The belated 2021 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Cameroon has advanced into the knockout stages, with the group stage producing exciting, shocking, disappointing and controversial moments.
Quest Times takes a look at the 2021 AFCON group stages to see who were the real winners and losers. Teams, players who have performed beyond expectations, and those who barely made a scratch.
Winners
Nigeria
The Super Eagles of Nigeria were undoubtedly the most impressive side of the AFCON group stage, winning all three matches in Group D. The Nigerian team scored six and conceded just one goal, which came from a penalty against Sudan.
The Super Eagles have laid down a marker as strong favourites for the title, playing as a solid unit, with intent and a clear tactical plan, unlike Nigerians have witnessed in recent years.
Austin Eguavoen
The appointment of Austin Eguavoen as interim head coach of the Super Eagles wasn’t met with optimism in all honesty. It was seen as the usual Glass House shenanigans at play.
But the mood towards Eguavoen has drastically changed due to the performance of the Super Eagles at the ongoing AFCON. He has shown a tactical side to his game that has left Nigerians dazzled.
The domination of Egypt and Salah by Nigeria was no fluke, as Eguavoen after the match revealed he used two defenders to shadow the Liverpool forward instead of a traditional man marker.
So far, there have been strong calls for Eguavoen to be given the job on a permanent basis, and those calls will continue to grow should the Super Eagles continue to progress this 2021 AFCON.
Moses Simon
Omo!!! Moses Simon has played like a man possessed this AFCON. The Nantes winger has been unreal so far, and no doubt is the standout player of the tournament.
Manning the left-wing, Simon has casually ruined defences throughout the season. In the first group stage against Egypt, social media went wild because of his performance, with a couple “not Moses coming to disturb the Egyptians again” tweets.
Running at defenders with pace and trickery, Simon has completed a tournament-high average of 5 successful dribbles per match. Troost-Ekong’s goal against Guinea-Bissau paints a clear picture of his incredible dribbling ability.
Should Super Eagles achieve success in Cameroon, you can be sure Simon will be at the heart of it. With his raving performances so far, Nantes should start preparing a farewell party.
Comoros
The tiny island nation of Comoros is undoubtedly one of the success stories of this AFCON.
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Making their tournament debut, Comoros qualified for the knockout stages as one of the best losers finishing with three points.
Causing the tournament’s biggest upset, Comoros eliminated Ghana in an exciting 3-2 win. Irrespective of the outcome of their round of 16 fixture against host Cameroon, this tournament will go down as a successful one for the island nation.
Losers
Ghana
Look no further than the woeful Black Stars of Ghana as the biggest loser of the 2021 AFCON.
Despite parading an array of big-name players, the Black Stars failed to shine in Cameroon. Taking just one point from a possible nine left them at the bottom of the table.
So much for being tipped as tournament favourites at the start of the tournament.
Algeria
African champions, Algeria, made a mess of their title defence in Cameroon.
Hotly tipped to be a top contender, the Desert Warriors played out a disappointing scoreless draw against Sierra Leone and lost to the Ivory Coast and Equatorial Guinea.
Despite having Mahrez and co, Algeria could only muster a shocking solitary goal throughout their group stage foray.
Robbers
Despite running smoothly, the 2021 AFCON was blighted by reports of Algerian journalists who were robbed and stabbed just outside their hotel in Douala on Monday, 10 January 2022.
One suffered a deep stab to the back, while the other had lacerations to the face. Despite the traumatic experience, both men decided to stay back and cover the tournament. Unfortunately, their team didn’t make it a remarkable experience.
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