No surprises yet at 2025 AFCON

The 35th edition of the prestigious Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) kicked off with the anticipated glamour on Sunday, December 21, when the host nation Morocco cruised to a 2-0 victory against lowly rated Comoros. The victory by the highest ranked football nation in Africa didn’t come to anyone as a surprise. Interestingly, matches in […]

The 35th edition of the prestigious Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) kicked off with the anticipated glamour on Sunday, December 21, when the host nation Morocco cruised to a 2-0 victory against lowly rated Comoros. The victory by the highest ranked football nation in Africa didn’t come to anyone as a surprise. Interestingly, matches in the other groups followed suit. So, there were no surprises as the favourites claimed victories even as they were up against opponents who were determined to avoid defeats.

However, except for Mali, who drew 1-1 with the Chipolopolo of Zambia, all the top 10 teams in Africa recorded victories to announce their intention to take home the coveted AFCON trophy. Africa’s number two, Senegal, made a mincemeat of Botswana with a 3-0 victory, Algeria ranked third, dominated Sudan with three unreplied goals while the fourth and fifth ranked teams, Egypt and Nigeria laboured to 2-1 victories over Zimbabwe and Tanzania respectively.

There were also victories for the defending champions and the number sixteam, the Elephants of Ivory Coast, Tunisia, Cameroon, and South Africa. However, it must be said that even as they picked the victories, some of the heavyweights like the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon, the Super Eagles of Nigeria, and the Pharaohs of Egypt weren’t convincing as they had to dig deep to emerge with the maximum points.

The fact that no big team was defeated in the first round contrasted sharply with what was obtained at the last edition in Cote d’Ivoire where football fans around the world were treated to resounding victories by the underdogs.

Indeed, the 2023 AFCON is widely regarded as one of the most unpredictable and dramatic editions in the tournament’s history. It was defined by the “fall of the giants” and a historic “fairytale” comeback by the hosts.

The upsets were so pronounced that none of the top five FIFA-ranked African teams reached the quarter-finals. In fact, Morocco, the 2022 World Cup semi-finalists, and Senegal as the defending champions, were both dumped out in the Round of 16.

Traditional powerhouses, Tunisia and Algeria suffered even worse humiliation as they both finished bottom of their groups and were eliminated in the first round. Algeria’s exit was particularly shocking, losing to 105th-ranked Mauritania. It must also be remembered that the record seven-time champions Egypt failed to win a single match, drawing all three group games and losing on penalties to DR Congo in the Round of 16.

 

While the big teams crumbled like a pack of cards, it was a moment for several pre-tournament underdogs to record milestones no one imagined. Football fans are still discussing how Equatorial Guinea topped a group containing Nigeria and Ivory Coast, famously thumping the hosts 4-0. Their captain, Emilio Nsue, who was 34 years old at the time of the tournament, won the Golden Boot with five goals.

In the same vein, both Cape Verde and Angola topped their respective groups ahead of former champions like Egypt and Ghana, reaching the quarter-finals with high-energy, attacking football.

It was also a momentous tournament for Mauritania and Namibia, who recorded their first-ever AFCON wins and reached the knockout stages for the first time in their history. These were some of the shocking performances that made the 2023 AFCON one of the most unpredictable and dramatic editions in the tournament’s history.

So, as even as I am praying fervently for the Super Eagles to wake up from slumber and win their fourth AFCON title, I am doing so with an open mind. First, I want a repeat of some of those incredible performances in Cote d’Ivoire. Countries like Cape Verde, who have just qualified for their first-ever World Cup, have built on the success at the last AFCON. The same goes for Equatorial Guinea, whose recent performances have not only enhanced their football profile but highlighted their ascendency in the round leather game.

Although the first round of matches didn’t produce any upset, I am still hoping that in the second round that has already commenced, Goliaths would surely suffer shocking defeats in the hands of little Davids. This expectation should spur the likes of Sudan, Tanzania, Botswana, and Mozambique to produce their own memorable moments at the AFCON.

Indeed, any football tournament without surprises is incomplete. It is for this reason that upsets are often called the “lifeblood” of tournament football. When a smaller team defeats a giant, also known as the favourite, it fundamentally changes the energy, narrative, and even the economics of the competition.

Moreover, apart from on-the-field triumphs, victories by smaller teams drive a massive surge in national pride and grassroots football interest. One can only imagine how quickly football is developing in Cape Verde, Equatorial Guinea, and Mauritania.

The national team of Equatorial Guinea and others have defied all odds to seek global attention on the same stage with powerhouses like Morocco, Senegal, Algeria, Egypt, Nigeria, Cameroon, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Tunisia and the rest who have tasted AFCON glory at different times.

On this note, let me join other lovers of African football who are eager to witness another spell of upsets at the ongoing AFCON in Morocco. Surely, before the conclusion of the group matches, at least one of the underdogs would produce stunning results to emerge as the new giant-killers. Although they lost their opening matches, no one can doubt the ability of Equatorial Guinea, Comoros, Sudan, Uganda, and Tanzania to spring surprises.