AFCON2012 Traore backs Dussuyer to stay as Guinea coach

 
Guinea forward Ibrahima Traore has thrown his weight behind Michel Dussuyer to stay on as coach despite the teams inability to make it out of the first round at the Africa Cup of Nations.
   Guinea, who upstaged Nigerias Super Eagles to qualify for the tournament, failed to reach the knockout stage of this years tournament after they finished third in Group D with four points from three matches.
   "There is nothing more to change in this team," stated VfB Stuttgart winger Traore, one of the outstanding players so far at this tournament.
   "Offensively and defensively we showed we are a good team with talented players. However, a bit of inexperience cost us in this competition because some of us were playing it for the first time.
   "When he (Dussuyer) came, there was no team in the country and we were the underdogs against Nigeria (in the final qualifier in Abuja), but he assured us that we will qualify for this Nations Cup.
   "And after a year with the team, we are now a better team with him."
   Frenchman Dussuyer says he has not talked with his bosses about his future after his team crashed out in the first round of the Africa Cup of Nations.
   "We will see what happens (regarding his Guinea future). I have not discussed with the authorities and so dont know what the future holds," said Dussuyer, who is in his second spell as Guinea coach.
   "I was asked to build a good team and qualify for the Nations Cup. I have met these expectations.
   "I have re-energised the team even though we failed to reach the quarter-finals of this Nations Cup."

AFCON2012 Zahoui counting on Elephants' experience

 
Experience will be the key to Ivory Coast beating Africa Cup of Nations' co-hosts Equatorial Guinea in Saturday's quarter-final, coach Francois Zahoui believes.
   On paper this last eight fixture in Malabo is a mis-match with the number one ranked team on the continent coming up against a side rated 42 rungs below them.
   But Zahoui dismisses out of hand any suggestion that Equatorial Guinea are "weak", and he is taking nothing for granted as he plots the Ivorians' path to the semi-finals.
   "When a team makes it into the quarter-finals it's not by chance," he said.
   "What's more, they are playing at home, they are backed by their public. We respect them.
   "We expect a difficult game against a rival playing at 300 percent of its capabilities."
   Zahoui stressed there would be no room for error as the Elephants take another step towards their dream of the title.
   "We are sticking to our objective, we'll keep cool heads, and confront each opponent with the maximum of humility and respect and take another step on the path to our final objective."
   Asked to list Equatorial Guinea's weak points he countered: "The first mistake is to consider this a weak side. Against Sudan we only won 1-0.
Football's not only about technique, there's the physical condition, the tactic, the mental strength.
   "Equatorial Guinea will be very realist, very careful. They have fast strikers up front and a solid defensive block.
   "We'll have to be patient, and not get upset. The environment will be hostile.
   "But the advantage is that my boys have experience.
   "When you carry the tag of favourites it's hard. Our experience -- you can't buy that. It's priceless. We mustn't panic. We'll have up against us a team backed by their fans, and that's a not insignificant plus for them. I know we'll suffer, but what interests me is that we win."

AFCON2012 Cup co-hosts wary of Ivorian stars

Equatorial Guinea admit they did not want to face Ivory Coast Saturday in the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations quarter-finals.
   The Estadio de Malabo pairing appears to be the mismatch of the last-eight phase with 133 places separating the countries on the FIFA world rankings this month.
   Ivory Coast are packed with familiar English Premier League names like brothers Kolo and Yaya Toure from Manchester City, Didier Drogba and Salomon Kalou of Chelsea and Gervinho from Arsenal.
   Equatorial Guinea do not have a single footballer with international status and are competing in the African football showcase only because places are automatically reserved for host nations.
   The Ivorian build-up to the tournament was professional and smooth, but the Equatoguineans changed coaches less than three weeks before the kick-off and captain Rodolfo Bodipo has not started a match because of a niggling injury.
   While Ivory Coast triumphed against Sudan, Burkina Faso and Angola with the minumum of fuss, Equatorial Guinea shocked Libya and Senegal before coming up short against group winners Zambia.
   "I wish we could have met Ivory Coast in the final rather than now," confessed midfielder Javier Balboa, once on the payroll of Real Madrid and Benfica and now with Portuguese outfit Beira Mar.
   "It is not that we cannot beat them, but their status as a star-studded team is very formidable. There are very high expectations of us across the country," said the match-winner against Libya.
   "So it would be catastrophic if we were eliminated in the quarter-finals as many hearts will be broken. Supporters are expecting us to reach the semi-finals and even the final."
   Among the supporters of the National Lightning is President Teodoro Obiang Nguema, the longest serving ruler on the continent, who expects the team to "display attractive football and sporting values and win the cup".
   A fondness for football runs in the Obiang family with a son rewarding the dramatic victory over Libya in the opening match two weeks ago with a million-dollar bonus.
   Suspended centre-back Laurence Doe and midfielder Iban 'Randy' Iyanga and rested full-back David Alvarez missed the Zambia match and should return to face the Elephants before an expected 15,000 sell-out crowd.
   Ivory Coast started with nine 'B' team players against Angola, but coach Francois Zahoui will take no chances against the minnows and is set to wheel in his 'big guns' with a semi-finals date against co-hosts Gabon or Mali at stake.
   That means a strike force of captain Drogba, Kalou and Gervinho and guaranteed anxiety for Brazil-born goalkeeper Danilo, one of several naturalised players in the Equatorial Guinea squad.
   A pre-tournament warning by former Italy-based professional Zahoui not to underestimate any opponent -- no matter how weak they appear to be -- seems to be rubbing off on his stars.
   "Equatorial Guinea are a very organised team who play well together and have a good spirit so we need to be careful," emphasised centre-back Souleymane Bamba from English second-tier club Leicester City.
   Reigning African Footballer of the Year Yaya Toure echoed those views: "It is going to be tough playing against the co-hosts, but I believe we have the experience and the footballers to make it."

AFCON 2012: General statistics after group phase

 

Top Scorers

3 goals: Manucho (ANG), Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (GAB), Houssine Kharja (MAR)

2 goals: Abdoul Camara Razzagui, Sadio Diallo (GUI), Ihad Albusaïfi, Ahmed Osman (LBY) Mudathir Eltaïb, Bashir Ahmed (SUD), Youssef Msakni (TUN), Christopher Katongo, Emmanuel Mayuka (ZAM)

1 goal: Mateus (ANG), Moumouni Dagano, Alain Traoré (BFA), Mogakolodi Ngele, Dipsy Selolwane (BOT), Wilfried Bony, Didier Drogba, Emmanuel Eboue, Salomon Kalou (VIC), Daniel Cousin, Bruno Mbanangoye, Stephane Nguema ( GAB), Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu, Andre Ayew, Asamoah Gyan, John Mensah (GHA), Mamadou Bah Dioulde, Naby Soumah, Ibrahima Traoré (GUI), Daniel Alvarez, Javier Balboa, Iyang Iban (EQG), Younes Belhanda (MAR) , Garra Dembele, Seydou Keita, Bakay Traore (MLI), William Tonji Ngounou (NIG), Deme Ndiaye, Dame N'Doye, Moussa Sow (SEN), Issam Jemaa, Khaled Korbi (TUN), Rainford Kalaba (ZAM)

Own-goal: Bakary Kone (BFA) against Côte d'Ivoire

 

61 goals (average 2.5 goals per game)

Group A: 15 goals

Group B: 15 goals

Group C: 15 goals

Group D: 16 goals

 

Day One: 15 goals

Day Two: 30 goals

Day Three: 16 goals

 

Top scoring teams

7 goals: Guinea

6 goals: Gabon

5 goals: Côte d'Ivoire, Zambia

4 goals: Angola, Ghana, Libya, Morocco, Sudan, Tunisia

3 goals: Equatorial Guinea, Mali, Senegal

2 goals: Botswana, Burkina Faso

1 goal: Niger

 

Best defence

No goal: Côte d'Ivoire

1 goal: Ghana

2 goals: Gabon, Equatorial Guinea

3 goals: Guinea, Mali, Tunisia, Zambia

4 goals: Libya, Sudan

5 goals: Angola, Morocco, Niger

6 goals: Burkina Faso, Senegal

9 goals: Botswana

 

General classification after the first round

 

 

Position	Team	P	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
1	Côte d’Ivoire	3	3	0	0	5	0	+5	9
2	Gabon	3	3	0	0	6	2	+4	9
3	Ghana	3	2	1	0	4	1	+3	7
4	Zambia	3	2	1	0	5	3	+2	7
5	Tunisia	3	2	0	1	4	3	+1	6
6	Mali	3	2	0	1	3	3	0	6
7	Equatorial Guinea	3	2	0	1	3	2	+1	6
8	Guinea	3	1	1	1	7	3	+4	4
9	Libya	3	1	1	1	4	4	0	4
9	Sudan	3	1	1	1	4	4	0	4
11	Angola	3	1	1	1	4	5	-1	4
12	Morocco	3	1	0	2	4	5	-1	3
13	Senegal	3	0	0	3	3	6	-3	0
14	Burkina Faso	3	0	0	3	2	6	-4	0
15	Niger	3	0	0	3	1	5	-4	0
16	Botswana	3	0	0	3	2	9	-7	0

 

 

 

Ranking from 9th to 16th

 9: Guinea

10: Libya

11: Angola

12: Morocco

13: Senegal

14: Burkina Faso

15: Niger

16: Botswana

 

Yellow cards: 44

2: Zambia

3: Ghana

4: Burkina Faso, Gabon, Libya, Senegal

5: Botswana, Equatorial Guinea, Niger, Sudan

6: Mali

7: Angola, Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea, Morocco

9: Tunisia

 

Red cards: 4

Direct: John Mensah (Ghana) against Botswana

Direct: Patrick Motsepe (Botswana) against Guinea

Two yellow cards: Lawrence Doe (Equatorial Guinea) against Senegal

Two yellow cards: Diouldé Mamadou Bah (Guinea) against Ghana

 

Match that recorded no cards: Equatorial Guinea vs Zambia (Group A)

 

 

AFCON2012 Mali clinch quarterfinal spot

Mali progressed into the quarterfinals of the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations after second half goals from Garra Dembele and Seydou Keita handed them a 2-1 win over Botswana in Libreville.

 

The Eagles had to come from behind after Mogakolodi Ngele had put the Zebras into a shock lead early in the second half, but the combination of their win and the draw between Ghana and Guinea was enough to clinch a place in the knockout rounds from a tightly-contested Group D.

 

Botswana went into this game hoping to put to bed the memories of that 6-1 defeat to Guinea behind them with a positive performance. While The Zebras could have qualified for the last eight, they needed an incredible score line to do that.

 

Botswana were put under pressure early in this game, as they had every man behind the ball as Mali played with confidence.

 

The Eagles’ Modibo Maiga did well to turn his marker inside out but his cross was over-hit when a goal looked certain in the 15th minute.

 

Again in the 26th minute, Maiga, who had been seeing a lot of the ball out wide for much of the match, got his head to a deep cross but failed to keep the effort on target under pressure from the Botswana defence.

 

Bakaye Traore with wasted a great scoring opportunity to round off a super build up for Mali, although the ball did bobble horribly just as he hit his shot from the edge of the box. There must have been 30 passes on the edge of the Botswana box as the Eagles tried to find space in which to attack.

 

In the 42nd minute, Abdou Traore found some magic in his feet with a fantastic turn as he tried to open up the Botswana defence, but to no avail, before Drissa Diakite drove in a fierce cross that Marumo did well to palm away. The Zebras showed great discipline in defence.

 

In the second half, the Zebras looked a lot more attack minded in the opening minutes and it came as no surprise when they opened the scoring. In the 51st minute, Mogakolodi Ngele powered the ball into the back of the net with his left foot after latching on to a great cross from the right-hand side from Moemedi Moatlhaping to make it 1-0.

 

But Botswana’s happiness did not last long as Mali responded within a matter of minutes. Garra Dembele restored parity from close range for the Eagles.

 

A great cross from Traore from the left-hand side was headed on target by Maiga and it was well saved by Marumo, but Dembele was first to react and smashed the ball home from just outside the Botswana six-yard box.

 

In the 68th minute, Coulibaly smashed the ball against the crossbar after an incredible run following a link up with Dembele. The substitute raced into the box before unleashing a bullet of a shot.

 

Seydou Keita renewed his side's hope of progressing with a super finish in the 75th minute. The Barcelona man curled the ball into the top left-hand corner of the net after linking up with substitute Diabate, who just managed to poke the ball back to his teammate with Motlhabankwe unable to clear the ball while sitting on the deck.

 

After the goal, every Botswana player was behind the ball as they attempted to stifle the Mali frontline, who were buoyed by their goal and went in search of another.

 

Phenyo Mongala’s late influenced did not repay the Zebras as Mali went on to win 2-1.

AFCON2012 Ghana held by Guinea but co-favourites still march into quarter finals

Ghana and Guinea fought out a 1-1 draw with Guinea in a West Africa derby in Group D of the Orange Africa Cup of Nations 2012 played in Franceville. The draw ensured that The Black Stars finished top of the group but Guinea missed on quarter final place as Mali beat Botswana 2-1 in Libreville to claim second place in the group. Guinea who started the day needing a win to stay in the competition were no push overs and stretched the co-favourites but their loss to Mali in the first cost them a fourth successive quarter final place.

It was Guinea who showed early moments of promise with a mobile short-passing midfield anchored by veteran Pascal Feindouno dominating play. Guinea pressed but though Ibrahima Traore had the ball in the back of the net it did not count as he was in an offside position but the Guinea midfield was pulling strings Guinea pressed but though Ibrahima Traore had the ball in the back of the net it did not count as he was in an offside position but the Guinea midfield was pulling strings

Agyemang Emmanuel Badu broke the deadlock after 27^th minutes when he scored a brilliant goal with his right foot. The midfielder hammered a thunderbolt after setting himself up by flicking the ball with his other foot letting goal a belter that beat Moussa Naby Yattara.  Encouraged by the goal Ghana threatened Yattara’s goal and Asamoah seemed to have be stopped unfairly in the box but the referee waved the appeal away.  Andrea Ayew was soon linking up with Asamoah Kwadwo, Samuel Inkoom and Gyan creating openings in the Guinea defence. 

Ghana looked to be heading into the break with their lead intact but Abdoul Razzagui Camara had other ideas. The Guinea left winger ‘s runs down the left flank had been troubling Ghanaian defence and on the stroke of half-time Camara went on a run with captain John Panstil in close attendance released a lob of a shot that sailed over goalkeeper Larsen Kwarasey into the top left hand roof of the net.

Play in the second half picked up from where the first half finished and Guinea went close with Ismael Bangoura forcing a save from Kwarasey. Guinea pressurized further and from the resultant corner Sadio Diallo headed just over the cross bar. The Syli Nationale was throwing everything at Ghana. 

However Ghana’s array of talent was always likely to turn on the heat and Asamoah Gyan  

Guinea’s push for a winning goal suffered a setback in the 70^th minute when defender Mamadou Dioulde Bah picked up a second yellow for bringing down Kwadwo and Guinea were down to 10 men, forcing coach Michel Dussuyer to make changes. Veteran Feindouno made way and soon to follow was Ibrahim Traore. Ghana’s coach Goran Stevanovic also made changes bringing out Gyan and Ayew for Prince Tagoe and Kwame Takyi respectively. Ghana will now meet Tunisia in Franceville while Mali stays in Libreville to play co-hosts Gabon as the 2012 Orange Africa Cup of Nations quarter final list is completed.