As the 2015 African Cup of Nations 2015 kicks off in Equatorial Guinea Pundits are busy selling to football fans their predictions of the favourites.<\/p>\n
A few names have come up; Algeria has been quite prominent unsurprisingly given their World Cup performance and form in Qualification, plus they have got the players to win it.<\/p>\n
Cote D\u2019ivoire are always book makers favourite and there are the few voices who are backing Burkina Faso to go a step better this year. The returning Senegal and Cameroon have also received some honourable mentions.<\/p>\n
But the Afcon is hard to call, and there\u2019s a reason for that. Pundits know it better than most that sometimes the fairy tale stories or a bad day in the office for the big boys simply have a way of ripping the form guide at the Afcon.<\/p>\n
And there have been a few over the years. So Algeria and the other touted favourites must be on the lookout to avoid the slippery slope of Afcon upsets. Here, I chronicle three of the best moments in the last decade when highly fancied sides bit the dust.<\/p>\n
AFCON 2012: SENEGAL\u00a0 <\/strong><\/p>\n Senegal is returning to Equatorial Guinea with very few fond memories. In a scene reminiscent of the Scottie Pippen dunk over Patrick Ewing in that famous NBA moment, Senegal in 2012 provided this year\u2019s host nation Equatorial Guinea with perhaps their greatest moment in football.<\/p>\n In the lead up to Afcon 2012 Senegal was resurgent and many pundits pick to run away with the title. And why not.\u00a0 The Teranga Lions had in their ranks some of the hottest attacking talents in European football.<\/p>\n Demba Ba was the second top scorer in the EPL with 14 goals when the Afcon came around,\u00a0 Moussa sow was coming off finishing as goal-king in the French Ligue, Dame N\u2019Doye was voted best player in Denmark after his 25 goals in 31 matches for FC Copenhagen helped them to win the Danish title and future Newcastle striker but then Freiburg’s main marksman Papiss Demba Cisse completed the line up.<\/p>\n This lot were enough to strike fear in any opposition. What\u2019s more Senegal had edged Cameroon in qualifying and all was set for them to stroll through a group containing co-hosts Equatorial Guinea, Zambia and Libya. What followed was a flop of unbelievable proportions.<\/p>\n An opening 2-1 loss to Zambia was a surprise but for many it was just a blip that the Senegalese were going to rectify with wins against the hosts and Libya. But on the faithful night in Malabo a Spanish 4th<\/sup> Division player with UP Langreu Kily Alvarez struck a most beautiful goal fit for an upset and Equatorial Guinea were into the quarterfinals.<\/p>\n Senegal with their galaxy of Stars packed bag and baggage much to the delight of their European Club coaches!<\/p>\n AFCON 2010: COTE D\u2019IVOIRE<\/strong><\/p>\n The Cote D\u2019ivoire have been consistently big disappointments for the pundits since the golden generation emerged.<\/p>\n This makes it hard picking a moment that defines that sense of under-achievement. That said 2010 will go down as one of their lowest Afcon moments.<\/p>\n Like 2013 it was a quarterfinal exit exit but whereas Nigeria are always a threat to any team, the Cote D\u2019ivoire were not expected to lose to Algeria Angola 2010, not at a time when Talisman Drogba and a greater number of that unlucky generation were at their peak.<\/p>\n They were firm contenders for the title. Drawn in a three team group (after Togo\u2019s withdrawal) the Cote D\u2019ivoire duly dispatched Ghana and Buirkina Faso to stroll leisurely into the quarters where Algeria awaited them. T<\/p>\n he Fennecs were not expected to pose many problems for the favourites. The Algerians came into the tournament, on the back of qualifying as one of Africa\u2019s representatives for the world cup.<\/p>\n But their group stage form was patchy. They lost 3-0 to minnows Malawi before beating Mali and holding the hosts, enough to clamber into the quarters based on better head-to-head.<\/p>\n But against Cote D\u2019ivoire the underdogs were transformed and although the elephants twice led, familiar problems in their defence allowed Hameur Boazza to score early in extra time so that when the final whistle was blown it was Algeria who emerged 3-2 victors after extra time in one of the most absorbing ever Afcon games.<\/p>\n AFCON 2006: GHANA<\/strong><\/p>\n 2006, the year of Ghana\u2019s sensational arrival at the world stage in Germany 2006, began in a rather forgettable manner-an inauspicious first round exit at the Afcon hosted in Egypt.<\/p>\n Despite missing Michael Essien, Asamoah Gyan and Sulley Muntari and drawn in the same group as power houses Nigeria and Senegal Ghana was nonetheless expected to make it through the group stages coming off a successful whirlwind world cup qualification and rode into the land of the Nile as serious contenders.<\/p>\n Ghana recovered from a 1-0 opening loss to Nigeria to beat Senegal by the same margin. Going into the final round of matches, Nigeria led the group on 6 points and Ghana and Senegal were level on 3 each but the Black Stars seemed primed to reach the quarter since they had the advantage of playing the whipping boys of the group- Zimbabwe whiles Senegal took on Nigeria.<\/p>\n What should have been a simple task for the Ghanaians turned out to be a black football day, that had nothing to do with the Black Jerseys Ghana wore on the day.<\/p>\n Zimbabwe the sacrificial lambs picked the last group game to discover their form to win their first match of the tournament and send the world-cup bound Black Stars home for an early shower.\u00a0\u00a0 Benjamin “Benjani” Mwaruwari had the Warriors ahead by two goals after 68 minutes following an Issah Ahmed own goal.<\/p>\n Despite a late goal by Baba Adamu Amando there was no turnaround for Ghana as it ended 2-1. One of the most endearing images from that night in Ismailia was a half fit Stephen Appiah limping through the game as his team crumbled around him.<\/p>\n The captain had been forced to play through an injury in the hope that he could inspire the Black Stars. It backfired spectacularly!<\/p>\n <\/p>\n By: Sammy Bartels<\/p>\n Email: fifibartels@yahoo.com<\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" As the 2015 African Cup of Nations 2015 kicks off in Equatorial Guinea Pundits are busy selling to football fans their predictions of the favourites. A few names have come up; Algeria has been quite prominent unsurprisingly given their World Cup performance and form in Qualification, plus they have got the players to win it. 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