AFCON: Narrow Escape For Powerhouses Nigeria, Egypt As Cape Verde Shock Ghana
BY VICTOR OSOWOCHI – Expectedly, day two of the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2023 came with its big surprises on Sunday, January 14 as powerhouses Nigeria and Egypt narrowly escaped defeats in their opening Group matches.
While the Super Eagles and the Pharaohs were lucky to snatch a draw from tournament’s minnows, Equatorial Guinea and Mozambique, the Black Stars of Ghana were unlucky on the night as they got a shocker from another underdogs, Cape Verde
Though Nigeria had Napoli’s point man, Victor Osimhen opening his AFCON goal account on the day, Equatorial Guinea effectively prevented the Super Eagles from soaring as they had to settle for 1-1 draw and a point in their Group B face-off.
Considered among the favourites to challenge for the continental title given the depth of talent at their disposal, the Eagles stumbled out of the blocks against the ‘Panya’ men who were quarter-finalists two years ago.
With Osimhen looking lively from the start following a wild strike that went off target in the opening exchanges, Nigeria’s Zaidu Sanusi also fired wide in front of a gaping net in the 10th minute, before the Napoli forward again glanced a floated cross from Ola Aina past the post.
However, it was Equatorial Guinea who drew the first blood as they took the lead against the run of play in the 36th minute, with the ball squared for Iban Salvador to stroke a low left-footed drive into the bottom corner from 13 yards out.
Nigeria levelled less than two minutes later, with Ademola Lookman hanging up a delivery for Napoli frontman Osimhen to nod home from close range. From then on, the Coach Jose Peseiro’s men seem to have forgotten how to score goals as frustration set in and it was not surprising that the match eventually ended on equal terms for both sides.
Next on the table for Nigeria is a tough pairing against host Nation, Elephants of Ivory Coast on Thursday, January 18 while they are scheduled to tackle Guinea-Bissau on Monday, January 22 in their last Group B encounter.
For the Pharaohs of Egypt, lucky was their second name as talisman
Mohamed Salah’s last-gasp penalty papers over poor display to cruelly deny Mozambique their first-ever AFCON win
No doubt, the seventh times African Champions would be glad salvaging a point from the game in which they lacked the expected punch needed to put the Mozambicans away.
The match, which had the North Africans scoring early in the second minute of play through Mostafa Mohammed, eventually ended two goals apiece for both countries.
On their part, Ghana’s Black Stars were not so lucky as a late drama saw Cape Verde stunning them with injury-time winner to kick off AFCON campaign in style.
Second half substitute Garry Rodrigues scored an injury-time winner to break Ghanaian hearts in their AFCON 2023 opener.
Before this heartbreaker, the Blue Sharks of Cape Verde had gone ahead in the 17th minute through Jamiro Monteiro, while the Black Stars got their equaliser in the 56th minute through Alexander Djikm.
