The 2022 World Cup has seen an African team, Morocco put up the best show of any side from the continent while at least three of its five representatives in Qatar advanced to the knockout round.
By Ibrahima Dione
The greatest stage in world football saw Sunday’s coronation of Lionel Messi’s Argentina as champions at the expense of Kylian Mbappe’s France (3-3 AET and 4-2 on penalties).
In the first World Cup hosted by an Arab Muslim country, Africa conjured up seven wins in the group stage.
This is the first time an African team won their group match since its first representative Egypt entered the competition in 1934.
Even better for the continent’s record is that all five of its teams won at least one match in the 2022 tournament.
This too had never happened before.
Moroccan
pacesetters
The Atlas Lions finished Saturday, just outside the medals bracket of a World Cup, which would have made their achievement even better.
For the classification final, Morocco bowed to Croatia (2-1).
Before that, they fought a fierce battle in the semi-final against France, the then reigning world champions who came away 2-nil winners.
Before the arrival of Coach Walid Regragui and his dedicated charges, Africa had three previous failures in the World Cup quarterfinals: Cameroon in 1990, Senegal in 2002 and Ghana in 2010.
Now, December 10, 2022 is engraved in the collective African memory.
On that day, against Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal, Youssef En-Nesyri jumped highest to break the glass ceiling of the continent producing a goal that was worth its weight in gold.
In the round of 16, Morocco beat Spain after 120 minutes of a nil-nil draw and won the penalty shootout (3-0) thanks in particular to their unstoppable keeper, Yassine Bounou.
The beginning of the second round of the Atlas Lions was only the continuation of the first one at the end of which they were classified first of Group F by muzzling (0-0) the flamboyant Croats and by dominating Belgium (0-2) and Canada (1-2); two wins and a draw, resulting in an impressive seven points from three group games.
This is the best total of an African team since the era of the three-point victory at the 1994 World Cup.
Senegal sent back to school
The defending African champions were dreaming big for the third World Cup in Senegal’s history. But the withdrawal of talisman Sadio Mane, a few days before the start of the tournament dampened the spirit of an entire country.
Without their star man the Teranga Lions embarrassed the Netherlands for a long time before collapsing toward the end in a 2-nil defeat.
Senegal got back on track in the second game by beating host country Qatar (1-3) with goals from Boulaye Dia, Famara Diedhiou and Bamba Dieng.
Pitted against Ecuador for the final Group A decider, Coach Aliou Cisse’s boys played the game they needed to win by 2 to 1.
Finishing second in the group behind the Netherlands, the Lions were paired with England in the round of 16. Without influential midfielder Idrissa Gana Gueye after his suspension for two yellow cards, they were tactically outclassed by the Three Lions who showed formidable efficiency (3-0).
Beyond the elimination, the overall performance of Kalidou Koulibaly and his teammates was considered lamentable and frustrated many.
However, Senegal, eliminated in the first round in 2018 improved four years later with a record of 2 wins, 2 losses, 5 goals scored and 7 conceded.
Hapless Cameroon saved best for last
On Friday, December 2, the Indomitable Lions showed up as a choice prey in the biggest of competitions. Obliged to beat Brazil to maintain their hope of qualification, in the final Group G match, Cameroon did it.
Against a B side of the Seleção, Vincent Aboubakar scored the only goal in the 92nd minute.
In the immediate aftermath, the center forward was sent off for removing his shirt in celebration of his sumptuous header from a cross by Jerome Ngom Mbekeli.
That was a historic victory, the first of an African nation against Brazil in the World Cup, which unfortunately was not enough to continue their adventure into the knockout stage.
Collins Fai, Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa, Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting and teammates were below par in the 1-nil loss to Switzerland and miraculously snatched an unlikely 3-3 draw against Serbia.
As a result, with four points, the Indomitable Lions finished 3rd with 1 win, 1 draw, 1 loss, and 4 goals scored and as many conceded.
Aside from this checkered performance, Cameroon once again made news off the field. Shortly before the start of the second match, first-choice goalkeeper, Andre Onana, was removed from the team over disciplinary reasons.
It will later be known that the Inter Milan shot stopper had been involved in a dispute about his footwork with coach Rigobert Song, who did not take kindly to risk taking.
Thus, Onana walked out on the squad, giving his own version of events on social media.
“I was not allowed to be on the field to help Cameroon, as I always do, to achieve the objectives of the team. I have always behaved appropriately to lead the team to success. I put all my efforts and energy to untie the ties of an ambiguous situation, but I did not meet the receptivity expected,” said the former Ajax Amsterdam player.
It was Devis Epassy who guarded the goal for the Indomitable Lions against the White Eagles and the Auriverde.
Despite his side’s early exit, Samuel Eto’o, president of the Cameroonian Football Federation (FECAFOOT), stayed in Qatar to follow the rest of the competition.
He lost his cool momentarily after the round of 16 match between Brazil and South Korea by violently attacking an Algerian youtuber who was heckling him.
Afterwards, he expressed deep regret for losing his temper and reacted in a way that did not correspond to his personality.
Tunisia, so close yet so far
Advancing to the second round was the main ambition of the Carthage Eagles in the 2022 World Cup.
It stated promisingly enough when the North Africans frustrated and held Denmark to a nil-nil stalemate.
Unfortunately, Coach Jalel Kadri’s team stumbled to a narrow defeat against Australia which exposed the offensive deficiencies of Youssef Msakni and his teammates.
Qualification was still possible in the event of a victory against France combined with a favorable result in the other match between Denmark and Australia.
Thanks to a Wahbi Khazri counter against a heavily reshuffled ‘Les Bleus’ side, the Carthage Eagles fulfilled their part of the bargain.
However, the Socceroos crumbled their dream like a house of cards by beating the Danes to advance to the knockout behind group winners France.
In terms of points, Tunisia has achieved its best campaign with 1 win, 1 draw, 1 loss, 1 goal scored and 1 conceded.
But as in 1978, 1998, 2002, 2006 and 2018, the Carthage Eagles have not spread their wings to their farthest reaches.
Ghana undone by leaky defense
Lawrence Ati-Zigi, the Black Stars’ last line of defence was breached by the opposition a record seven times. No other African team has been so vulnerable after three games in Qatar.
Naivety, errors of positioning, ball-watching… Ghana’s defenders were anything but brilliant in their 3-2 defeat to Portugal their win against South Korea (3-2) and their collapse to Uruguay (2-0).
On the other hand, in attack, Mohamed Kudus (22 years old) was a revelation for the West Africans. The left-handed player scored two goals, provided an assist and won a penalty that was casually missed by Andre Ayew against the Celeste.
Ghana finished bottom of Group H and left a taste of unfinished business at the tournament.
Coach Otto Addo, who has since resigned, never found the formula to balance a selection in which newcomers Inaki Williams, Mohammed Salisu or Tariq Lamptey did not fully meet expectations.
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