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Africa’s greatest and finest groups go head-to-head each different 12 months for the last word prize.
The Africa Cup of Nations attracts thousands and thousands and thousands and thousands of eyes each time and there’s a lot at stake. Ivory Coast not too long ago hosted the most recent version of the match, which was held again to keep away from the nation’s wet season through the summer time months.
As ever, it was a match to recollect, and Soccer FanCast has delved into the historical past books to have a look at the earlier AFCON winners and their paths to continental glory.
2023
Ivory Coast
The hosts actually did not disappoint on residence soil, however in addition they did not half put their supporters by means of it throughout their journey to the highest.
It was all going so swimmingly with a 2-0 victory over Guinea-Bissau on opening evening, however two successive defeats towards Nigeria and Equatorial Guinea – the latter a record-breaking 4-0 reverse – threatened to finish the Elephants’ match there after which.
Slipping by means of as the most effective third-placed groups, they then took the unprecedented step of parting methods with supervisor Jean-Louis Gasset, leaving assistant Emerse Fae in cost.
What occurred subsequent was outstanding. A late Franck Kessie penalty helped them squeeze previous reigning champions Senegal on spot-kicks, earlier than an extra-time victory towards Mali noticed them as soon as once more snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.
Their semi-final success over DR Congo was comparatively calm, with Sebastien Haller the hero to take them to a last in entrance of their very own followers. The ultimate noticed Haller play the starring function as soon as extra, together with his very good volley finishing a comeback towards Nigeria as they avenged their group-stage defeat and capped one of many biggest worldwide match tales. This one will certainly reside lengthy within the reminiscence.
2021
Senegal
The delayed 2021 AFCON noticed two Liverpool stars take centre stage in Cameroon.
Sadio Mane’s Senegal took on Mohamed Salah’s Egypt within the last at Olembe Stadium within the Cameroonian capital Yaoundé.
It was 0-0 after 120 minutes after which Mane, now of Bayern Munich, spearheaded his staff to success, placing the successful penalty past the reaches of Egyptian goalkeeper Mohamed Abou Gabal. The shot-stopper was named Man of the Match within the last, nevertheless it was all in useless.
This was Senegal’s first-ever AFCON victory and so they additionally scooped up a few particular person awards, with Mane being named Participant of the Match and former Chelsea man Edouard Mendy successful the Finest Goalkeeper award.
Hosts Cameroon got here third after shedding to Egypt within the semi-finals, whereas their striker Vincent Aboubakar received the Golden Boot with eight targets.
2019
Algeria
2021 winners Senegal got here up simply quick of their pursuit of a first-ever AFCON victory two years prior when the competitors occurred in Egypt.
Al Sadd’s Baghdad Bounedjah scored the one objective of the ultimate for Algeria in Cairo, with this being the north African nation’s second success on this match.
Forward of Bounedjah’s two within the scoring charts had been his fellow countrymen Riyad Mahrez and Adam Ounas on three (amongst others), while former Manchester United and Watford striker Odion Ighalo led the way in which with 5.
Midfielder Ismael Bennacer of Algeria was given the Participant of the Match award, and after returning to Italian facet Empoli, secured a significant transfer to a different Serie A staff within the type of Milan.
2017
Cameroon
Cameroon got here out on high in 2017, although in contrast to the likes of Algeria and Senegal, Cameroon aren’t any strangers to AFCON glory, having received it 4 occasions previous to this triumph.
The match was initially purported to be hosted by Libya, however as a result of civil battle unfolding there, it was then handed over to Gabon.
The aforementioned Aboubakar scored the winner within the last towards Egypt, with Arsenal’s Mohamed Elneny having given the runners-up the lead earlier than centre-back Nicolas Nkoulou levelled issues up.
DR Congo’s Junior Kabananga received the Golden Boot with three targets, ending one forward of a big group that continued names resembling Salah, Mane, Mahrez, Andre Ayew and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
2015
Ivory Coast
Three-time Ivory Coast participant of the 12 months, Didier Drogba, retired from worldwide soccer in 2014, so his nation had been trying to triumph in Equatorial Guinea in his absence.
The host nation encountered some points all through the match, together with accusations of fraudulent refereeing and crowd hassle, however their achievement of attending to the semi-finals was fairly one thing.
On the final-four stage, they had been defeated by Ghana, who then went on to lose to Ivory Coast in a dramatic penalty shootout.
When Wilfried Bony and Junior Tallo missed the primary two spot-kicks, their followers would have been fearing the worst. Nevertheless, they managed to battle their manner again into it, and after Ivorian goalkeeper Boubacar Barry transformed, Ghanaian shot-stopper Brimah Razak was unable to match his reverse quantity.
Bony, Gervinho and Max Gradel all led the successful staff’s scoring charts with two apiece.
2013
Nigeria
The development of a special staff reigning victorious each time round isn’t altering simply but, as a Nigerian facet spearheaded by Emmanuel Emenike and Ahmed Musa went all the way in which in 2013.
Some huge names featured within the Group of the Match for Nigeria, together with Victor Moses, John Obi Mikel and goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama.
Burkina Faso had been the opponents within the last in Johannesburg, South Africa, and as soon as once more, it was very tight. There was at the very least a objective to report this time round – the scorer being Sunday Mba, who performed loads of soccer in his residence nation earlier than frequenting Scotland (with Rangers), France and Turkey.
2012
Zambia
Zambia’s 2012 win is maybe one of the vital historic in AFCON historical past, with the backdrop being dominated by political turmoil.
Nations resembling Libya and Tunisia certified regardless of their points again residence amid the Arab Spring, while Egypt – additionally a rustic coping with political chaos – had been unable to e-book a spot in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea.
This was the final AFCON to happen in a 12 months bearing a good quantity (in identify, at the very least) in order to keep away from the clashes that preceded it with the World Cup.
Zambia received their first-ever title in 2012 and it was very a lot towards the percentages. Ivory Coast had been the staff who they overcame within the last due to yet one more penalty shootout, and it was made all of the extra fascinating by the truth that the eventual runners-up didn’t concede a objective all match.
After seven straight, profitable penalties from the likes of Drogba, Sol Bamba and Cheick Tiote, ex-Arsenal duo Kolo Toure and Gervinho missed, handing Zambia their history-making second.
The person in command of the Zambian facet was Herve Renard, who exceeded expectations with Morocco and Saudi Arabia extra not too long ago too. He’s at present on the helm of the French girls’s nationwide staff, who he led to the World Cup quarter-finals in 2023.
2010
Egypt
Egypt had been fairly dominant in 2010, and this was mirrored by the winners of the large particular person awards.
Gedo was the highest scorer with 5, Ahmed Hassan was named because the Participant of the Match, and Essam El Hadary acquired his fingers on the Finest Goalkeeper award.
Hassan Shehata’s facet conceded simply two targets all through the match, with one coming towards Nigeria within the group stage after which the opposite of their 3-1 quarter-final victory over Cameroon.
For context, the Egyptians themselves scored 15 targets throughout the six video games, averaging 2.5 per sport. They had been the undoubted kings of Africa.
2008
Egypt
Egypt managed to come back out on high in back-to-back AFCON tournaments with their 2008 victory, marking simply the fourth time within the competitors’s historical past a nation has efficiently defended their crown.
Samuel Eto’o might have received the Golden Boot this time round however El-Hadary had the final snigger as he was named Goalkeeper of the Match, stored a clear sheet within the last and earned one other winners’ medal. That being stated, the legendary Eto’o did rating twice within the group phases as his facet misplaced 4-2 to the Pharaohs.
Mohamed Aboutrika, a person thought of by many to be the best participant within the historical past of his nation, struck residence the one objective of the ultimate within the 76th minute.
2006
Egypt
Egypt’s first of three consecutive AFCON triumphs got here in 2006.
In truth, just one different nation had ever retained the trophy, and that was Cameroon, who after beating Nigeria on penalties within the last in 2000, inflicted the identical destiny upon Senegal two years later.
Cameroon’s Samuel Eto’o received the Golden Boot, while one other Egyptian legend within the type of Ahmed Hassan was named because the Participant of the Match.
One other penalty shootout was on the playing cards within the last right here, and Ivory Coast had the extra family names of their arsenal. Drogba, Kolo Toure and Emmanuel Eboue had been amongst these to strive their luck from 12 yards out, with the Chelsea legend being the one to fail.
Egypt, in the meantime, transformed 4 of their 5 spot-kicks, with Aboutrika sweeping residence the decisive one, setting off a historic run that will by no means be matched.
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