African Cup Of Nations 2022

[Jah Womble]

Two in as many minutes give the hosts a 3-1 lead. Somehow Aboubakar has four goals in this tournament - ie, 25% of all goals scored.

‘Scenes’, or something.

[Patrick Thistle]

I've just switched on so expect no more goals

[Patrick Thistle]

Happily I was wrong

[Jah Womble]

Burkina Faso decide to join in the jollity with a first-half ‘strike’ against Cape Verde - if you can call an off-the-shoulder number that.

[Jah Womble]

With no further goals since I last posted, I was rather assuming that the tournament was resorting to type. Malawi and Zimbabwe have given us a couple of nicely-taken first-half efforts this afternoon, however…

…and now Malawi lead 2-1 with another decent finish.

(I gather that Morocco also have a goal vs Comoros in a game I was unaware was happening.)

[elguapo4]

2.0 to Morocco, should have had more, some great saves and blocks by the Comoros keeper and defenders kept the score down

[Janik]

I see the 2002 tournament was referenced up thread. I remember that one - there were comments about things starting slowly but then picking up. Except it never did, just dull and negative from start to finish. That event got the final it deserved - a nil-nil draw after extra time followed by a penalty shoot-out replete with misses.

[Amor de Cosmos]

Handbags at the end of the Ghana v Gabon match after Gabon had tied it up in the 88." Could, and probably should, be several cards handed out, especially to some of the Ghanaian players and their coach.

[ursus arctos]

Tetteh got a red

[Amor de Cosmos]

My feed ended before I saw that. It could certainly have got ugly. I understand why Ghana would be frustrated. But, even though player for player they were superior, they just couldn't put the game away.

[Jah Womble]

I could understand that Ayew and co might be angry with themselves for not putting that game to bed, but not quite sure why they were so worked-up with Gabon/the officials - another timing issue?

[Duncan Gardner]

and now Malawi lead 2-1 with another decent finish

The Flames are back

[The Awesome Berbaslug!!!]

I see that the numbers of goals are going up, now that the players have had more than two days together. to train and get used to each other. It's not really correct to compare this to tournaments like the world cup, or the european championships, where teams get together at the end of the season, to play a tournament generally at the height of summer, and have two weeks to prepare. This is a tournament in the middle of the season, leaving players less exhausted, being played in lovely conditions of moderate heat, and low humidity.and the teams have had essentially no time to prepare. It's kind of the perfect recipe for a tournament dominated by players being able to get behind the ball, because that's all you can organise in that time frame. It's also aided by everyone being able to run back every time, and it means that the tournament is left looking a bit Italia 90, particularly since the attackers lack the familiarity with each other and consequently the sharpness as a unit, to overcome packed defences. So you're left either looking for a penalty, or a brilliant low probability finish And that's kind of what you got. The goals you get from periods of organised attacking are missing.

[Patrick Thistle]

Gambia in a perpetual rearguard action in this game.

The dancing in the stands is on point. The crowd noise is incredible.

[CY_Boaby]

What a clearance off the line, thought we were finally going to see a goal.

[Patrick Thistle]

Ah shit. VAR penalty for Mali.

[Patrick Thistle]

Scored. Arsebiscuits.

[Patrick Thistle]

Tbh it has all been one way in this game.

[CY_Boaby]

I can't believe the Mali coach is wearing a vest under his shirt. No wonder he's sweating.

[Patrick Thistle]

Ooh penalty shout for Gambia.

[Patrick Thistle]

I can't believe the Mali coach is wearing a vest under his shirt. No wonder he's sweating.

I thought that. His shirt has gone see-through.

[Patrick Thistle]

YES!

[Patrick Thistle]

GET THE FUCK IN!

[Ray de Galles]

Do Gambia have the flaggiest kit in the tournament?

[CY_Boaby]

Well, I didn't see that coming. VAR again; one of those handballs in the box where the defender has little chance of getting his arm out of the way, but it was always going to be given.