Mali Out, Angola & Algeria Qualify: Group A Roundup – African Cup of Nations 2010

Mali 3-1 Malawi
Angola 0-0 Algeria

Sometimes one goal is all it takes. Algeria only scored one goal in three games in Group A of the African Cup of Nations 2010. But it was enough to see the Desert Foxes through thanks to their head-to-head record with Mali. Algeria go through to the quarter finals.

There they will be joined by host nation Angola. Only two teams have ever failed to qualify from their group as hosts in the African Cup of Nations – Cote d’Ivoire in 1984 and Tunisia in 1994. After Mali’s remarkable 4-4 comeback in the opening game of the competition Angolans may have worried briefly that they would be next to flop at home. But Manuel Jose’s side bounced back from the disappointment of that incredible game and, backed by a boisterous home crowd in Luanda, beat Malawi 2-0 and held out for a 0-0 draw with Algeria. Angola progress as Group A winners.

Pain for Mali

With Angola and Algeria through it means one of the competition’s dark horses, Mali, fall at the first hurdle. While successfully pulling off one of the greatest comebacks in international football history against Angola means Mali will at least be remembered for something at AFCON 2010, that result really only masked what were some fairly glaring weaknesses in the Mali setup. Namely a shaky defence and little width. Mahamadou Bagayoko is most definitely a striker and not suited as a winger, yet coach Stephen Keshi (pictured) played him out wide against Angola to little effect, highlighting clearly their lack of creativity down the flanks.

A 4-4 draw offered reprieve, but a 1-0 defeat to Algeria in their second game ultimately proved the killer blow. Mali offered little in that game, stifled by Algeria’s propensity to defend in numbers, and when Mali succumbed to an Algeria set piece Keshi’s men just couldn’t break down the Algerian wall. This left Mali facing an uphill battle going into the final set of matches. Other results had to go their way.

Even a 3-1 win over Malawi came more through the genius of Seydou Keita and the ingenuity of Fredi Kanoute rather than out of any great team performance. Malawi were the better side for good spells in the game and should have grabbed an equaliser at 2-1 down when Russel Mwafulirwa conspired to miss an open goal. Mali went 2-0 up inside 3 minutes. Kanoute took advantage of a dreadful clearance from Malawi keeper Swadi Sanudi and hit a clever first time volley to make it 1-0, before Keita powered in an absolute rocket of a free-kick and definite goal of the tournament contender.

It finished 3-1. But it was not enough. Angola and Algeria played out a 0-0 draw which left Mali and Algeria level on points. And though Mali have a better goal difference and scored 7 goals to Algeria’s 1, the 1-0 defeat to Algeria eliminates them on head-to-head records. “We are disappointed and that’s it,” said a clearly despondent Kanoute after the game.

Malawi out, but hope for the future

Malawi also go home despite heading into the final set of matches in 2nd position. The Flames may pause to wonder on the plane home what might have been given the way they played in Angola. Considering their position as the lowest ranked team in the tournament, Malawi’s performances in Angola were more than satisfactory. In beating Algeria 3-0 they were excellent, not only scoring the goals when it mattered in the fierce Luanda heat but also for maintaining a robust shape playing disciplined and simultaneously expansive football. Joseph Kamwendo in particular was superb. The Algerians were even sweating in the tunnel before that game, but Malawi faced the same conditions and dealt with them far better. A 3-0 was fully deserved.

Unfortunately for the Flames, they couldn’t sustain their level of performance in their 2nd game against hosts Angola. Having fallen so desperately in the final minutes against Mali, the hosts needed a result to lift the entire nation in that 2nd match and Malawi struggled to deal with the intensity of the occasion in a 50,000 stadium packed to the rafters with home fans. Second half goals from Flavio and Manucho put Malawi to the sword and in their 3rd game against Mali the Flames trod on their own toes by conceding 2 goals in the first 3 minutes. Malawi played reasonably well against Mali but couldn’t recover from such a slack opening and lost 3-1.

Malawi will however wonder what might have been. At 2-1 down they were on top against Mali, but in the 2nd half Russel Mwafulirwa missed one of the easiest chances you are likely to see in this AFCON. The cross came in from the left, leaving Russel with a free header in front of an open goal, yet he somehow headed his effort into the ground and it bounced over the bar. It was harder to miss. At 2-2 they would have gone through, but ifs and buts mean nothing in tournament football and they head back to Lilongwe where their fans should hold their heads high.

Coach Kinnah Phiri is already a national hero in Malawi for his efforts as a player, but in this tournament his team showed just how much they have developed under his tutelage. Remember, this is a nation with only 20,100 registered footballers. Phiri has moulded what he has into a team that can now compete on the same stage as Africa’s finest. A calm, measured, intelligent man, he has just signed a new contract on the back of Malawi’s successes in Angola where they won their first ever AFCON match. “We came as underdogs but the players fought in this tournament,” said Phiri. “In football we must accept defeat. We learned a lot throughout.” With him in charge Malawi’s future looks bright.

Qualifiers – Ango
la and Algeria

Angola qualify as group winners and Algeria runners-up. Angola will now play either Cote d’Ivoire or Burkina Faso in the quarter finals, while Algeria could play any of the three.

Angola are a team with confidence at the moment, roared on by a supportive crowd. Some of their football has been very good; they pour men forward in attack with Mabina, a star in the making, and Dede tearing down the wings and putting crosses into Manucho and Flavio. Injuries to Flavio, Dede and Zuela have hurt them, but a big plus for Manuel Jose’s team is having won the group they will now continue to play their games in Luanda.

Algeria’s record in Group A reads – Goals scored 1, Goals conceded 3, Points 4. They are lucky head-to-head and not goal difference determines teams level on points, or they would be out. But Rabah Saadane’s miserly defence kept clean sheets in 2 of 3 games and that was the foundation for them to qualify. Will their defend-for-your-lives mentality be able to frustrate one of Ghana, Burkina Faso or Cote d’Ivoire in the quarter finals? We’ll soon find out, but Algeria surely need to offer more going forward if they are to be considered genuine title contenders.

Group A – Standings

Angola – Pts 5 – Won 1 – Drawn 2 – Lost 0 – Goals – 6 – Conceded – 4
Algeria – Pts 4 – Won 1 – Drawn 1 – Lost 1 – Goals 1 – Conceded – 3
Mali – Pts 4 – Won 1 – Drawn 1 – Lost 1 – Goals 7 – Conceded – 6
Malawi – Pts 3 – Won 1 – Drawn 0 – Lost 2 – Goals 4 – Conceded – 5

African Cup of Nations 2010, Algeria, Angola, Malawi, Mali