The pre-tournament favourite teams are finding it difficult to overpower the supposed weaker teams that are proving tough at the ongoing AFCON in Cote D’Ivoire.
Three games, nine goals, two draws, and a confidence-jarring defeat have been the story so far at Day 2 of the 2023 Africa Cup in Cote d’Ivoire.
In Group A, Nigeria’s Super Eagles played against 88th FIFA-ranked Nzalang Nacional of Equatorial Guinea, that entered the tournament on the back of an unbeaten run in 2023, which included five wins out of their seven matches.
The Eagles squad valued at about $364 million, were always the favourites for the three points, but the underdogs with a squad value of $30 million, took the lead, even as the African Player of the Year, Victor Osimhen, promptly equalized about a minute after.
In the match between Egypt and Mozambique, Mohamed Salah’s team in their quest for an eighth title, needed a penalty in added time to take a point off Mozambique.
Mostafa Mohamed gave the Pharaohs the lead in the second minute, and it looked like Egypt were going to run away with a comfortable victory, but the 111th-ranked side stepped up in the second half with two goals in the space of three minutes.
Witiness Quembo scored the equaliser in the 55th minute, and second-half substitute Clesio Bauque scored in the 58th minute to give the Mambas the lead.
It took until the seventh minute of added time for the seven-time champions and 2021 finalists to draw level.
They also needed a stroke of luck, as Salah’s penalty went in off Ernan’s right post. It was the first time Mozambique would take any point off the Egyptians in six meetings.
The tournament’s first shock unfolded in the last match of day two, as four-time champions Ghana continued their dismal AFCON outing with a 2-1 defeat.
The Black Stars had ended their 2021 AFCON campaign with a 3-2 loss to Comoros, and it did not get any better for Chris Hughton on his AFCON debut.
On the day that Andre Ayew equalled Rigobert Song’s record of appearing in an eighth AFCON tournament, the Stars fell behind to a goal from Jamiro Monteiro in the first half.
The Black Stars fought back and got an equalizer through a stooping header from central defender Alexander Djiku, but a mixup between Djiku and Mohammed Salisu in the second minute of added time gave substitute Garry Rodrigues a tap-in for a famous victory.
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