King Julien goes to the Pyramids - African Nations Cup 2019

[Sporting]

Hi Sporting,

As a majority of Nigerian footballers are from the West (predominately Yoruba) and East (predominately Ibo) the religious majority has always been Christian.

There have been a large number of Muslims who have represented such as:

Muda Lawal
Raschid Yekinni
Mr Garba Lawal

And going by the names, there are a couple of Muslims in the current squad:

Abdullahi Shehu
Jamilu Collins
Ahmed Musa



Religious, no as a number of the Yoruba footballers are Christian and Muslim.
Ethnic, outside of the obvious sectarian nutters it is mainly the subject of bar room discussions of inter-tribal banter when we inevitably crash out against Cameroon and Ghana. It was a bigger deal 20-30 years ago where there were alot of players with similar abilities and the competition for places were much fiercer but even then, allegations of players/agents/politicians bribing the manager to get into the team were taken more seriously.

It is no more different than when England team and the suspicion that playing for a BRC (or Spurs) gets you in ahead of better players at smaller teams.

Thanks. I know a lot more now.

[The Awesome Berbaslug!!!]

[img]https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/onesport/cp..._633925858.jpg[/img]

Maybe it's written on the other side. I must say it's a very strange looking trophy. I like it a lot. The European championship trophy looks like something you'd keep granny in if she didn't want to wind up underground.

[Tactical Genius]

TG, maybe you're the best person to answer this: what's the religious/ethnic distribution of the Nigeria squad

Hi Sporting,

As a majority of Nigerian footballers are from the West (predominately Yoruba) and East (predominately Ibo) the religious majority has always been Christian.

There have been a large number of Muslims who have represented such as:

Muda Lawal
Raschid Yekinni
Mr Garba Lawal

And going by the names, there are a couple of Muslims in the current squad:

Abdullahi Shehu
Jamilu Collins
Ahmed Musa

have there been/are there any subsequent tensions resulting?

Religious, no as a number of the Yoruba footballers are Christian and Muslim.
Ethnic, outside of the obvious sectarian nutters it is mainly the subject of bar room discussions of inter-tribal banter when we inevitably crash out against Cameroon and Ghana. It was a bigger deal 20-30 years ago where there were alot of players with similar abilities and the competition for places were much fiercer but even then, allegations of players/agents/politicians bribing the manager to get into the team were taken more seriously.

It is no more different than when England team and the suspicion that playing for a BRC (or Spurs) gets you in ahead of better players at smaller teams.

[Tactical Genius]

Nah, just the normal bipolar expectations or otherwise of a footie fan!

That too lol.

[Sporting]

TG, maybe you're the best person to answer this: what's the religious/ethnic distribution of the Nigeria squad and have there been/are there any subsequent tensions resulting?

[Sporting]

Nah, just the normal bipolar expectations or otherwise of a footie fan!

[Tactical Genius]

I asked because although I suspected Nigeria he went from name on the trophy to can't see them winning it!

Make yer mind up, TG!

Fair point. I was trying to do modesty which I am clearly useless at.

[Sporting]

TG is of Nigerian heritage and has been bigging up the Super Eagles on here for decades.

His work on behalf of Jay Jay Okocha is particularly legendary.

I asked because although I suspected Nigeria he went from name on the trophy to can't see them winning it!

Make yer mind up, TG!

[Rogin the Armchair fan]

I'm sad Madagascar are out but what a run. Best debutant performance at a previously well-established major finals for some time. (I'll let DG and Ray squabble over Non Iron or Wales in '58 before Sam, cantagalo or ursus or someone comes in and says Peru won the Copa America in 75 on their first ever punt at it).

[ursus arctos]

TG is of Nigerian heritage and has been bigging up the Super Eagles on here for decades.

His work on behalf of Jay Jay Okocha is particularly legendary.

[Sporting]

Get in. Our name is on the cup.

Who is "our"?

[Tactical Genius]

I can't see Nigeria winning it. They are a solid, but pretty unspectacular and the over-reliance on the goal scoring of Ighalo is worrying

[Tactical Genius]

South Africa was easy work
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZHbjggC1cTU Some footage of Kanu dancing (ladies look away 6-10 seconds)

[Wouter D]

Algeria were ruthless with the penalties, except for the last one which hit the post. Cote d'Ivoire returned the favor.

Madagascar's fairy tale ended in the second half of their quarter final, when Tunisia ran out to a 3-0 victory.

Two North-African teams advance to the semis, to meet two West-African teams. I'd rank Algeria as favorites, closely followed by Nigeria. It's hard to cal that one, since both countries look really good. If their semi goes all the way to penalties, Senegal might edge the final by being better rested; I think their squad is substantially better than Tunisia's*.

Whatever happens from here on out, the tournament has been a blast, as it so often has been.

*quarter final blow-out or not, I haven't forgotten that in the group phase they didn't even manage to beat Mauritania.

[ursus arctos]

Algeria waste a penalty and a number of solid chances and are pegged back by Cote d'Ivoire.

1-1 with 20 minutes to go.

[Tactical Genius]

Get in. Our name is on the cup.

[Wouter D]

Preposterous defending costs South Africa dearly in the final minute before injury time; Ekong scores the 2-1.

[Wouter D]

Proper VAR moment there. South African goal initially chalked off for offside, but the replay showed that the ball came off a Nigerian defender so it couldn't have been offside. Game now level, thanks to VAR.

[Rogin the Armchair fan]

Senegal through, but Sadio Mane has two goals ruled out by VAR for offside. I have a horrible feeling we'll hear that a few times next season in the Premier League ...

[Wouter D]

Tunisia take their penalties very well, and put Ghana out, setting up a tie with Madagascar.

[Wouter D]

Cracking own goal to pull Ghana level in injury time against Tunisia.

[ursus arctos]

Cote d'Ivoire advance on a late goal in a match where Mali had the better chances overall.

[ursus arctos]

Madagascar win on penalties as the DRC miss the goal twice

[ursus arctos]

DRC equalise with a bullet header from a corner at the death.

[ursus arctos]

Madagascar take the lead on a diving header with ten minutes to go in Alexandria