They were right to be wary. Over the past few years, coaches from major football nations such as Algeria, Senegal and Morocco have been constantly reminding fans that there are no longer any "small teams" on the continent. Leveraging a fiery and uninhibited game, these teams have been shining since the start of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
Three "small teams" in particular have surprised with daring attacks that have so far paid off handsomely. On Monday, January 22, a few hours before the start of the final day of the group phase, Cape Verde, Angola and Equatorial Guinea, despite modest appearances on the score sheet, were at the top of their group of the six in the tournament. What is more, of the 24 nations in the running, only one has already qualified and is certain to finish top of its group whatever the results for the Round of 16. This is once again the Cape Verde national team, aka the Blue Sharks, which beat Ghana (2-1) and Mozambique (3-0) before taking on a lackluster Egypt on Monday at 9 pm.
With wins over Gambia (3-0) and Cameroon (3-1), defending champions Senegal are among the favorites and the only team certain of progressing to the next round. Morocco – the Qatar World Cup semi-finalists and group leaders by four points – will need at least a draw against tenacious Zambia on Wednesday 24th to progress to the next round.
For the others, the situation is a little more complicated. Algeria, Cameroon, Ghana and the host country Côte d'Ivoire are in third place in their group and all have a chance of reaching the Round of 16. The suspense remains because, in this edition of AFCON, only the top two finishers in each group and the four best third-placed teams qualify for the final phase.
Despite winning the opening match of the African Cup on their home turf against Guinea-Bissau (2-0) on January 13, Côte d’Ivoire’s the Elephants looked lost and physically outmatched when they lost against Nigeria (0-1) five days later. The defeat dealt a blow to the morale of the team led by French coach Jean-Louis Gasset, who admitted it "took a day to digest the match."
Among the best third-placed teams, with three points and a positive goal difference (+2), the Ivorians retain "their destiny in their own hands," said Gasset, "if we win, we qualify." The coach will be able to count on the long-awaited return of striker Sébastien Haller. To do so, the Elephants will have to overcome a spirited Equatorial Guinea that secured a draw with the Super Eagles (1-1) and beat Guinea-Bissau (4-2) with a hat-trick from 34-year-old Emilio Nsue.
Equatorial Guinea’s Nzalang Nacional are no pushovers. Difficult to control and on the rise in recent years, the team is ready to give the host country a rough ride on the pitch of the Alassane Ouattara Stadium in Ebimpé, which is supposed to be the showcase of Ivorian football. Elimination would certainly come as a disappointment for the country, which has spent 1.37 billion euros preparing for the event.
Algeria is also in a bad way. The 2019 African champions no longer seem to be feared by their opponents, perhaps even becoming scared themselves. Lacking in pace and speed, the Fennecs have managed no better than two draws against Angola (1-1) and Burkina Faso (2-2), a score they managed in extremis in the final seconds.
With two points, Algeria faces Mauritania on Tuesday 23rd, with everything to play for. Although Mauriania’s Mourabitounes have lost both their games, coach Amir Abdou's men have shown greater pizazz and will be hoping to topple the Fennecs in a bid to finish as the best third-placed team. "We’re not here to hand out points to Algeria," Abdou said. "I would have preferred to be spared that kind of suffering," said coach Djamel Belmadi, who has sustained one disappointment after another with his selection: elimination in the first round of AFCON 2022 and losing the World Cup 2022 play-off at the last second to Cameroon.
For its part, Cameroon appears to be sorely lacking in that elusive pizzaz. Diminished by the absence of their injured captain Vincent Aboubakar, the Indomitable Lions have proven disorganized and not very decisive. The result was a draw (1-1) with Guinea and a heavy defeat by the more determined Senegalese Lions (3-1). "I still think, and I know, that we’re going to go through to the second round," coach Rigobert Song said.
The coach is in trouble with the Cameroonian public and journalists. His record since his 2022 taking over the reins of this nation – which has won the Africa Cup of Nations five times – is considered highly unsatisfactory: eight defeats, as many draws and just five wins. With one point on the board, the team will take on Gambia on Tuesday 23rd. With two defeats to their name, Gambia can aim for third place if they beat Cameroon.
A victory is what Ghana and Egypt, third and second respectively in their group, are desperately seeking. Ghana’s Black Stars will face off the combative Mozambique team, which could claim third place or even second if Egypt’s Pharaohs – who have lost their best player Mohamed Salah to injury – lose to Cape Verde. For this final day, everything remains open. Tunisia, last in its group, will be playing for survival on Wednesday 24th against South Africa, in a more realistic mood and well on its way to continuing the competition.
Translation of an original article published in French on lemonde.fr; the publisher may only be liable for the French version.