••Morocco were knocked out by France in the semi-finals and lost the third-place play-off, therefore finishing in 4th-place, their highest-ever finish.
•Kenya Police FC head coach Salim Babu attributed Morroco’s shock exit to the devastating effects of a hostile climate but wondered why North African countries also struggled to perform in the high temperatures.
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Nothing has been more exhilarating than the ongoing 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Cote d'Ivoire which has set the continent alight.
The premier biennial African football showpiece has proved a big spectacle, constantly keeping football enthusiasts on the edge of their seats while leaving hearts pumping fast and hard as adrenaline levels soar beyond control.
We have witnessed wild and incredible scenes in the tournament where nations traditionally perceived to be the continental behemoths have faltered and tumbled down by the wayside even as the tournament edges to a close.
Notably, all nations that flew the continent flag at the 2022 World Cup have booked their flights back home, a clear indication that this year’s competition failed to inspire the African household names to victory.
Nothing could be more enthralling than Morocco’s dramatic exit. Given the vast potential, they exhibited at the Qatar 2023 World Cup. Many people expected the North African nation to experience a plain sailing campaign.
The Atlas Lions’ dream of laying claim to the coveted silverware went up in smoke after they crashed to South Africa on post-match penalties.
Boasting a star-studded lineup that included Qatar World Cup hero Achraf Hakimi, Morocco entered the showpiece as a hot favourite. But their fans returned home a disappointed lot following the shock exit.
Morocco were the latest African giants to be put to the sword during their abrasive duel against South Africa where Hakimi squandered a crucial penalty in the dying minutes of the crunch tie.
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One of Africa’s most successful national football teams, Morocco stormed the 1976 African Cup of Nations title. They wrote a new chapter in history in 1986 when they became the first African team to finish top of a group at a World Cup and the first African team to reach the knockout stages.
They then rode against the tide at the 2022 Fifa World Cup, topping a competitive group that included Croatia, Canada and Belgium.
They eliminated Spain and Portugal to become the first African team to reach the semi-finals of the World Cup.
Morocco were knocked out by France in the semi-finals and lost the third-place play-off, therefore finishing in 4th-place, their highest-ever finish.
The Atlas Lions were ranked 10th in the Fifa world rankings in April 1998. They were ranked as the top African national team for three consecutive years, from 1997 to 1999, and again since December 2022. As of December 2023, Morocco is ranked the 13th-best national team in the world.
The exit of the Black Stars of Ghana also left many dumbfounded. The West African giants have won the Africa Cup of Nations four times (1963, 1965, 1978, and 1982), while finishing as runners-up five times (1968, 1970, 1992, 2010, and 2015).
The Algerian national football team will also be following the proceedings many miles from the centre of action after crashing out early in the competition following a torrid run in the group stages.
The North African team rode into this year’s Afcon edition on the back of an impressive track record that saw them qualify for four World Cups in 1982, 1986, 2010, and 2014.
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They have also won the Africa Cup of Nations twice, once in 1990, when they hosted the tournament, and again in Egypt in 2019.
Many had predicted the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon would experience an easy time, cruising to the finals in Cote d"Ivoire. However, the team left their fans in tears after falling 2-0 to arch-rivals Nigeria in the Round of 16 to bow out of the competition.
Having featured for the first time in 1970, Cameroon was later on a roll, securing Afcon titles in 1984, 1988, 2000, 2002, and 2017
The biggest casualties of the tournament so far are the Pharaos of Egypt who have won the competition a record seven times.
They too left the tournament with an empty basket after being dumped out by the Democratic Republic of Congo following a tense penalty shootout that ended 8-7.
Defending champions Senegal are also out despite boasting a rich history that saw them reach the quarter-finals of the 2002 Fifa World Cup — the second team from Africa to do so after Cameroon in 1990.
Senegal’s first appearance in the Africa Cup of Nations was in 1965 when they lost 1–0 to Cote d'Ivoire for fourth place. They hosted the 1992 African Cup of Nations and secured the quarter-final berth before turning around their fortunes to finish as runners-up in both 2002 and 2019.
Senegal eventually won their first Afcon title in 2021, defeating Egypt in the final on penalties following a 0–0 draw after extra time.
Unfortunately, they will not be able to defend their title after falling into the mighty hands of the Elephants of Cote d'Ivoire in a thrilling quarterfinal encounter.
The exit of the Big Five shocked many in the football terrain as their respective football associations vowed to go back to the drawing board in search of answers.
Back home, we managed to get the expert views of celebrated Kenyan tacticians who offered an in-depth analysis of the strange turn of events.
Ex-Kenyan international Mickey Weche described this year’s Afcon edition as the most thrilling ever.
Tusker FC head coach Robert Matano reckons inexperience of the current crop of players accelerated the downfall of the long-fancied continental giants in the showpiece that has treated football fans to first-class entertainment.
"It is already evident that these teams have a conspicuous shortage in technical capacity. They look weak in physicality and easily burn out in the game. I’ve watched several of them gasp for breath in the second half,” Matano remarked.
Sofapaka head coach Zedekiah” Zico” Otieno draws attention to the elimination of defending champions and pre-match favourites Senegal by lowly-rated Cote d'Ivoire.
The Lions of Teranga crashed at the hands of the resilient Elephants who fought gallantly to coerce the match into penalties.
"That attests to the unpredictability of the sport. You can hardly tell who is going to clinch the title when all teams put up a good fight, especially at the knockout stages,” Otieno remarked.
“I was dazzled by Senegal’s defeat. But a shootout can annihilate either opponent," Otieno stated.
The remaining phase of the tournament will not feature the most decorated African sons, including Mohamed Salah, Riyad Mahrez, Sadio Mane and Hakimi.
“It means that the event will unveil a new crop of football luminaries. That’s a clear indication that the African football industry is growing relatively fast,” Otieno added.
Tusker head gaffer Robert Matano said he was shocked to discover that none of the 2022 quarter-finalists in Cameroon cracked the last eight this time round.
“It’s evident that the decision that Caf took to expand the competition to 24 teams is bearing palpable fruits. More slots have provided a perfect stage for the continental minnows to shine bright,” Matano stated.
“The whole situation has made Afcon even more competitive. The future augurs well for African teams in major global competitions,” he added.
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Kenya Police FC head coach Salim Babu attributed Morroco’s shock exit to the devastating effects of a hostile climate but wondered why North African countries also struggled to perform in the high temperatures.
“Judging by how frequently the referees paused the matches to allow players to take water, it is evident that the heat in Ivory Coast was unbearable and took a huge toll on the players who looked drained at the end of each match,” Babu remarked.
“Funny enough, all North African teams appear to attribute their deteriorating performance to high temperatures despite them coming from extremely hot areas."
Harambee Starlets head coach Beldine Odemba said she has seen nothing unusual in the tournament.
“Anybody who has been in the football scene long enough appreciates the fact that there are no small teams in a tournament that boasts such a magnitude,” Odemba remarked.
"There is a misplaced notion that links certain nations in the tournament with constant success.
"Sometimes, the most cherished African football powerhouses fail miserably. They are never guaranteed constant and unrivaled success.’’
“You’ve noticed that the ride isn’t getting any easier for the so-called footballing giants who paraded players currently plying their trade for the biggest clubs in the world. The difference is that players of the smaller teams fight for the badge,’’ Odemba noted.
“That only means that Kenya too can make huge strides on the continental stage with appropriate and adequate preparation,” she added.
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