By Eniola Olatunji reporting for Patmos Media Line
…As Seven Former Champions are in Quarterfinals.
Moroccan star boy Brahim Diaz is in under the klieg lights as the African Football Cup of Nations (AFCON) gets into the quarterfinal stages on Saturday as he has emerged the leading highest scorer with four goals from the 109 goals scored in the 44 matches played in the tournament before a total crowd of 957,618 fans in attendance.
Diaz is rubbing shoulders with the big boys of the game six players with three goals each to their credit namely Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman of Nigeria: Riyad Mahrez of Algeria, Mohammed Sallah of Egypt AyoubEl Kaabi of Morocco and Lassine Sinayoko of Mali.
There are four OWN Goals in the tournament so far from Saul Coco of Equatorial Guinea against Sudan with his teammate Nene against Cameroon; Ghislain Konan of Ivory Coast also against Cameroon and Aubrey Modiba of South Africa against Zimbabwe.
Three players are in the fore front of excellent players to have been declared MAN OF THE MATCH, and this is where Amad Diallo of Ivory Coast another budding star leads the pack been declared in three matches against Mozambique, Cameroon and Burkina Faso. Former African Player of the Year, Lookman Ademola of Nigeria has two honors against Tunisia and Mozambique ditto Brahim Diaz of Morocco against Cameroon and Tanzania.
According to Disciplinary records of the tournament, Nigeria’s defender, Calvin Bassey will miss the match against Algeria for bagging two yellow cards against Uganda and Mozambique.
Three other Nigerian players including Victor Osimhen and Bobo Nwabali are under the radar of suspension.
Other BAD BOYS who had to miss matches include Ahmadou Haidan of Mali who missed the round of 16 match against Tunisia after his card against Comoros; Kalidou Koulibaly of Senegal missed against Sudan for his red against Benin and Abdoul Moumimi of Benin who missed the match against Egypt for his two yellow cards against DR Congo and Senegal.
Come Friday 9th January at Tangir, Eagles of Mali will meet Lions of Senegal at 5pm. Mali is the only country among the eight quarterfinalists that has never won the title. After that match at 8pm, Lions of Cameroon will face the hosts, Atlas Lions of Morocco in Abdellah.
The clash of the Lions will be the star match of the quarterfinals. The Lions from Atlas Mountains versus the Lions from the plain vegetation promises to be a match to watch to determine superiority. Cameroon was the first African nation to reach the quarterfinal of the world cup at Italia 90, Morocco was the first to reach the semifinal at Qatar 22.
Cameroon had beaten Morocco twice at AFCON in Egypt 86 where legendary dance icon, Roger Mila finished Morocco and in at Morocco 88 where Cyril Macanarky finished off the hosts. Will there be an encore on Friday night at Abdellah?
Another star match of the quarterfinal is Nigeria playing against old foes Algeria where Riyad Mahrez is telling CAF to bring on the Nigerian that has the highest team score of 12 goals saying, “we know them very well”.
The football world is worried that Nigeria keeps creating self-inflicted problems before major matches as was the brouhaha during the world cup match decider against DR Congo where allowances was a distraction and then a reshuffling of the pack that saw off Captian William Troost-Ekong for Wilfred Ndidi.
Nigeria went through an ego trip between Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman now they not only threaten no training on Thursday morning but that they will not travel to Marrakesh except the money is physically in their accounts.
National Sports Commission Chairman Shehu Dikko not NFF President has said CBN has processed the money, but it is like the Nigerian government giving a national award of MON without the EY.
Anyway, this is the quarterfinal schedule:
Mali vs Senegal at 5.00pm on Friday in Tangir.
Cameroon vs Morocco at 8.00pm on Friday in Abdellah.
Algeria vs Nigeria at 5.00pm on Saturday in Marrakesh.
Egypt vs Ivory Coast at 8.00pm in Agadir on Saturday.
The Semifinal schedule is as follows:
First Semifinal is Mali/Senegal vs Egypt/Ivory Coast at Tangier on Wednesday 14th January at 6.00pm.
Second semifinal is Cameroon/Morocco vs Algeria/Nigeria at Abdellah, Morocco at 9.00pm.
#AFCON25 #CAF #FRMF #FMF #SAFA
#FEBEFOOT #TFF#FECAFOOT #SFA
#FAFA #EFA #NFF.
