Kenzo Tribouillard // AFP & Getty Images
If you have no idea what I'm talking about, I highly recommend you step into my office for the next few minutes, because the AFCON is ELECTRIC! The Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON, for short) is the most competitive soccer tournament in the continent of Africa and takes place every two years. The first tournament took place in 1957 and has grown to include 54 teams eligible for qualification, eventually cutting that down to a 24-team knockout-style tournament. In this year's edition of AFCON, absolute chaos has ensued in Ivory Coast.
The five highest FIFA-ranked nations entering the tournament have all been eliminated. The 2022 champions Senegal, the pretournament favorites Morocco, 2019 winners Algeria, and the perennial AFCON kings Egypt have all been knocked out. Four-time AFCON champion Ghana and five-time champion Cameroon, have also been knocked from the tournament.
Four of the final eight teams had never won the tournament. Guinea and Mali, who typically underachieve, both made the final 8. The nations of Cape Verde and Angola are also two of the final eight, this is tied for the furthest they’ve ever made it in their AFCON history.
Cape Verde, a country with a population of 587,925, defeated Ghana, a country with a population of 32.83 million, 2-1 to knock Ghana out. It doesn’t stop there either, Equatorial Guinea put a beat down on Ivory Coast, 4-0!
Ivory Coast is the host nation, and they have been on a rollercoaster ride in their homeland. In the knockout stage, they won one game and drew another. Giving them 3 points. Ivory Coast then proceeded into an absolute beatdown in front of their home crowd at the hands of Equatorial Guinea. The 4-0 loss was their worst-ever home defeat, the first time they’ve lost to a team ranked lower than 88th in FIFA rankings, and the second-highest margin of loss in AFCON history.
They needed a miracle to advance, only 5 times in AFCON history has the host nation not advanced out of the first round. Their 3 points and -3 goal differential would not have made it to the next round in any previous AFCON. With a stroke of luck, the host nation advanced. Following the news of their advancement, the team quietly celebrated, but their manager did not. Jean-Louis Gasset was relieved of his duties. An unprecedented move by the Ivory Coast Soccer Federation mid-tournament.
The Ivory Coast hired Emerse Fae to be the interim manager. Fae is one of the most successful players in Ivory Coast soccer history but has never before been a manager in his life.Up next for Ivory Coast was the reigning champions, and new tournament favorite, Senegal.
Soon after their hire of Fae, and before their match against Senegal, the Ivory Coast Federation requested to loan the French women's National Team Manager, Herve Renard, despite their recent commitment to Fae. That loan request was promptly denied, and the Ivory Coast moved forward against Senegal with Fae.
With Senegal’s manager seasoned in AFCON, the Ivory Coast had a newborn baby leading their squad, and they once again needed a miracle. The AFCON has been known in years past for unpredictability and big upsets, and this tournament is no different. Ivory Coast’s prayers were answered when they knocked home a late goal to tie the match 1-1, eventually winning in penalty kicks.
This afternoon, Ivory Coast defeated Mali 2-1 to continue their run in front of their home fans. The Ivory Coast is just another example of why the AFCON has been so chaotic. Small nations defeating big nations, a rookie manager outlasting an AFCON champion manager, and a country on the brink of soccer infamy headed down a miracle run, the AFCON brings a lot of energy, and it’s time we start paying more attention.
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