Group C

Zambia

With Christopher Katongo the only consistent performer in the Zambia squad it was a disappointing Cup of Nations for a tournament that opened so promisingly.

After defeating Sudan 3-0 to start proceedings it was clown-school defending against Cameroon that promptly closed the door on any hopes Zambia had of going through.

Things didn’t improve much in the final game against Egypt, but Katongo fought until the end despite a ramshackle defence that went to pieces after promising solidarity.

World Cup qualification prospects:

With Collins Mbesuma back fit the Zambians will put a good strike-force on the park to take on Togo, Eritrea and Swaziland.

If Emmanuel Adebayor plays for Togo regularly it’s hard to see the Zambian backline handling the Arsenal striker.

But Eritrea and Swaziland should be no match for the Zambians, whose performance against Sudan suggests it should have no trouble beating smaller teams (despite drawing with Chad on the way to this Cup of Nations).

While it should progress to the final group stage, expect the Keystone Cops music to get another run if the heads go down in the backline against the bigger teams.

Sudan

What to make of Sudan, after qualifying ahead of Tunisia it all went horribly wrong for the only goalless team of Ghana 2008.

Faisal Agab and Haythem Tambal were regular scorers in the qualifiers but were barely afforded chances, never mind not taking them, as Sudan were thoroughly outplayed three times.

It was speed on the ball, thinking off it, defending, goalkeeping, and shooting on goal – basically everywhere – that Sudan was off the pace.

They leave with their reputation damaged after having enhanced it so much by qualifying.

World Cup qualification prospects:

Khartoum must be something of a fortress and the home-ground advantage may be the thing that turns Sudan’s form around.

In the same group as Mali (discussed in the Group A blog), Sudan should find Congo and Chad easy pray.

Should they take care of the small teams it will take the pressure off in the games against Mali.

But don’t expect any miracles in the final group stage unless a game plan that involves better movement of the ball and harder running off it is successfully implemented.

Cameroon buried Sudan 3-0 in Tamale tonight to seal progression to the quarter-final of the African Cup of Nations.

Samuel Eto’o scored two goals in the rout to stand alone as the highest scorer in the competition’s history.

Sudan rarely made a forward foray and looked every part the team that leaves Ghana as the only one without having scored.

After just two minutes the pattern of the game was determined as Joesph Desire Job and Eto’o peppered Sudan goalkeeper Elmuiz Abdalla who made two miracle saves to keep the Indomitable Lions at bay.

But in the 26th minute Achille Emana drew a penalty from Alla Eldin Yousif Hado and Eto’o duly converted.

The penalty, Eto’o’s third of the tournament in as many games, gave the 26-year-old the record of leading scorer in Cup of Nations football overtaking Laurent Pokou of Ivory Coast.

The scoring was not finished with a comical own-goal before half-time giving Cameroon an unassailable lead.

Hamouda El Bashir, marking Eto’o, cleared a ball straight into Mohamed Ali Elkhidir and the rebound bounced into the net.

In the second half Sudan’s best chance of scoring came when an ambitious shot on the turn from Faisal Agab Sido required a save from Cameroon keeper Carlos Idriss Kameni.

But it was as close as the Sudanese came, Eto’o scoring his second of the match and fifth for the tournament in stoppage time as he finished clinically on a quick counter-attack.

In the other Group C game Christopher Katongo grabbed a late equaliser for Zambia in its 1-1 draw with Egypt.

Amr Zaki opened the scoring on 15 minutes but Katongo’s 88th minute goal gave Zambia a share of the points.

However it needed to win and pick up goal difference to boot to stand any chance of progressing.

The Pharaohs took it easy with none of its players booked in the match. Egypt tops the group with seven points, Cameroon second with six.

Barring lop-sided wins in both of tomorrow’s Group D matches, the pair will play one of Angola or Tunisia in the quarter-final.

Egypt overpowered Sudan with two late goals to substitute Mohamed Aboutreika closing out a 3-0 win.

The Pharaos are a perfect two from two and with a goal-difference of positive five sees them in a near-unbeatable position going into its final group game. The result all-but eliminates Sudan who would need to win by an unprecedented five goals against Cameroon while also needing a favour from Egypt against Zambia.

After Hosni Abd-Rabou had won and converted a penalty for Egypt on 27 minutes the game appeared to be lulling toward a 1-0 win in the second half. Sudan’s early efforts had produced 5 straight shots without an effort on target but the second half saw them unable to create any significant attacking chances.

But Aboutreika’s entry to the field signalled a new wave of Egypt attack and late in the match the substitute doubled the lead with a neat finish after nearly overplaying the ball.

He then fooled both the Sudan goalkeeper and backline by shooting to the near post when it looked like he would cross.

Hosni has converted two penalties from two among his three goals but was made to re-take his spot-kick tonight after encroachment on the first kick which went low to the left.

However his second penalty was even more clinical low to the right. 

Sudan and Nigeria remain the only teams yet to score at the Cup of Nations.

A claim from Benin coach Reinhard Fabisch has headlined the off-field drama at the African Cup of Nations. 

Drama between Sudan and a TV network and heavy criticism for Ghana's Asamoah Gyan have also been major talking points.

Gyan and Ghana coach Claude Le Roy faced the media yesterday to defend the team’s winning, but unconvincing start to the tournament.Gyan was widely booed when substituted against Namibia after a problematic night in which he failed to shoot accurately or make the right decisions when on the ball.

The striker who opened the scoring at the tournament with a penalty against Guinea admitted a lack of condition, but declared he would up his work rate to stay effective in the first team.  

Sudan’s players were involved in an altercation with an Egyptian television crew yesterday at the team’s hotel in Kumasi. The BBC is reporting a gun was drawn by a police officer when the law was called in to control the situation.

The confrontation is believed to have been caused by Sudan’s players refusing to grant interviews.

The Egyptian station TV1 has accused Sudan players and officials of being short-tempered and resorting to violence, while the Sudanese camp has claimed harsh treatment at the hands of the network.

Matters will be settled on the pitch this evening with Egypt hot favourite to win and depending on the result of Zambia and Cameroon, eliminate Sudan.

Benin coach Fabisch told the BBC he was approached by a man claiming to represent a Singapore company and was asked to help fix the result of his team’s opening game against Mali.

Fabisch was set a deadline of midday today to sign an affidavit confirming the accusations but neither he or CAF has made a statement on the matter.

Briefly in other news Guinea captain Pascal Feindouno has been issued a two match suspension for his sending off against Morocco.