Sports
Experts Review Africa’s W/Cup Performances
Africa’s six representatives encountered vastly differing fortunes at the 2010 FIFA World Cup, with Cameroon caught at one extreme after losing all three group games and Ghana proud torch bearers for the entire continent until their quarter-final defeat by Uruguay. Tidesports source caught up with an authority on each of the six teams to get the expert view on how their sides fared in South Africa.
South Africa: Clive Barker, Bafana Bafana coach from 1994 to 1997, leading them to CAF African Cup of Nations glory in 1996
I honestly think we should have done better. I was very disappointed to see us eliminated in the first round. It was a really tough group and it would have been an achievement to get out of it. We lacked experience. We should have finished more of our chances, especially in the first match against Mexico, which we should have won. Uruguay was a huge disappointment because we never got going in that game. We should have punished France more heavily and we deserved a bigger margin of victory. We had one of the best goalkeepers in the tournament in Itumeleng Khune. I’ve also noticed that the best teams in the competition have home-grown coaches and we should take inspiration from that. It’s time now for us to focus on 2014 and avoid repeating the same mistakes.
Algeria: Rachid Mekhloufi, Les Fennecs coach from 1971 to 1972, 1975 to 1979 and again in 1985, as well as a mentor to the players during the 1982 FIFA World Cup in Spain
It was a good run but, as so often, you get the feeling they could have done better. With a bit more organisation, our performances would have been improved. They needed to prepare better for the competition and go into it a bit more relaxed. But I think this team reached its peak in qualifying. Their stand-out performance was against Egypt in the play-offs; the players outdid themselves then. Still, it has to be said that this team gave fresh hope to the Algerian people, who fell in love with their national team again.
That said, as far as I’m concerned the team played against its better instincts. We’re best at going forward and I thought we were obsessed with defending. The match against England was a perfect example: we had a chance to beat a big team and we let it slip. It was as if nobody had given our players permission to shoot. The country needs to overturn its general vision of football. We need to make far-reaching efforts in terms of training youngsters and coaches. The generation of players born in 1982 is now coming of age and, if we integrate them as much as possible, the future of Algerian football will look brighter.
Cameroon: Alain Giresse, Gabon coach from 2006 to 2010, who took on the Indomitable Lions in qualifying for South Africa 2010 and at the Africa Cup of Nations in January
It’s disappointing not to have collected a single point. I think they approached the first match against Japan very badly, even though it seemed well within their reach. After that, their targets changed and their approach to the competition changed. I thought they were better against Denmark, when they created a lot of chances and deserved to win. That defeat put an end to their dreams, but I wasn’t really that surprised. They performed at the same level as at the African Cup of Nations – not the level they displayed in the qualifiers, when they were very strong. They seem unable to make the next step up. The problem is that after all these months it’s still not obvious what the best starting line-up is. Despite what everyone said, I felt that Samuel Eto’o was motivated. He was always trying to take the team as far as he could. The potential is there and this is a competitive squad, so I’m not too worried about their future.
Côte d’Ivoire: Robert Nouzaret, Elephants coach from 1996 to 1998, and from 2002 to 2004
There were improvements compared to 2006. It’s a shame they found themselves in such a tough group again. I’m disappointed because they could have done better if they’d taken more risks. I’m thinking about the [0-0 draw] with Portugal in particular. They wanted to make up for their disappointing African Cup of Nations campaign by tightening up in defence. As a result, they forgot to exploit their greatest strength: their power going forward. When you have a team as talented as this one, there’s no point adapting yourself to your opponents. Sacking Vahid Halilhodzic so close to the tournament was risky. He was the best man to sort things out and his only mistake was not having won the African Cup of Nations – not everyone can win it. Despite all his experience, Sven Goran Eriksson arrived a bit late to really improve things. His dream was to take four points and he did that, but it wasn’t enough to avoid elimination. The generation of players that contested the 2008 Olympic Games is now coming of age; surrounded by senior players, they could bring a lot of hope. The golden generation will nonetheless have to get over its frustration and put in the necessary effort to finally win something – starting with the next African Cup of Nations.
Ghana: Claude Le Roy, Black Stars coach from 2006 to 2008
I’m extremely sad for them. I called the players right at the end of the quarter final game and told them they could be proud. It must be a terrible feeling to come so close to a World Cup semi-final and miss out. The team demonstrated plenty of maturity and was very well balanced. They played the kind of football that was expected of them. If Michael Essien had been there, I’m certain Ghana would have reached the semis. They lacked a player of his calibre as he’s one of the most complete players in the world. He’s not only capable of doing everything, he does it all well. I was dazzled by Anthony Annan. I found him at Hearts of Oak when he was playing as a right winger and as soon as I moved him into defensive midfield, I felt he could be great. He’s an extremely intelligent player. The defence was very satisfying and Richard Kingson was top quality; he’s an underrated goalkeeper. They need to continue working and keep pushing themselves to avoid resting on their laurels. The goal now is to win the next African Cup of Nations.
Nigeria: Bora Milutinovic, Super Eagles coach from 1997 to 1998, including at the 1998 FIFA World Cup in France
I’m not really surprised to have seen this team fail as I know the problems they tend to encounter well. Nigeria is a country that’s overflowing with talent, but there’s an impatience there. They had a good African Cup of Nations campaign in Angola, where they finished third, but in spite of that they decided to change coach. Personally, I thought Shaibu Amodu had done a very good job. I have a lot of respect for Lars Lagerback, but he didn’t have enough time to get his message over to the players. It’s very difficult to build a competitive team in such a short space of time, as the players have to quickly take on board a new philosophy and new working methods. On an individual level, Vincent Enyeama proved that he’s a great goalkeeper and the generation of players who contested the 2008 Olympics also impressed: namely Chinedu Ogbuke Obasi, Victor Obinna, Peter Odemwingie and Sani Kaita. They showed that Nigeria is brimming with talent.
Brian Brobbey scored a dramatic 90th-minute winner as Sunderland came from behind to beat Newcastle United in a thrilling Tyne-Wear derby at St James’ Park.
Newcastle had been on target for their first home victory in this fixture since 2010 when Anthony Gordon gave the hosts a ninth-minute lead.
Sunderland played out from the back but defender Luke O’Nien’s pass was intercepted by Nick Woltemade and he gave it to Gordon, who did the rest to score his 17th goal of the season.
The hosts almost made it 2-0 just before the break, but Sven Botman headed against the post following a cross from left-back Lewis Hall, one of five Newcastle players to be included in Thomas Tuchel’s latest England squad.
Goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale, another called up by Tuchel, did not get great distance on a punch, the ball was played back into the box, Brobbey chested it goalwards and Dan Burn cleared off the line, only for Chemsdine Talbi to fire in the rebound.
Noah Sadiki had a chance to put Sunderland ahead, only for him to shoot at Ramsdale.
Yet it did not prove costly as Brobbey scored the late winner, to the delight of the away fans, when he converted a rebound from close range after Ramsdale saved his first attempt.
The result gives Sunderland their first league double over Newcastle since 2014-15.
Rangers International technical adviser Fidelis Ilechukwu has credited his recent stint with the Super Eagles under head coach Eric Chelle as a major factor behind the club’s resurgence in the Nigeria Premier Football League title race, Tidesports source reports.
Speaking ahead of Rangers’ matchday 31 fixture against El Kanemi Warriors in Enugu, Ilechukwu said the experience gained at international level has significantly influenced his approach, particularly in the areas of intensity, discipline and overall team structure.
“Change is constant in life. After working closely with Eric Chelle, the mentality I got from him is not an easy one. The training sessions are super intense, about 80 per cent of what we do now is heavy training,” he said.
Ilechukwu maintained that the discipline and structure he adopted during his time with the national team have translated directly into improved performances at the club level.
“I think my return has had a positive impact defensively, offensively, everything. The preparation, the pep talks, the quality, it gives confidence. I came back with an advantage,” he said.
Rangers have enjoyed a remarkable run since his return from the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, losing just once in 11 matches, with six wins, four draws and seven clean sheets propelling them firmly into contention.
They currently sit second on the table with 50 points, just one behind leaders Rivers United, with eight matches remaining in the season.
Despite their strong position, Ilechukwu insisted his side will not be weighed down by pressure as the title race intensifies.
“There is no different message, we don’t want to be under pressure because of the league. We take it one game after the other, after this game we talk about the next one,” he said.
He added that his players possess the necessary qualities to compete at the highest level.
“They understand what it takes to win. They have the attitude, the capacity, the character, and they understand what we want. To me, we are always ready,” he said.
While acknowledging the strength of Rivers United, Ilechukwu maintained that the title race remains open heading into the final stretch of the campaign.
“They are the strongest team, but you never can tell what will happen. We are also strong. In the remaining games, we will fight more and stay at the top of our game but without pressure,” he said.
Having guided Rangers to the NPFL title in the 2023/24 season, Ilechukwu is now aiming to secure his second league crown in three years as the Enugu side continue their pursuit of the title.
Odegbami described CAF’s decision to overturn the Jan. 18 final result as “bizarre, condemnable and unjustifiable.”
As reported by Tidesports source on Saturday, he noted that Senegal were crowned champions and celebrated globally before the verdict was reversed on technical grounds.
“It is unheard of in football history. You cannot take away a trophy won on the pitch two months after,” he said.
Odegbami said the decision had sparked outrage among football fans and stakeholders worldwide.
“This judgment has shaken CAF’s credibility. It is not surprising the world is up in arms,” he added.
The ex-Nigerian Football Legend questioned the motive behind the decision, describing it as risky and unpopular.
“What could have driven such a decision that undermines the spirit of the game?” he asked.
Odegbami said although football regulations may not cover every situation, rare cases require wisdom.
“This AFCON case demands that rules and common sense must align,” he said.
He recalled that Senegal were crowned by CAF and FIFA officials before a global audience.
“Two months later, CAF delivered what I call a ‘poisoned verdict’ through its Appeals Committee,” he said.
Odegbami explained that Morocco’s protest, earlier dismissed, was later upheld on appeal.
“The decision to reverse a final match result is one of the most unpopular ever,” he said..
He said the rules on walkouts are clear but must be applied with context.
According to him, Senegal players walked off after a late penalty was awarded to Morocco, staying away for 17 minutes.
“Ordinarily, that attracts forfeiture, but the referee allowed play to resume, which changed everything,” he said.
Odegbami noted that petitions can alter results but argued that the AFCON final was different.
“If this were a qualifier, nobody would question the CAF’s decision. But this was the final,” he said.
He stressed that the trophy had been awarded and celebrations concluded before the reversal.
“There was no room for post-match litigation in a final of this magnitude,” he said.
Odegbami maintained that the referee’s decision to restart play nullified the forfeiture clause.
“The match resumed, Morocco missed the penalty, Senegal scored and won fairly,” he said.
He insisted that CAF had no justification to overturn the result after recognising a winner.
“Punish any infractions if necessary, but do not tamper with a concluded final,” he said.
Odegbami urged CAF to review its regulations and restore Senegal as champions.
“For now, CAF should retrace its steps and return the trophy to Senegal,” he advised.