By Michael Ainomugisha
Forget the savanna, forget the sun-kissed beaches and the Sahara dunes – the real heat in Africa right now is on the football pitch.
South African and Mamelodi Sundowns short-stopper Williams trending for saving the SA into the Semifinals —— Banter that he can save the SA economy.
The Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) is in full swing, and let me tell you, it’s hotter than a habanero dipped in lava! Yes real lava from magma —— if your pedigree can’t save you then your talent should.
From the electrifying chants echoing through packed stadiums “especially in the knockout stages” to the mind-bending skill on display, AFCON 2023 is a footballing fiesta unmatched.
Ghana is not good enough to stay on the big stages, leading not Tunisia and Algeria to a promised land but to the airport customs office.
The Mauritanian heroics, Dellah Yaly stopped Riyad Mahrez away from dreaming. In Just 37 minutes, it was enough to send the latter to Houari Boumediene International Airport.
Every match is a battle, a dance, a story unfolding in vuvuzela and sweat. Take Senegal’s lions, their roar deafening as they maul their opponents with ruthless efficiency only to lose it out in shoot-outs.
Witness Morocco’s dazzling Atlas Lions, caged by the Bafana Bafana.
Don’t even get me started on the Ivory Coast Elephants, the roar of their home crowd their secret weapon as they charge towards glory, kicking out the head coach for finishing third in a den of Equatorial Guinea, Nigeria and Guinea Bissau. Now they await DR Congo Leopards.
But this tournament edition isn’t just about the big guns. It’s about the underdogs, the Davids slinging their metaphorical stones against the Goliaths.
Watch Angola lead group D, or cheer for Mauritania to surprise the stage with a round of 16 spot and AK47 on the Teamsheet, defying expectations with every determined tackle.
This tournament is a breeding ground for heroes, where no team is safe, and every victory is a fairytale. Mabululuuuuuuuuuuuu screams the commentary box!
“This AFCON is going to be the best in the history of African football. Côte d’Ivoire will show the world the best football players from Africa and the best football players in the world,”
Patrice Motsepe
Then there are the goals! Oh, the goals! Screaming volleys that rip through the net, delicate chips that caress the string, thunderous headers that leave keepers grasping at thin air.
Bebe’s long-range free-kick for giant killers Cape Verde, Mabululu’s curler against neighbours Namibia, Lamine Camara’s thunderous hit past Gambia.
Pablo Garnet’s 73rd minute passed the hosts or maybe the Mauritania tremendous goal through Aboubakary Koita or perhaps the curtain raiser Seko Fofana against Guinea Bissau.Each one is a masterpiece, a brushstroke on the canvas of this continental epic.
But AFCON is more than just football. It’s a celebration of unity, a tapestry woven from the threads of 24 diverse nations. It’s the joyous racket of a thousand vernaculars united in the roar of a goal.
It’s the shared heartbreaks of a missed penalty, the collective sigh of relief after a last-ditch tackle —— those William Troost-Ekong and Calvin Bassey’s defences.
It’s a continent holding its breath, its heart pounding as one, for the beautiful game. Indeed this is the best AFCON.
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