AFRICAN FOOTBALL'S WEEKEND OF REDEMPTION

Story by Patrick Kamanga (pgkamanga73@gmail.com)

AFRICAN FOOTBALL’S WEEKEND OF REDEMPTION!

After the horrors witnessed during the Cameroon vs. Croatia game last Wednesday, that threatened to evoke the ghosts of the “Zairean debacle” of 1974, and an overall low key opening week football fans all over the continent made a collective sigh of relief as Africa’s other representatives gave a good account of themselves in the second round of group matches at Brazil ’14.

The road to redemption started on Saturdays' Group G game between Ghana and Germany.

The Ghanaians matched the might of the German machine and came out unscathed. The Black Stars fought fire with fire as they matched the Germans for their speed and physical play. 

 

Ghana's first goal was a beauty, with Andre Ayew's gravity defying leap outjumping the much taller German defenders to kiss the ball to the far post. His intelligent runs and play brought back flashes of his father, Ghanian legend Abedi Pele.

It was the ensuing midfield battle in particular which tipped the scale in Ghana’s favor as they outplayed the Germans in “transition” and used their speed to launch attacks at blistering pace unnerving the juggernaut and rendering it “human”! 



Veteran midfielder Sulley Muntari was the Black Star's pillar as he imposed himself in the middle of the park. For Ghana's second, his positioning and anticipation enabled him to time and intercept a poor diagonal pass by Mario Goetze. He then threaded a through pass that Asamoah Gyan met in the German box to blast past a helpless Manuel Neuer in goal.

In fact, with the game's tempo swinging Ghana’s way deep in the second half, the Germans should thank their lucky stars for Andre's younger sibbling Jordan “Dede” Ayew whose selfish play guaranteed the draw.

After going 2-1 up, Dede broke down the right in the 65^th minute beating 2 German midfielders and used his quick pace to run free with acres of space and one German defender as the only impediment. 
With two teammates open and clearly better placed to score, Dede misguidedly and naively opted to be the hero and shot a tame volley into the waiting hands of Neuer in goal, squandering a chance at putting the game beyond the reach of the much fancied Germans.

That miss was to come back to haunt the Ghanaians as barely five minutes later Germany’s World cup record tying goal scorer Miroslav Klose came on as substitute to equalize with his first touch of the ball. 

 

Dede seemed not to have learned from his earlier mistake, repeated the same "lone ranger" play in an 87^th minute counter attack where he once again chose to shoot lamely with other teammates better placed to finish the Germans off.

All in all a 2-2 draw was fair result for this cliff hanger of a game!

With Portugal scoring a last gasp goal to tie 2-2 against the U.S.A, throwing the group wide open, Ghana will fancy their chances of qualifying to the next round in their last game against a lackluster Portugal on Thursday.

 

Nigeria’s Super Eagles were to follow early on Sunday morning in their second game against a respectable Bosnia-Herzegovina outfit. With both teams desperately needing a win to revive their World cup campaign after disappointing opening matches, the game swung from one end to the other like a pendulum. 

 

The Bosnian’s were unfairly denied what looked like a clear goal from striker Edin Dzeko, erroneous flagged offside by the linesman.

This seemed to jolt the Nigerians to action as their response was swift and fast! Emmanuel Emenike’s powerful and imposing play seemed unstoppable and on one such run on the right, he out-muscled the Bosnian left back and diminutive Captain Emir Spaphic to surge through and cut back a diagonal ball to Peter Odemwingie for the easiest of tap ins past Stoke City teammate Asmir Begovic in goal. 

Emenike was a handful throughout the game as the Bosnians seemed helpless to counter his speed and sheer physical strength.

Another standout player credited for Nigeria’s win was goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama who made several critical saves to deny the determined Bosnians, as he recorded yet another clean sheet. He had the highest number of clean sheets by any goalkeeper in all the major European leagues, with 21 for French Club Lille during the just concluded season, a phenomenal form which he has extended into the World cup. 

 

With this win, Nigeria recorded its first win since beating Bulgaria 1-0 at France 1998 thus breaking a 16 year World cup “hoodoo”. 

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The Algerians completed Africa’s restoration in the second match day game against the rigidly disciplined South Koreans.

Playing their signature fluid, Mediterranean style one touch football, the Desert Foxes set out to curve open the hapless Koreans almost at will in a high tempo first half.

They extended a 3-0 half time lead with one more goal in the second half and resisted a late comeback as the Koreans rallied, withholding for a famous 4-2 win.

Their manner of play and spirit evoked memories of their fore bearers who lit the world of football in 1982, recording Algeria’s first win since a 3-2 win over Chile 32 years ago.

With this display, the African continent stands a chance of sending 3 teams to the round of 16, it's highest number ever.

Comments and opinions are welcome.

(photos courtesy of FIFA gallery)