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Al-Ahram Weekly 10 - 16 February 2000 Issue No. 468 
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Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Al-Ahram Weekly 10 - 16 February 2000 Issue No. 468
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| Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Egypt Region International Economy Opinion Culture Features Focus Profile Travel Books Sports People Time Out Chronicles Cartoons Letters The crown falls
The daggers are out as Egypt made a hurried exit from the African Cup of Nations (ACN). Following a 1-0 quarter-final defeat at the hands of North African rival Tunisia, the press is sure to have a field day with French coach Gerard Gili, whose dreary defensive tactics will surely be blamed by the media and fans as the reason for the abrupt end. The football federation, which has a penchant for changing coaches as often as its members change socks, had vowed Gili would remain in charge even if Egypt failed to lift the trophy. But those words of encouragement were pronounced before the match with Tunisia; the question now is whether the federation will keep its promise.Tunisia downed Egypt to move into the semi-finals against Cameroon as Khaled Badra's 20th-minute penalty, awarded after Egyptian defender Ibrahim Said foolishly tripped Tarek Thabet, was enough to clinch a cagey match and earn a berth for Tunisia, which continues its search for a first-ever African cup title.
Egypt's veteran striker Hossam Hassan, perhaps playing in his last ACN match, worked tirelessly to extend the Pharaohs' six-match cup winning streak that began in 1998. But Tunisia's back four, expertly marshalled by Radhi Jaidi, kept him at bay.
Hassan, who scored seven times in Egypt's march to the African title in 1998, single-handedly carved out his team's best chance in the 42nd minute but saw his shot kicked out by goalkeeper Chokri Al-Ouaer. Al-Ouaer did well to keep out a long-range Hassan free-kick just after half-time.
Egypt, a four-time African champion and the only team that won all three of its group matches at this year's competition, began as favourite against a Tunisian outfit that squeezed through to the last eight on goal difference. But despite its territorial domination, Egypt struggled to penetrate Tunisia's back four.
Power struggles; Morocco's Mustafa Haji, Okocha of Nigeria and Egyptian striker Ahmed Salah Hosni all try to keep their balance as they fight for possession
Co-hosts Nigeria had better luck, downing Senegal 2-1 in a dramatic comeback. Teenage striker Julius Aghahowa scored twice. Nigeria grabbed a late equaliser before putting the match away in overtime.
Having trailed for 78 minutes, the cup favourite looked like falling to its first home defeat in 19 years. But 17-year-old substitute Aghahowa raced through Senegal's defence to make it 1-1 just five minutes from the end of regulation time.
Two minutes into extra time, Aghahowa was first to a cross from the left and kept his composure to give the Super Eagles the lead. That goal sparked chaotic scenes as thousands of spectators -- perhaps in the belief that the golden goal rule applied -- invaded the pitch, holding up the game for more than 15 minutes. Aghahowa, who scored as a substitute in the first round against Morocco, again celebrated with his impressive acrobatic skills as the spectators went into a frenzy.
The fans' relief came after Senegal had grabbed a seventh-minute goal and survived intense home pressure until Aghahowa's dramatic intervention. The National Stadium had been silenced when Senegal striker Kalilou Fadiga punished woeful marking to finish with an accurate angled shot.
With the Super Eagles' defence lacking mobility and Senegal looking like pulling off a huge upset, Henri Camara twice came close to doubling the visitor's lead on quick first-half counter-attacks. Then Nigeria turned on the pressure. Benedict Akwuegbu and Jay-Jay Okocha, who had earlier clipped the top of the crossbar with a free kick, both wasted good opportunities.
In the closing seconds, Okocha was sent off for elbowing Mbaye Badji, but Nigeria, making its first appearance in the ACN since winning the trophy in 1994, held on to secure a semi-final berth against South Africa, which had a day earlier, toppled the other co-host Ghana 1-0 in the quarter-final while playing with 10 men.
South Africa's Nomvete leapt unmarked in the 42nd minute to head in a superb cross by Shaun Bartlett from wide on the right, and despite the sending off of Eric Tinkler early in the second half, South Africa -- continental champion in 1996 and runners-up two years later -- looked a class above the Black Stars.
Bafana Bafana's lead was well-deserved. Ghana badly missed the midfield industry of the injured Alex Nyarko and its defence was often run ragged.
Nomvete should have scored in the 30th minute but was wayward in his finishing after more good running from Bartlett, and he missed another golden opportunity just after Tinkler's dismissal when he came face to face with goalkeeper Richard Kingston.
Ghana was looking to avenge a 2-0 defeat in the semi-final of the 1996 ACN, and its hopes got a boost three minutes into the second half when midfield Grafter Tinkler received his second yellow card for a trip on Kwame Ayew. Confusion ensued when Tunisian referee Mourad Daami realised that he had left all his yellow cards in the locker room at half-time, but Tinkler duly was given his marching orders.
The dismissal initially inspired Ghana. Ayew immediately hit the crossbar with a header, but Bafana Bafana, with Lucas Radebe outstanding at the heart of the defence, was rarely troubled in the second half.
Cameroon clinched its place in the semi-finals after holding off a spirited late comeback from Algeria in a 2-1 victory. The Indomitable Lions took control with two early goals but Abdel-Hafid Tasfaout's 78th-minute header sparked a late charge from the North African underdog.
Seeking a third African title, Cameroon broke through in the seventh minute. Algeria failed to clear a long throw from the right, and 18-year-old Real Madrid striker Samuel Eto'o pounced from close range to score his second goal of the tournament.
Marc-Vivien Foe, who struck in Cameroon's opening match against Ghana, extended the lead in the 22nd minute, rising at the far post to head in a Bernard Tchouta cross.
Cameroon, so impressive in its opening two matches but a shock loser to Togo in its last game, cut through Algeria's defence at will but missed a series of chances to kill the match. Salomon Olembe was the biggest culprit, blasting an eight-yard shot out of the stadium with Algerian goalkeeper Abdesslam Benabdellah grounded.
Cameroon was clearly determined to avoid a repeat of its shock quarter-final defeat to the Democratic Republic of Congo in the 1998 African cup. Its early aggression stung the Algerians and captain Rigobert Song was lucky to stay on the pitch after a reckless two-footed challenge on Tasfaout in the 17th minute.
With the support of most of the 14,000 spectators, Algeria picked up the pace in the second half and came close to scoring in the 54th minute when substitute Rafik Saifi was unlucky to see his angled shot bounce off a post.
