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AFCON 2023(4) [R]

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Real_Mardin

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Jan 13, 2024, 8:11:04ā€ÆAMJan 13
to
The 2023 Africa Cup of Nations starts today in the year 2024 as it was postponed due to adverse summer flooding in the host nation Ivory Coast.

The opening match is tonight at 8pm GMT (9pm CET, 3pm EST) when Ivory Coast take on Guinea-Bissau in the 60000 capacity Alassane Ouattara Stadium (also known as the Olympic Stadium of Epimbe).

The AFCON, more than any other international tournament I can think of, feels like it should be granted the REAL FOOTBALL seal of approval. Closely fought matches between teams usually not blessed with super star players, fans in the stadium playing traditional music and beating drums, stadiums with running tracks around them which give a sort of 70's to 90's World Cup retro appeal.

Except every AFCON I remember watching of late has been mainly played to largely empty stadiums as they price ticket prices so high as to effectively shut locals out from paying to attend any game not involving the host nation, so perhaps not. Let's hope the ticket prices suit local wallets better this time.

Let's use this thread for match reports and scores.

Happy AFCON, everyone!


RM

Real_Mardin

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Jan 13, 2024, 12:31:42ā€ÆPMJan 13
to
Real_Mardin wrote:

> Except every AFCON I remember watching of late has been mainly played to largely empty stadiums as they price ticket prices so high as to effectively shut locals out from paying to attend any game not involving the host nation, so perhaps not. Let's hope the ticket prices suit local wallets better this time.

For the group stages the cheapest ticket is 5000 FCFA (up from 3000 in 2022) but the most expensive ticket is 15000 FCA (down from 20000). Hard to find a lot of information about the average salary in Ivory Coast but from what I can find online and doing some admittedly rough calculations the cheapest ticket would appear to be many more times the average daily wage.

Or to look at it another way: the cheapest ticket is equivalent to $8 in a country where 11% of people live off less than $2.15 per day and 75.6% live off less than $6.85 per day.

I think this points to a lot of empty stadiums in the matches not involving Ivory Coast? Perhaps some neighbouring nations like Ghana, Guinea, Mali and Burkina Faso might take enough travelling support to make the ground fuller, as might a continental power house like Egypt?


RM

Real_Mardin

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Jan 13, 2024, 1:56:02ā€ÆPMJan 13
to
STOP PRESS

Ivory Coast v Guinea Bissau is live on BBC 3 (free to air)

BBC showing selected matches, apparently.

RM

Real_Mardin

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Jan 13, 2024, 3:02:02ā€ÆPMJan 13
to
Alassane Ouattara Stadium looks great, as good as any ground youā€™d see in Western Europe.


RM

Real_Mardin

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Jan 13, 2024, 3:16:59ā€ÆPMJan 13
to
And Ivory Coast go 1-0 up when Fofana shields the ball from two defenders and finds the back of the net from just inside the area! 5 minutes played.


RM

Real_Mardin

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Jan 13, 2024, 4:32:06ā€ÆPMJan 13
to
59 minutes, Krasso basically plays keepy up in the area then does a sort of falling side volley (?) to put Ivory Cosst 2-0 up!

RM

Real_Mardin

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Jan 13, 2024, 5:21:05ā€ÆPMJan 13
to
FT: Ivory Coast 2 - Guinea Bissau 0


Tomorrow's fixtures:

Nigeria - Equatorial Guinea

Egypt - Mozambique

Ghana - Cape Verde


RM

Futbolmetrix

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Jan 14, 2024, 7:06:07ā€ÆAMJan 14
to
Real_Mardin wrote:

> FT: Ivory Coast 2 - Guinea Bissau 0


Thanks for the report and posting the results. Will try to catch some games if possible.

Real_Mardin

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Jan 14, 2024, 9:37:32ā€ÆAMJan 14
to
Group A

Nigeria 0 - Equatorial Guinea 0 33 minutes

After yesterdayā€™s near full house weā€™re back to the usual AFCON image of a near empty stadium. The tickets ate just priced too expensive for local people to go to a match they donā€™t have a vested interest in.

Believe it or not this is the same 60000 capacity stadium from yesterday, not that you would recognise it from todayā€™s rows of empty seats.

Osimhen has come close for Nigeria a couple of times. Is it only a matter of time before the Super Eagles take the lead?


RM

Real_Mardin

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Jan 14, 2024, 9:46:59ā€ÆAMJan 14
to
And as soon as I suggest Nigeria will take the lead Equatorial Guinea work the ball into the box, Edu shoots from just inside the area to put the National Thunder (not itā€™s not a heavy metal band name, itā€™s their nickname) 1-0 up.

Then Nigeria respond with a cross from the left which Osimhen heads in at the far post to equalise!

39 minutes Nigeria 1 - Equatorial Guinea 1. Who needs fans?


RM

Real_Mardin

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Jan 14, 2024, 9:56:11ā€ÆAMJan 14
to
HT:

Nigeria 1 - Equatorial Guinea 1


Equatorial Guineaā€™s kit would make a great Italy away kit: white with blue trim, and the Tricolore colours under the collar.


RM

Real_Mardin

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Jan 14, 2024, 10:31:08ā€ÆAMJan 14
to
65 minutes- still 1-1 but Nigeria have forced a couple of good saves from the Equatorial Guinea keeper.


RM

Real_Mardin

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Jan 14, 2024, 10:37:29ā€ÆAMJan 14
to
The cameras show fans of both sides partying in the stands, there just seems to be hardly any local fans to make up the numbers.


RM

Real_Mardin

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Jan 14, 2024, 10:41:04ā€ÆAMJan 14
to
75 minutes- Nigeria put Osmhen through one on one, somehow he puts his shot wide. How did he miss that?


RM

Real_Mardin

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Jan 14, 2024, 11:02:16ā€ÆAMJan 14
to
FT: Nigeria 1 - Equatorial Guinea 1

It was all Nigeria in the second half but they just couldnā€™t put away their chances.

A result that gives Ivory Coast the advantage in Group A.


RM

Real_Mardin

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Jan 14, 2024, 12:01:17ā€ÆPMJan 14
to
Welcome to a largely empty Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium for an AFCON 2023(4) Group B double header! Egypt v Mozambique followed by Ghana v Cape Verde! What better way to spend a Sunday evening?

Egypt are in their traditional red shirts with black trim, Mozambique are wearing a Borussia Dortmund style yellow shirts with black trim.


RM

Real_Mardin

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Jan 14, 2024, 12:06:05ā€ÆPMJan 14
to
Only a minute gone and the former Galatasaray forward Mostafa Mohammed turns and shoots in the area to put Egypt 1-0 up!


RM

Real_Mardin

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Jan 14, 2024, 12:26:33ā€ÆPMJan 14
to
Mozambique are having some attacking possession here. Is an equaliser on the cards?

RM

Binder Dundat

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Jan 14, 2024, 12:34:19ā€ÆPMJan 14
to
Very quiet stadium, I thought maybe more Egyptians would have traveled.

I actually just switched over from the #ManuTOT match. Lily White would
be happy to see Spurs are at least trying to play Spurs football. Timo
Werner started and he has not missed a beat.

Real_Mardin

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Jan 14, 2024, 12:56:04ā€ÆPMJan 14
to
HT: Egypt 1 - Mozambique 0


RM

Real_Mardin

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Jan 14, 2024, 1:02:09ā€ÆPMJan 14
to
Please donā€™t pollute the AFCON thread by talking about Premier League matches. Weā€™re trying to cover REAL FOOTBALL here!

RM

Real_Mardin

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Jan 14, 2024, 1:21:10ā€ÆPMJan 14
to
Quembo has the ball crossed to him from the right and heads powerfully into the net! 1-1 57 minutes!


RM

Real_Mardin

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Jan 14, 2024, 1:26:04ā€ÆPMJan 14
to
And now itā€™s 2-1 to Mozambique! Baque (sp?) received a low pass from midfield, rides a sliding tackle and shoots low past the keeper!

60 minutes.

RM

Binder Dundat

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Jan 14, 2024, 1:29:31ā€ÆPMJan 14
to
Whaaat EGY 1 - 2 Moz?

Real_Mardin

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Jan 14, 2024, 1:39:01ā€ÆPMJan 14
to
Yes, the Mambas are strangling the Pharaohs!

Mozambiqueā€™s AFCON record before today: P 12 W 0 D 2 L 10

Can they make history?


RM

Real_Mardin

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Jan 14, 2024, 1:57:02ā€ÆPMJan 14
to
VAR to Egyptā€™s rescue? Penalty awarded in injury time for a high tackle, although as far as I could see both plays went in high and took each other out.

Real_Mardin

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Jan 14, 2024, 2:01:11ā€ÆPMJan 14
to
Salahā€™s penalty hits the post but bounces in to make it 2-2.

Lucky Egypt, thst didnā€™t look a penalty to me.

RM

Real_Mardin

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Jan 14, 2024, 2:06:07ā€ÆPMJan 14
to
Injustica!

FT: Egypt 2 - Mozambique 2

Mozambique can hold their heads high, they were only minutes from their first AFCON win, and against the most successful AFCON team too.

Egypt lucky but have still given Ghana a great chance to take the lead in Group B tonight.


RM

Real_Mardin

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Jan 14, 2024, 3:02:33ā€ÆPMJan 14
to
The Black Stars of Ghana are about to take on the Blue Sharks of Cape Verde. The stadium looks a little fuller for the second part of this Group B double header.

RM

Real_Mardin

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Jan 14, 2024, 3:21:08ā€ÆPMJan 14
to
Itā€™s been all Cape Verde so far and theyā€™re rewarded with a goal on 16 minutes when the keeper parried Cabraoā€™s shot into the path of Montero for a comfortable finish! The Blue Sharks are 1-0 up!

RM

Real_Mardin

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Jan 14, 2024, 3:47:29ā€ÆPMJan 14
to
Ghana looked to have equalised with a shot outside the area but VAR says there was a Ghana player in the box impeding the keeperā€™s view - no goal!

Real_Mardin

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Jan 14, 2024, 3:56:03ā€ÆPMJan 14
to
HT: Ghana 0 - Cape Verde 1

RM

Jesper Lauridsen

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Jan 14, 2024, 4:19:58ā€ÆPMJan 14
to
Mozambique has Ratifo, of 1. CfR Pforzheim in Oberliga
Baden-WĆ¼rttemberg, up front. Who does Egypt have?

Real_Mardin

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Jan 14, 2024, 4:21:06ā€ÆPMJan 14
to
59 minutes Djiku heads in a free kick to equalise.

Ghana 1 - Cape Verde 1


RM

Real_Mardin

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Jan 14, 2024, 4:32:16ā€ÆPMJan 14
to
Cape Verde bring on former Galatasaray and current AnkaragĆ¼cĆ¼ winger Garry Rodrigues- can he make the difference?

RM

Real_Mardin

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Jan 14, 2024, 4:36:06ā€ÆPMJan 14
to
72 minutes, Garry Rodrigues crosses, Bebe shoots.........Djiku clears off the line! So close for Cape Verde!

RM

Real_Mardin

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Jan 14, 2024, 4:47:10ā€ÆPMJan 14
to
In the last 10 minutes itā€™s Cape Verde knocking on Ghanaā€™s door! This would be a great opportunity to take the lead in Group B over Egypt - can they make the breakthrough?


RM

Real_Mardin

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Jan 14, 2024, 4:51:08ā€ÆPMJan 14
to
89 minutes Garry Rodrigues through one on one but the Ghana keeper parries his shot away! So close!

RM

Real_Mardin

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Jan 14, 2024, 4:56:04ā€ÆPMJan 14
to
The Blue Sharks bite in injury time! Ghana make a mess of clearing the ball from their area and it falls to Garry Rodrigues for a simple tap in! Ghana 1 - Cape Verde 2! The Cape Verde players celebrate by climbing the stairs of the stand as if they have just won the FA Cup!


RM

Real_Mardin

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Jan 14, 2024, 5:06:05ā€ÆPMJan 14
to
Itā€™s over! Weā€™ve seen the first shock result of the tournament as Cape Verde beat Ghana 2-1. Cape Verde now lead Group B!

This was a double header played at the same stadium, Egypt- Mozambique was pretty deserted but travelling fans from both sides seemed to fill out the stands a bit more for this one.

RM

Werner Pichler

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Jan 15, 2024, 5:12:22ā€ÆAMJan 15
to
Real_Mardin <realma...@proton.me> wrote:
> Real_Mardin wrote:
>
>> Except every AFCON I remember watching of late
>> has been mainly played to largely empty stadiums
>> as they price ticket prices so high as to effectively
>> shut locals out from paying to attend any game
>> not involving the host nation, so perhaps not.
>> Let's hope the ticket prices suit local wallets
>> better this time.
>
> For the group stages the cheapest ticket is 5000
> FCFA (up from 3000 in 2022) but the most
> expensive ticket is 15000 FCA (down from 20000).
> Hard to find a lot of information about the average
> salary in Ivory Coast but from what I can find online
> and doing some admittedly rough calculations the
> cheapest ticket would appear to be many more
> times the average daily wage.
>
> Or to look at it another way: the cheapest ticket is
> equivalent to $8 in a country where 11% of people
> live off less than $2.15 per day and 75.6% live off
> less than $6.85 per day.
>
> I think this points to a lot of empty stadiums in the
> matches not involving Ivory Coast? Perhaps some
> neighbouring nations like Ghana, Guinea, Mali and
> Burkina Faso might take enough travelling support
> to make the ground fuller, as might a continental
> power house like Egypt?


Iā€™m sorry, but in a stadium that has seen two fatal
crowd crushes in the last 15 years, and just two years
after eight people have been trampled to death at the same competition, I
cannot help but be rather
relieved to see the stands less than packed.

Ciao,
Werner

Real_Mardin

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Jan 15, 2024, 6:06:14ā€ÆAMJan 15
to
Ouch.

RM

Real_Mardin

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Jan 15, 2024, 9:06:09ā€ÆAMJan 15
to
Welcome to the Charles Konan Banny Stadium in Yamoussoukro for an AFCON 2023(4) Group C double header! First up we have Senegal v The Gambia and those of you who donā€™t like to see CAF grounds overcrowded will be delighted to hear the newly built 20000 capacity stadium is largely empty!


RM

Real_Mardin

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Jan 15, 2024, 9:11:06ā€ÆAMJan 15
to
Senegal take the lead after 3 minutes after the pass the ball around in the box and Gueye shoots low past the keeper!


RM
Message has been deleted

Ion Saliu

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Jan 15, 2024, 9:26:43ā€ÆAMJan 15
to
On Saturday, January 13, 2024 at 3:11:04ā€ÆPM UTC+2, Real_Mardin wrote:
> The 2023 Africa Cup of Nations starts today in the year 2024 as it was postponed due to adverse summer flooding in the host nation Ivory Coast.
>
> The opening match is tonight at 8pm GMT (9pm CET, 3pm EST) when Ivory Coast take on Guinea-Bissau in the 60000 capacity Alassane Ouattara Stadium (also known as the Olympic Stadium of Epimbe).
>
> The AFCON, more than any other international tournament I can think of, feels like it should be granted the REAL FOOTBALL seal of approval. Closely fought matches between teams usually not blessed with super star players, fans in the stadium playing traditional music and beating drums, stadiums with running tracks around them which give a sort of 70's to 90's World Cup retro appeal.
>
> Except every AFCON I remember watching of late has been mainly played to largely empty stadiums as they price ticket prices so high as to effectively shut locals out from paying to attend any game not involving the host nation, so perhaps not. Let's hope the ticket prices suit local wallets better this time.
>
> Let's use this thread for match reports and scores.
>
> Happy AFCON, everyone!
>
>
> RM

Africa Cup of Nations will become the best competition in the world of football (soccer). Maybe in a decade. Iā€™m watching Senegal v Gambia. 1-0 Sadio ManĆ©. Plenty of stars from European top championships (some in Saudi Arabia nowā€¦ for huge money!)

Ion Saliu

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Jan 15, 2024, 9:48:27ā€ÆAMJan 15
to
OK, OK. The West Europeans will continue their sports colonialism. They simply naturalize the great African footballers! Look at Team France! All ā€œFrenchā€ Africans should be playing for the African nations of their ancestors. The same in the case of Englandā€¦ and all European nations with a colonial past. Maybe FIFA can implement a different policy, as radical as it might look.

Granted, the best coaches will be European for some time to come! Tradition, mind you!

Technical issues now Senegal v Gambia. Yup, itā€™ll take a while for Africa to catch up technologically. May Almighty Number give them a divine hand!

Ion ā€œAxiomatic Parpaluckā€ Saliu
Founder of Philosophical Science of Sport
ā€¢ ā€¢ https://saliu.com/almighty_number.html

Blueshirt

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Jan 15, 2024, 10:05:44ā€ÆAMJan 15
to
When they can sort out the problem of people pulling the cables out
of the broadcasting feed! ;-)

Real_Mardin

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Jan 15, 2024, 10:11:12ā€ÆAMJan 15
to
The Sky Sports broadcast lost picture about 20 minutes or so in and googling it seems Supersport in Africa has had the same problem. Google is reporting the half time score as Senegal 1 - The Gambia 0.

RM

Ion Saliu

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Jan 15, 2024, 10:23:23ā€ÆAMJan 15
to
On Monday, January 15, 2024 at 5:11:12ā€ÆPM UTC+2, Real_Mardin wrote:
> The Sky Sports broadcast lost picture about 20 minutes or so in and googling it seems Supersport in Africa has had the same problem. Google is reporting the half time score as Senegal 1 - The Gambia 0.
>
> RM

Problems solved. Senegal v Gambia is back with the second half. Senegal 2-0. Game over.

Blueshirt

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Jan 15, 2024, 10:30:48ā€ÆAMJan 15
to
The broadcast feed for everyone went down... I missed a red card, a
second Senegal goal and Nicholas Jackson coming off the bench!

Real_Mardin

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Jan 15, 2024, 10:32:23ā€ÆAMJan 15
to
Sky Sports has the picture back and Camara shoots diagonally low past the keeper to put Senegal 2-0 up after 52 minutes!

There might not be many attendance but one group of supporters are playing Jazz style music which is making up for it, the unique sound which makes the AFCON!

RM

Real_Mardin

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Jan 15, 2024, 10:56:07ā€ÆAMJan 15
to
Camara places a beautiful shot from outside the area into the top corner to put Senegal 3 - 0 up!


87 minutes played.


RM

Real_Mardin

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Jan 15, 2024, 11:06:10ā€ÆAMJan 15
to
FT: Senegal 3 - The Gambia 0

RM

Real_Mardin

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Jan 15, 2024, 11:56:07ā€ÆAMJan 15
to
The stadium has filled out a little more for the second part of this Group C double header as Cameroon play Guinea (just how many Guineas are there in this tournament?!?). Itā€™s the Indomitable Lions against the National Elephants!


RM

Real_Mardin

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Jan 15, 2024, 12:17:01ā€ÆPMJan 15
to
Guinea had just forced a save, Cameroon fail to clear the biall, some high pressing wins Guinea the ball back and Bayo fires past the keeper to put Guinea 1-0 up. 12 minutes played.


RM

Real_Mardin

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Jan 15, 2024, 1:02:06ā€ÆPMJan 15
to
HT Cameroon 0 - Guinea 1


Not been able to watch much of this but have seen enough to know itā€™s not going the Indomitable Lionsā€™ way!

The Guinea captain has been sent off, which could be a bit of a leveller in the second half.


RM

Real_Mardin

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Jan 15, 2024, 1:44:32ā€ÆPMJan 15
to
Magri equalised with a diving header on 51 minutes.

Cameroon showing Indomitable Lion spirit to get back into this.

73 minutes played.

RM

Real_Mardin

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Jan 15, 2024, 2:11:54ā€ÆPMJan 15
to
FT: Cameroon 1 - Guinea 1


Cameroon pushed forward in the second half but the 10 men of Guinea dug in to hold on for the point.

Not too sure what to make of this from a Cameroon standpoint. On one hand we came back from 1-0 down to get a point, but on the other should we have done more against 10 men? My fellow Indomitable Lion Mark, what do you think?

RM

Real_Mardin

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Jan 15, 2024, 3:16:36ā€ÆPMJan 15
to
9 minutes Algeria 0 -Angola 0

Algeria in their famous green and white kit, Angolaā€™s kit looks like Belgium.

Stadium looks full by AFCON standards?

Algeria looking the more threatening early on.

RM

Binder Dundat

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Jan 15, 2024, 3:25:14ā€ÆPMJan 15
to
Considering Giurassy and Keita were not playing ( I assume both are
injured) and they played most of the game with 10, I would say a good
result for Guinea. I did not see the match.

I will stick with them as my longshot pick, though the main reason I
picked them was due to Keita and Guirassy.

Algeria playing Angola now, if I am to believe the rankings, this should
be an easy win for Algeria

Binder Dundat

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Jan 15, 2024, 3:56:25ā€ÆPMJan 15
to
Algeria only leading 1-0 at the half, they had a really nice goal called
back for offside. Algeria looking good for the win, but Angola are
still in it.
I would say more noise coming from this game then most of the games I
saw on the weekend

Real_Mardin

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Jan 15, 2024, 4:17:03ā€ÆPMJan 15
to
My internet went off so I havenā€™t been watching this but Algeria are 1-0 up after 52 minutes.

RM

Real_Mardin

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Jan 15, 2024, 4:36:08ā€ÆPMJan 15
to
67 minutes, Angola awarded a penalty for foul in the area, Mamaloulou sp?) hit the crossbar but then knocked his ow rebound into the net (he neednā€™t have bothered as the replay showed it crossed the line). 1-1 71 minutes played.


RM

Real_Mardin

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Jan 15, 2024, 4:46:23ā€ÆPMJan 15
to
Attendance has just been announced as 19740, the Stade de la Paix has a 40000 capacity, not bad by AFCON standards.


RM

Binder Dundat

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Jan 15, 2024, 5:08:11ā€ÆPMJan 15
to
Yeah, the crowd and noise seemed decent for this match, which ended 1-1.
I thought Algeria were the better team, but they really did not do
enough for the projection machine to project them winners. Right now we
are projecting Senegal, but not enough results are in yet.

I think Algeria is third favourite to win this while Angola were ranked
20th out of 24.

Real_Mardin

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Jan 15, 2024, 5:12:00ā€ÆPMJan 15
to
FT: Algeria 1 - Angola 1

Algeria had a chance to win it in injury time but the Angolan keeper did well to save the shot.

I have to leave my cosy AFCON bubble tomorrow to venture out into the outside World so no AFCON reports from me until possibly the late game between Mali and South Africa, if anyone else is free to do match reports please feel free to do so.


RM

Mark

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Jan 16, 2024, 8:58:23ā€ÆAMJan 16
to
I didn't see the match, but I'd have thought we should be able to beat Guinea. Unless I'm under-rating Guinea? I don't know much about Guinea.

Talking of Cameroon, why isn't Nicolas Nkoulou in the squad?

Real_Mardin

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Jan 16, 2024, 11:06:08ā€ÆAMJan 16
to
FT: Burkina Faso 1 - Mauritania 0

Crowd sound lively, seems like Burkina Faso have a lot of traveling support.

RM

Real_Mardin

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Jan 16, 2024, 11:06:08ā€ÆAMJan 16
to
I managed to get back from the freezing cold outside just in time to see Burkina Faso awarded a VAR penalty (sliding tackle in the area, was VAR really needed?) in injury time which Traore converted to put them 1-0 up against Mauritania.


RM

Real_Mardin

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Jan 16, 2024, 12:02:28ā€ÆPMJan 16
to
Tunisia v Namibia about to start in a sunny and mainly empty Amadou Gon Coulibaly Stadium. This is the opening match in Group E. Itā€™s the Eagles of Carthage v The Brave Warriors!

Tunisia are in their classic white with red trim, Namibia are wearing a very Portuguese looking dark red with green shorts.

RM

Real_Mardin

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Jan 16, 2024, 1:56:06ā€ÆPMJan 16
to
89 minutes, a a deep and high Namibia high ball found Hotto unmarked, he headed into the net to put Namibia 1-0 up.

5 minutes injury time indicated.

RM

Real_Mardin

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Jan 16, 2024, 2:06:08ā€ÆPMJan 16
to
FT:

Tunisia 0 - Namibia 1

Another surprise result.

Tunisia forced the Namibia keeper into some good saves, but then Namibia forced a Tunisia defender to hook the ball off the line earlier, so I canā€™t say the win wasnā€™t deserved.

RM

Binder Dundat

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Jan 16, 2024, 2:21:58ā€ÆPMJan 16
to
The South will rise again!

Northern teams not doing so well...so far.

Real_Mardin

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Jan 16, 2024, 3:06:13ā€ÆPMJan 16
to
Mali v South Africa kicks off.

Many Mali fans in the stands.

South Africa with six players from the same club (?).

This is going to be a match of the tournament contender, I can feel it......


RM

Binder Dundat

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Jan 16, 2024, 3:25:04ā€ÆPMJan 16
to
They must be using the WWEPL VARobots, a handball call so bad that even
the PK taker thought it was such a bad call that he skied it over the goal.

Real_Mardin

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Jan 16, 2024, 3:26:17ā€ÆPMJan 16
to
20 minutes South Africa miss a penalty - over the bar!


RM

Binder Dundat

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Jan 16, 2024, 3:51:22ā€ÆPMJan 16
to
On 2024-01-16 3:23 p.m., Real_Mardin wrote:
> 20 minutes South Africa miss a penalty -Ā  over the bar!
>
>
> RM

Let me go out on a limb and say neither team will win the AFCON. The
Sud African commentators have been entertaining though.

Blueshirt

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Jan 16, 2024, 3:53:02ā€ÆPMJan 16
to
Real_Mardin wrote:
>
> This is going to be a match of the tournament contender, I can feel
> it......

Don't give up your day job! :-)

Blueshirt

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Jan 16, 2024, 4:38:03ā€ÆPMJan 16
to
Binder Dundat wrote:
>
> Let me go out on a limb and say neither team will win the AFCON.

I got a bit excited to see a goal in this game and nearly spilled my
tea! Fortunately I had it drank before the second Mali goal...

2-0 to Mali will surely suffice... in what - apart from the two goals
in six minutes - has been a very dull affair.

Real_Mardin

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Jan 16, 2024, 5:31:54ā€ÆPMJan 16
to
I saw more of the first half than the second. I thought South Africa looked threatening earlier on and had high hopes this could have been an AFCON classic of sorts, but sounds like Mali took control in the second half.

Good to see the ground full with supporters. As anticipated, certain neighbouring countries can bring a fair amount of supporters, it's the matches involving nations from further away that suffer because not enough locals can afford the ticket prices to make up the numbers.


RM

Real_Mardin

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Jan 17, 2024, 11:57:20ā€ÆAMJan 17
to
Morocco v Tanzania about to start , the first match of Group F.

The newly built and largely deserted Laurent Pokou Stadium in San Pedro was apparently built by cutting back the rain forest (!!).

Tanzania wearing what could psss as a Fenerbahce kit, blue and yellow stripes.

RM

Real_Mardin

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Jan 17, 2024, 12:36:26ā€ÆPMJan 17
to
Ziyech shoots from a free kick, the Tanzania keeper can only parry the ball to th feet of Saiss for an easy finish. Morocco 1 - Tanzania 0, 31 minutes played.

RM

Real_Mardin

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Jan 17, 2024, 12:56:10ā€ÆPMJan 17
to
HT: Morocco 1 - Tanzania 0

This is all Morocco, Tanzania are basically reduced to sitting back and fouling. Although bear in mind Morocco have players with World Cup and Champions League experience, wheras Tanzania have an English non- league player and even a player with no club.

A superficially strange match both because Tanzania are wearing a striped kit more resembling a club side and also because the stadium in San PĆ©dro seems to be missing a proper stand at one end.


RM

Real_Mardin

unread,
Jan 17, 2024, 1:47:30ā€ÆPMJan 17
to
Ounahi scores from just inside the area following a nice ā€˜one two ā€œ move to put Morocco 2-0 up after 78.

Tanzania reduced to 10 men.

Surely this is all but over?

RM

Real_Mardin

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Jan 17, 2024, 1:47:30ā€ÆPMJan 17
to
3-0 now , Hakimi crosses for El Nesyri to finish at the far post .


RM

Real_Mardin

unread,
Jan 17, 2024, 2:06:06ā€ÆPMJan 17
to
FT: Morocco 3 Tanzania 0


DR Congo v Zambia is the next game and the final game of the first match day of the group stage.

Forgive me for mentioning another competition on the AFCON thread, but Iā€™ll be watching Blackpool v Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup at the time, Iā€™ll try to switch channels during pauses in play.


RM

Real_Mardin

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Jan 17, 2024, 3:32:12ā€ÆPMJan 17
to
Zambia take the lead on 23 minutes with a calamity goal. DR Congoā€™s keeper challenged for a ball outside the area, before he could get back Into his goal Zambia quickly started play and Kangwa chipped the ball past the retreating keeper and over two flailing defenders into the net! DR Congo ask for a VAR review on the grounds of a foul on the keeper but the goal stands!


RM

Real_Mardin

unread,
Jan 17, 2024, 4:02:16ā€ÆPMJan 17
to
HT: DR Congo 1 - Zambia 1

DR Congo equalised on 27 minutes when Wissu (sp?) knocked in a low cross. They also had a shot cleared off the line. Looks from the highlights like DR Congo have had more of the game.

RM

Real_Mardin

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Jan 17, 2024, 5:02:39ā€ÆPMJan 17
to
FT: DR Congo 1 - Zambia 1

RM

Mark

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Jan 18, 2024, 8:21:10ā€ÆAMJan 18
to
Cameroon are playing the Champions of Africa tomorrow! (17:00 UTC in case anyone wants to know.)

Apparently Vincent Aboubakar isn't playing. I don't know why. And I still don't know why Nicolas Nkoulou isn't in the squad. How are we going to cope without either of the players from my all-time Cameroon XI ?

Real_Mardin

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Jan 18, 2024, 10:32:09ā€ÆAMJan 18
to
Mark wrote:

> Cameroon are playing the Champions of Africa tomorrow! (17:00 UTC in case anyone wants to know.)

> Apparently Vincent Aboubakar isn't playing. I don't know why. And I still don't know why Nicolas Nkoulou isn't in the squad. How are we going to cope without either of the players from my all-time Cameroon XI ?

Annoyingly Iā€™ll probably be out and will miss at least the first half.

No idea why certain players havenā€™t been picked but hopefully it should be a good game.

Ecquatorial Guinea currently leading Guinea-Bissau 4-1 in front of rows and rows of empty seats in the 60000 capacity Alassane Ouattara Stadium.

RM

Real_Mardin

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Jan 18, 2024, 11:11:08ā€ÆAMJan 18
to
FT: Ecquatorial Guinea 4 - Guinea-Bissau 2

Things are looking a bit desperate for Guinea-Bissau, although theoretically they could still go through as one of the highest ranked third placed teams.


RM

Real_Mardin

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Jan 18, 2024, 2:36:42ā€ÆPMJan 18
to
I was otherwise engaged but FT: Ivory Coast 0 - Nigeria 1

Group A:

1st Ecquatorial Guinea 4pts

2nd Nigeria 4pts

3rd Ivory Coast 3pts

4th Guinea-Bissau 0pts

Guinea-Bissau are now officially eliminated.

Hosts Ivory Coast at risk of elimination.


RM

Real_Mardin

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Jan 18, 2024, 3:56:04ā€ÆPMJan 18
to
Despite the attentions of two Egypt defenders Kudus shoots low and hard from m outside the area to put Ghana 1-0 up in first half injury time.

Salah has gone off injured too.

RM

Real_Mardin

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Jan 18, 2024, 4:41:06ā€ÆPMJan 18
to
What a crazy couple of minutes. Marmoush pounces on a backpass and takes the ball around the keeper to equalise for Egypt, but straight after Ghana work the ball into the Egypt area from the right, Kudus shoots from a tight angle but the shot takes a deflection to put Ghana 2-1 up!

EDIT: No sooner do I finish typing the above Trezegueut robs a Ghana defender of the ball outside the Ghana area and passes back to Mostafa Mohammed to fire in to make it 2-2!

76 minutes played.

RM

Real_Mardin

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Jan 18, 2024, 5:06:05ā€ÆPMJan 18
to
FT: Egypt 2 - Ghana 2


A result which gives both teams some difficulty in the group, they could even both get eliminated depending on forthcoming results.


RM

Binder Dundat

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Jan 18, 2024, 7:32:15ā€ÆPMJan 18
to
A 3 goal blitz in 3 minutes and neither team will be happy. Egypt
probably looked better after Salah went off injured.

I cant figure out what will happen in this cup? Is it there for Morocco
to lose or will it be one of the numerous other countries to win, since
most games are even and hard to pick a winner. With 3rd place teams
qualifying, it kind of makes the group stage less interesting, but
results are so random, you really dont know who will qualify. Like
Egypt for example could finish 4th in the group.

The game between Senegal v Cameroon should be good, if Senegal win it
they will be favourites to lift the trophy, otherwise who knows.

Real_Mardin

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Jan 19, 2024, 12:21:26ā€ÆPMJan 19
to
Back early enough to watch Senegal- Cameroon after all.

And as if to underline Binderā€™s point above, Senegal take the lead she Cameroon fail to clear a corner, allowing Sarr to set himself up for a low shot into the net.

Senegal 1 - Cameroon 0 19 minutes played.

RaM

Binder Dundat

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Jan 19, 2024, 12:56:25ā€ÆPMJan 19
to
Tuned in a bit late, but from what I have seen, the Tigers of Senegal
are looking better than the Lions of Cameroon.
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