11.02.2008 13:13
Bittersweet end to the African Cup of Nations
www.fcbarcelona.cat
The African Cup of Nations has finished with the triumph of Egypt and a leading role for Barça players Eto'o, who ended up as the tournament’s top goalscorer, and Touré Yaya, who was included in the best eleven.
Eto'o, playing for Cameroon, and Touré Yaya, with Ivory Coast, have finished up their African Cup
of Nations 2008 with the disappointment of not having won the title but with the satisfaction of
having been key figures in their respective sides. Their individual exploits have consolidated
their positions as two of Africa’s leading footballers.
Eto'o top scorer
Samuel Eto'o led the list of goalscorers at the tournament
with 5 and has become the top scorer in the history of the championship. His total of 16 is two
better than the 14 notched by the previous record holder, Ivory Coast’s Laurent Pokou.
Cameroon and Eto'o in the final
Eto'o has been an indispensable player as far as his national coach is concerned, as he has
played all the minutes in the competition (a total of 570 including extra-time). In the group stage
Eto’o scored five goals in just three games. He netted twice in the initial 4-2 defeat by
Egypt, scored from the penalty spot as Cameroon thrashed Zambia 5-1 and notched two of his
side’s three in the 3-0 victory over Sudan which made sure the ‘Indomitable
Lions’ would get through to the quarter finals.
In those quarter-finals Cameroon just squeezed past Tunisia by three goals to two in a game
which went to extra-time. In the semi-finals Otto Pfister’s men then knocked out hosts Ghana
1-0. However, in the final not even the efforts of Eto'o, who finished the match with a niggle,
were enough to overcome a powerful Egyptian side which captured its second championship in a row
thanks to a single goal by Abou Treika.
Touré, in the tournament best XI
Touré Yaya has been named as one of the eleven best players at the
African Cup of Nations. The Barça player has been included in the starting line-up alongside
Essien, Muntari, Manucho, Geremi and Song and five members of the winning Egyptian side.
Ivory Coast, out in the semis
Ivory Coast ended up fourth after their excellent early showing came to an end in their
semi-final tie with Egypt. Touré played all 90 minutes in all three of the group stage matches and
his side reached the quarter-finals after beating Nigeria 1-0, Benin 4-1 (with Touré’s only
goal in the competition) and Mali 3-0.
In the quarter-finals Ivory Coast overran Guinea 5-0 and Touré was again on the pitch
for all 90 minutes. But in the semi-finals the ‘Elephants’ came up against Egypt in a
replay of the 2006 final. Barça’s midfielder played the entire match but Ivory Coast still
suffered at the hands of an Egyptian side that was gearing up for the final, going down by four
goals to one. In the third and fourth place play-off, with Touré coming off the bench, Ivory Coast
lost to hosts Ghana 4-2.