Algeria and Nigeria headed home yesterday after another African World Cup challenge came to a disappointing end in Brazil.
While Nigeria and Algeria proved combative last-16 opponents for Germany and France, the lack of a cutting edge in attack led to defeats.
The losses against the former world champions were hardly surprising as African teams have won just 16 of 80 matches against European opponents in the World Cup. Only three African sides have reached the quarter-finals of the tournament: Cameroon in 1990, Senegal in 2002 and Ghana in 2010.
Issa Hayatou, president of the Confederation of African Football, echoed the pre-tournament hopes of football followers from Cairo to Cape Town when he wished for “one or even two” African semi-finalists.
But Africa’s five teams won only three from 17 games, one each by Algeria, Nigeria and Ivory Coast, while Ghana collected a solitary point. Cameroon lost all three matches for the second World Cup in succession and yesterday the country’s football federation announced it was investigating allegations of match-fixing from “seven bad apples” in the team.
Slack defending, a lack of midfield creativity and below-par set-piece executions were contributing factors to an underwhelming African showing.
There was some cause for celebration: for the first time at a World Cup, two Africa teams reached the last 16; Nigerian Stephen Keshi became the first African coach to make the knockout phase; and Algeria’s 4-2 defeat of South Korea marked a record high number of goals in a game by an African side.
The good
– Nigeria goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama enhanced his growing international reputation even though a flap at a corner gifted a goal to France midfielder Paul Pogba on Monday.
– Top-ranked African side Algeria ditched the overly cautious system that led to defeat by Belgium and produced some slick counter-attacking football against South Korea.
– Ghana showed what they were capable of in a draw against Germany, a match they led 2-1 in the second half. They also dominated play in a loss to the United States.
– African champions Nigeria shrugged off a drab draw with Iran to prove worthy opponents for former world champions Argentina and France.
– Cameroon gave glimpses during the first half against hosts Brazil of what they might have achieved had they concentrated on football rather than bonuses.
The bad
– Africans were generally woeful at set pieces, with corners under or over hit and free kicks not carrying the threat posed by European and South American stars.
– Ghana coach Kwesi Appiah must regret his pre-tournament we-can-be-world-champions quote as it put unnecessary pressure on a mentally brittle squad.
– After all the attention focused, again, on Cameroon’s outspoken captain Samuel Eto’o, he barely threatened Mexico and missed the other two losses through injury.
– Amateurish Ghana defending allowed US forward Clint Dempsey to score 30 seconds into their opening Group G match. After levelling the Africans threw away a point when raw American John Brooks scored off an unmarked on an 86th-minute corner.
– Nigeria were toothless in a goalless stalemate with Iran, barely posing a threat up front in what probably was the least attractive game of Brazil 2014.
The ugly
– So-called Algerian supporters shone green lasers at the Russia goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev, who claimed he was blinded when conceding an equaliser.
– The bonus-obsessed Cameroon and Ghana teams seemed more interested in dollars than qualifying for the knockout stage, though a concern about their governments not paying them is not unfounded.
Jerome Valcke, Fifa’s general secretary, said: “It’s sad that we end up with stories where we are talking about a strike and the players would not play if they don’t receive their money.
“The fact that the money came in cash is also sad.”
– Kevin-Prince Boateng directed profanity at his coach and Sulley Muntari struck an official. Both were booted out of the Ghana camp.
– The experienced Cameroon midfielder Alex Song was red carded for elbowing a Croatian on the back in full view of the referee.
– Later in the same match, Cameroonian Benoit Assou-Ekotto attempted to butt teammate Benjamin Moukandjo after an attack broke down.
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