African Cup of Nations Recap--Quarterfinals (Day 2)

After squandering an early 2-0 lead, Cameroon needed a 92nd minute goal from Stade Rennais midfielder Stéphane Mbia to beat Tunisia today and advance to the semifinals. The extra time goal was Mbia's second of the game and spoiled any hope of a Tunisian upset, which was only made possible in the first place after an 81st minute tally from Yassine Chikhaoui levelled the match at 2-2.

The same Tunisia defense that had been stout in the group stage (3 goals allowed in 3 matches) was awful today; their marking was atrocious and in truth, they were fortunate to only concede three goals to a Cameroonian squad that racked up 10 goals in their group games. To be fair, Tunisia did manage to contain star striker Samuel Eto'o, but one man does not make a team.

The Eagles of Carthage started their only two Premiership players, Birmingham City's Mehdi Nafti and national captain Radhi Jaidi, as usual, although French coach Roger Lemerre made multiple changes to the side that drew with Angola on Thursday.

The four-time champions of this tournament and Group D winners this year exit in heartbreaking fashion. They came from behind and got a late goal to equalize, only to have their dreams shattered by a goal just two minutes into extra time.

Cameroon's lineup featured three Premiership players in Alexander Song, Geremi, and Andre Bikey. Geremi, a Newcastle midfielder, scored directly off a free kick to put the victors up 2-0 in the 27th minute.

The Indomitable Lions' victory propels them to a semifinal matchup against Ghana, the host nation, on Thursday. Goals could be aplenty with the firepower each team possesses, so I'm really looking forward to that game. My pick: The home team gets it done, 3-1.

In today's other quarterfinal, Egypt wrecked my pre-round predictions and beat Angola 2-1. I had gone 3-3 until this result, and it was a game in which Angola was clearly the unluckier of the two teams.

Egypt went ahead 1-0 on a PK (as a result of a questionable handball decision) from Hosni Abd Rabou in the 23rd minute, which was his third goal from the spot in the tournament. A left-footed screamer from Manucho, Manchester United's newest signing, levelled the match just four minutes later however, and that goal was Manucho's fourth of the tournament.

Amr Zaky "scored" the winning goal seven minutes before halftime, and it was just one of those "right place, right time" situations. Angola's defense failed to cut out a cross and it cost them, as the ball ended up deflecting off the onrushing Zaky's arm and into the net.

Angola ran out of gas at the end and Egypt was able to attack and counter-attack succesfully, though they didn't get the insurance goal which would've put the game away.

Despite the loss today, the Black Antelopes are clearly on an upward trend, having qualified for World Cup 2006 and giving a good account of themselves there as well. Portuguese coach Luís Oliveira Gonçalves has a team that will host the 2010 African Nations Cup and should have every chance to make a run there and in the 2010 World Cup, if they can qualify for that.

With the victory, the Pharaohs move on to the semifinals where they'll meet my choice, Ivory Coast. This match is going to be a little trickier for Ivory Coast than a lot of outsiders would expect, but I'm going to ride my favorites until the very end. Ivory Coast-2, Egypt-1.

African Cup of Nations Recap--Day 12

Both teams said they were playing to win the game. Both teams only needed a point to advance the quarterfinals. What was the result? As I predicted here a few days ago, the Tunisia-Angola match yesterday ended in a boring 0-0 draw. The crowd was depressingly small, it was a hot afternoon, the match was played at an incredibly slow pace, and there were only a few real chances all game long.

Angola, after qualifying for their first ever World Cup in 2006 (and they acquitted themselves very nicely as well), have now reached the quarterfinals of the African Cup of Nations for the first time in their soccer history.

Tunisia coach Roger Lemerre was clearly satisfied with a draw as he was shown repeatedly waving his players back to sit behind the ball in the second half and his side go through as the champions of Group D. Radhi Jaidi and Mehdi Nafti, both Birmingham City players, started for The Eagles of Carthage.

Senegal and South Africa both needed to win and then have a winner in the Tunisia-Angola match for either of the former two nations to qualify for the next round. Neither event happened as yesterday's other game ended 1-1. South Africa went ahead almost a quarter of an hour into the match through Elrio Van Heerden's second goal of the tournament, but West Ham striker Henri Camara equalized for Senegal in the 37th minute. Blackburn defensive midfielder Aaron Mokoena played but didn't have a great game for South Africa, and Premiership players Camara, Abdoulaye Faye, Papa Bouba Diop, and Diomansy Kamara all started for Senegal.

The Lions of Teranga were playing without starting goalkeeper Tony Sylva and captain El-Hadji Diouf as the pair were suspended for breaking curfew earlier in the week. It was a disappointing exit for the West African nation; their roster is full of accomplished players and after a quarterfinal run in World Cup 2002, they enter every major tournament with high expectations.

South Africa was using this tournament as a chance for the players to gain high-level, competitive match experience before World Cup 2010, which they'll host. Brazilian coach Carlos Alberto Perreira has made the World Cup the main focus for his team and they'll put all their eggs in that basket.

The quarterfinal bracket for Groups C and D is now complete. Tunisia, the champion of Group D, will take on Group C runner-up Cameroon on Monday and Angola will face Egypt, the defending champions of this tournament and winner of Group C, on Tuesday.

Final Group D Standings (Teams in bold advance):

1. Tunisia (5 points, +2 goal differential)
2. Angola (5 pts, +2 GD)
3. Senegal (2 pts, -2 GD)
4. South Africa (2 pts, -2 GD)

Action resumes on Sunday with the first two quarterfinal matchups, Ghana-Nigeria and Ivory Coast-Guinea. I'm going to go with good form and take Ghana and Ivory Coast to win their games and advance to the semifinals.

African Cup of Nations Recap--Day 8

Manchester United are looking smarter and smarter for their interest in Manucho as the Angolan striker scored twice in seventeen minutes in the second half to propel his country to a come-from-behind 3-1 win yesterday over Senegal.

Manucho now has three goals in two games in this edition of the African Cup of Nations, Angola has four points and is sitting in the driver's seat to qualification for the quarterfinals, and Senegal is without their head coach as he resigned after the loss. The Lions of Teranga are in big trouble and it looks unlikely that they'll advance even though they have a roster full of quality players who make their living overseas, including six players in the Premiership who appeared in yesterday's game. One of those players, Newcastle's Abdoulaye Meite, put Senegal ahead after just 20 minutes, but after a first half in which they were dominated, Angola came out in the second half and simply took it to their opponents.

The other game yesterday also ended with a 3-1 score as a more experienced Tunisia side beat the 2010 World Cup hosts, South Africa. Francileudo Santos scored twice in the first half and The Eagles of Carthage took a 3-0 lead into the break. South Africa only avoided a clean sheet with an 87th minute goal and didn't even deserve that with their sloppy play all game long. Tunisia's lineup included two Birmingham City players, Radhi Jaidi and Mehdi Nafti, and South Africa started both Steven Pienaar and Aaron Mokoena once again. Their hopes of advancing to the next round are likely over, and Tunisia can seal the deal with a draw or win against Angola in the last group match.

Group D Standings (after two games):

1. Tunisia (4 points, +2 goal differential)
2. Angola (4 pts, +2 GD)
3. Senegal (1 pt, -2 GD)
4. South Africa (1 pt, -2 GD)

Group A is back in action today as they'll wrap up their part in this stage of the tournament. The Ghana-Morocco match is huge as Morocco will likely need to beat Ghana to advance to the quarterfinals because they're currently tied on points (3) with Guinea, who have the huge advantage of playing lightweights Namibia. If both Morocco and Guinea draw, Morocco would advance due to a better goal differential.

African Cup of Nations Recap--Day 4

I'll tell you what, this year's edition of the African Cup of Nations is getting better and better. The quality of some of the goals scored has been absolutely fantastic and yesterday we saw more of the same.

The 2010 World Cup hosts, South Africa, earned a point out of nothing against Angola as substitute Elrio van Heerdeen blistered a long-range effort in the 87th minute to equalize the game at 1-1, where it would end. Manchester United's new signing, Manucho, scored for Angola about a half hour into the match. Steven Pienaar and Aaron Mokoena started for South Africa, who fielded a younger lineup in an effort to give some players big-match experience before the next World Cup.

Tunisia and Senegal played to a 2-2 draw and once again, a spectacular late goal was vital. Mejdi Traoui's drive into the top left corner in the 82nd minute gave Tunisia a share of the spoils and cancelled out what would have been a game-winning goal from Newcastle and Senegal striker Diomansy Kamara just 14 minutes earlier. Senegal's starting lineup featured Kamara, Abdoulaye Faye, El-Hadji Diouf, and Habib Beye, and Papa Bouba Diop and Henri Camara came on as substitutes. Birmingham defender Radhi Jaidi started for Tunisia as well, so we saw Premiership players aplenty in this game.

Group A is back in action today as Ghana take on minnows Namibia and Guinea play Morocco in a critical, critical game for 2nd place in the group.