco stormed the 1976 African Cup of Nations title. They wrote a new chapter in history in 1986 when they became the first African team to finish top of a group at a World Cup and the first African team to reach the knockout stages.<\/p>\n

They then rode against the tide at the 2022 Fifa World Cup, topping a competitive group that included Croatia, Canada and Belgium.<\/p>\n

They eliminated Spain and Portugal to become the first African team to reach the semi-finals of the World Cup.<\/p>\n

Morocco were knocked out by France in the semi-finals and lost the third-place play-off, therefore finishing in 4th-place, their highest-ever finish.<\/p>\n

The Atlas Lions were ranked 10th in the Fifa world rankings in April 1998. They were ranked as the top African national team for three consecutive years, from 1997 to 1999, and again since December 2022. As of December 2023, Morocco is ranked the 13th-best national team in the world.<\/p>\n

The exit of the Black Stars of Ghana also left many dumbfounded. The West African giants have won the Africa Cup of Nations four times (1963, 1965, 1978, and 1982), while finishing as runners-up five times (1968, 1970, 1992, 2010, and 2015).<\/p>\n

The Algerian national football team will also be following the proceedings many miles from the centre of action after crashing out early in the competition following a torrid run in the group stages.<\/p>\n

The North African team rode into this year\u2019s Afcon edition on the back of an impressive track record that saw them qualify for four World Cups in 1982, 1986, 2010, and 2014.<\/p>\n

They have also won the Africa Cup of Nations twice, once in 1990, when they hosted the tournament, and again in Egypt in 2019.<\/p>\n

Many had predicted the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon would experience an easy time, cruising to the finals in Cote d”Ivoire. However, the team left their fans in tears after falling 2-0 to arch-rivals Nigeria in the Round of 16 to bow out of the competition.<\/p>\n

Having featured for the first time in 1970, Cameroon was later on a roll, securing Afcon titles in 1984, 1988, 2000, 2002, and 2017<\/p>\n

The biggest casualties of the tournament so far are the Pharaos of Egypt who have won the competition a record seven times.<\/p>\n

They too left the tournament with an empty basket after being dumped out by the Democratic Republic of Congo following a tense penalty shootout that ended 8-7.<\/p>\n

Defending champions Senegal are also out despite boasting a rich history that saw them reach the quarter-finals of the 2002 Fifa World Cup \u2014 the second team from Africa to do so after Cameroon in 1990.<\/p>\n

Senegal\u2019s first appearance in the Africa Cup of Nations was in 1965 when they lost 1\u20130 to Cote d’Ivoire for fourth place. They hosted the 1992 African Cup of Nations and secured the quarter-final berth before turning around their fortunes to finish as runners-up in both 2002 and 2019.<\/p>\n

Senegal eventually won their first Afcon title in 2021, defeating Egypt in the final on penalties following a 0\u20130 draw after extra time.<\/p>\n

Unfortunately, they will not be able to defend their title after falling into the mighty hands of the Elephants of Cote d’Ivoire in a thrilling quarterfinal encounter.<\/p>\n

The exit of the Big Five shocked many in the football terrain as their respective football associations vowed to go back to the drawing board in search of answers.<\/p>\n

Back home, we managed to get the expert views of celebrated Kenyan tacticians who offered an in-depth analysis of the strange turn of events.<\/p>\n

Ex-Kenyan international Mickey Weche described this year\u2019s Afcon edition as the most thrilling ever.<\/p>\n

Tusker FC head coach Robert Matano reckons inexperience of the current crop of players accelerated the downfall of the long-fancied continental giants in the showpiece that has treated football fans to first-class entertainment.<\/p>\n

“It is already evident that these teams have a conspicuous shortage in technical capacity. They look weak in physicality and easily burn out in the game. I\u2019ve watched several of them gasp for breath in the second half,\u201d Matano remarked.<\/p>\n

Sofapaka head coach Zedekiah\u201d Zico\u201d Otieno draws attention to the elimination of defending champions and pre-match favourites Senegal by lowly-rated Cote d’Ivoire.<\/p>\n

The Lions of Teranga crashed at the hands of the resilient Elephants who fought gallantly to coerce the match into penalties.<\/p>\n

“That attests to the unpredictability of the sport. You can hardly tell who is going to clinch the title when all teams put up a good fight, especially at the knockout stages,\u201d Otieno remarked.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was dazzled by Senegal\u2019s defeat. But a shootout can annihilate either opponent,” Otieno stated.<\/p>\n

The remaining phase of the tournament will not feature the most decorated African sons, including Mohamed Salah, Riyad Mahrez, Sadio Mane and Hakimi.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt means that the event will unveil a new crop of football luminaries. That\u2019s a clear indication that the African football industry is growing relatively fast,\u201d Otieno added.<\/p>\n

Tusker head gaffer Robert Matano said he was shocked to discover that none of the 2022 quarter-finalists in Cameroon cracked the last eight this time round.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s evident that the decision that Caf took to expand the competition to 24 teams is bearing palpable fruits. More slots have provided a perfect stage for the continental minnows to shine bright,\u201d Matano stated.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe whole situation has made Afcon even more competitive. The future augurs well for African teams in major global competitions,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

Kenya Police FC head coach Salim Babu attributed Morroco\u2019s shock exit to the devastating effects of a hostile climate but wondered why North African countries also struggled to perform in the high temperatures.<\/p>\n

\u201cJudging by how frequently the referees paused the matches to allow players to take water, it is evident that the heat in Ivory Coast was unbearable and took a huge toll on the players who looked drained at the end of each match,\u201d Babu remarked.<\/p>\n

\u201cFunny enough, all North African teams appear to attribute their deteriorating performance to high temperatures despite them coming from extremely hot areas.”<\/p>\n

Harambee Starlets head coach Beldine Odemba said she has seen nothing unusual in the tournament.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnybody who has been in the football scene long enough appreciates the fact that there are no small teams in a tournament that boasts such a magnitude,\u201d Odemba remarked.<\/p>\n

“There is a misplaced notion that links certain nations in the tournament with constant success.<\/p>\n

“Sometimes, the most cherished African football powerhouses fail miserably. They are never guaranteed constant and unrivaled success.\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019ve noticed that the ride isn\u2019t getting any easier for the so-called footballing giants who paraded players currently plying their trade for the biggest clubs in the world. The difference is that players of the smaller teams fight for the badge,\u2019\u2019 Odemba noted.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat only means that Kenya too can make huge strides on the continental stage with appropriate and adequate preparation,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n

For More News And Analysis About Eritrea<\/a> Follow Africa-Press<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Africa-Press – Eritrea. Nothing has been more exhilarating than the ongoing 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Cote d’Ivoire which has set the continent alight. The premier biennial African football showpiece has proved a big spectacle, constantly keeping football enthusiasts on the edge of their seats while leaving hearts pumping fast and hard as adrenaline […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":84,"featured_media":26866,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,17],"tags":[242,243,233],"class_list":["post-26867","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-all-news","category-sport","tag-africa-press","tag-africa-press-eritrea","tag-eritrea"],"yoast_head":"\nWhy Africa football giants failed to go past round of 16 in Afcon - Eritrea<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Nothing has been more exhilarating than the ongoing 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Cote d'Ivoire which has set the contin ...\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/eritrea\/all-news\/why-africa-football-giants-failed-to-go-past-round-of-16-in-afcon\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Why Africa football giants failed to go past round of 16 in Afcon\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Nothing has been more exhilarating than the ongoing 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Cote d'Ivoire which has set the contin ...\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/eritrea\/all-news\/why-africa-football-giants-failed-to-go-past-round-of-16-in-afcon\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Eritrea\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/AfricaPressTunisiaa\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2024-02-06T20:31:41+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2024-02-06T21:23:54+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/static.africa-press.net\/eritrea\/sites\/27\/2024\/02\/sm_1707241918.290343.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1000\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"750\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"cfeditoren\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"cfeditoren\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"7 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/eritrea\/all-news\/why-africa-football-giants-failed-to-go-past-round-of-16-in-afcon#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/eritrea\/all-news\/why-africa-football-giants-failed-to-go-past-round-of-16-in-afcon\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"cfeditoren\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/eritrea\/#\/schema\/person\/068c7ab4e9634ae78ec5d54ec46598bb\"},\"headline\":\"Why Africa football giants failed to go past round of 16 in Afcon\",\"datePublished\":\"2024-02-06T20:31:41+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2024-02-06T21:23:54+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/eritrea\/all-news\/why-africa-football-giants-failed-to-go-past-round-of-16-in-afcon\"},\"wordCount\":1401,\"commentCount\":0,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/eritrea\/all-news\/why-africa-football-giants-failed-to-go-past-round-of-16-in-afcon#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/static.africa-press.net\/eritrea\/sites\/27\/2024\/02\/sm_1707241918.290343.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"Africa Press\",\"Africa Press-Eritrea\",\"Eritrea\"],\"articleSection\":[\"all news\",\"sport\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/eritrea\/all-news\/why-africa-football-giants-failed-to-go-past-round-of-16-in-afcon#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/eritrea\/all-news\/why-africa-football-giants-failed-to-go-past-round-of-16-in-afcon\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/eritrea\/all-news\/why-africa-football-giants-failed-to-go-past-round-of-16-in-afcon\",\"name\":\"Why Africa football giants failed to go past round of 16 in Afcon - 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