After being postponed by a year, the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations finally began in January 2022. The tournament brought many memorable moments from heated arguments breaking out between referees and players to upsetting wins by underdogs.
Senegal's Success
Before I delve into the shocks of the tournament, I must congratulate Senegal who were crowned champions of Africa. The win represents redemption as Senegal finished runner-up in the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations.
Considering that the team has remarkable players from top European clubs, Senegal did not fail to meet the high expectation of winning the tournament. While the team barely edged its opponents in the group stages, Senegal managed to effortlessly defeat Cape Verde 2–0 in the round of 16. Striker Sadio Mané and goalkeeper Edouard Mendy also proved to be pivotal instruments to the team as their heroics in the penalty shootout played a role in their win against Egypt.
Although Senegal deserves full praise, I must also give credit to Egypt. They lost their first group stage match to Nigeria, but — led by Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah — Egypt managed themselves well after a disappointing start, overcoming tough opponents like Ivory Coast and Cameroon in the playoffs.
Great Display
Entering the tournament, superstars like Salah, Mané and Mahrez were expected to be the best performers of the tournament. However, as the tournament prolonged, Cameroon’s captain Vincent Aboubakar took the limelight. Playing in his home country, the striker led his fellow players to an unlikely run where they topped their group and finished third overall. In addition, Aboubakar notched eight goals to win the golden boot of the tournament.
Although Aboubakar currently plays for Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia, his efforts in this tournament may see some European teams courting his services.
What Happened?
The most shocking exits out of the competition have to be Ghana and Algeria.
For Ghana, prestige and past glory necessitated that they performed well. As a four-time AFCON winner and as with a current squad with players who play for competitive European teams, Ghana was expected to at least move on to the quarter finals. On paper, their group stage opponents, Comoros and Gabon, were weaker. Instead of showing their class, the Ghanaian soccer team sadly bowed out of the competition, and they finished last in their group.
As the defending champions of Africa, Algeria were favorites to win the tournament. However, they only managed one point in their first game — a draw against Sierra Leone. They then lost their subsequent games to both Equatorial Guinea and Ivory Coast.
What's Next?
The conclusion of the tournament serves as a harbinger for the dramatic and exciting games to come during World Cup Qualifiers since both Egypt and Senegal will face off to bid for a place in the upcoming World Cup.
