AFRICAN FOOTBALL'S MOMENT OF SHAME

Story by Patrick Kamanga (pgkamanga73@gmail.com)

AFRICAN FOOTBALL’S MOMENT OF SHAME!

African teams at the 2014 World cup in Brazil have had an unimpressive run so far. Save for Cote D' Ivore's laboured comeback win over Japan, most of the continent's representatives have thus far struggled to make their mark.

During the last game of the second round of Group A matches between Cameroon and Croatia, the Cameroonian team pressed the "self destruct" button and disintegrated into shocking scenes that cannot only be described as un-sportsmanly, but downright shameful!

This represents African football’s lowest moment at any World Cup since the Zaire, now the Democratic Republic of Congo, represented Africa at the 1974 World cup in West Germany, the first sub-Saharan country to do so.

The then reigning African Champions, put out a gallant show and impressed with their attacking game and overall skill but lost 2-0 to a Kenny Daglish led Scotland. It’s at their second game that all hell broke loose!

They’d refused to take the field in protest over unpaid perks and allowances promised by deposed dictator, the late Mobutu Sese Seko, after the proceeds were misappropriated by government officials who'd accompanied the team. After much persuasion they agreed to take the field and play but clearly demoralized, went on to receive a 9-0 hiding by Yugoslavia the highest tally ever conceded at a World cup finals game.
They wrapped up their woeful show with a 3-0 lose against the then defending Champions Brazil.

It’s against Brazil that one incident in particular would endure for decades, and would become synonymous with or symbolic of the Black African game. 
With five minutes to play, one of the Brazilian greats Rivelino set up to take a free kick outside the Zairean 18 yard line. To the amazement of all, one of the Zairean defenders manning the wall incomprehensively charged forward and punted the ball up field thereby earning a caution. 

 

Most viewers then wondered why the African continent would send forth a team that seemingly did not comprehend the rules of the game.

That embarrassing image of African football in general and Sub-Saharan football in particular, as the above 70's cartoon depiction represents, would linger until Roger Milla’s heroics lit the world of football and led Cameroon to the 1990 World Cup quarter finals where they narrowly lost to England. 

Through painstaking efforts the African game has grown in leaps and bounds, redeeming it's image in the process.

Nigeria’s Super Eagles did the continent proud at the U.S.A ’94 and France ’98 editions, with Senegal almost surpassing Cameroon’s achievement in 2002 at the Korea-Japan collabo, co-hosted in the Orient.


 

The ghosts of 1974 World cup were evoked and have returned to haunt the African game once more, as the Cameroonians seemingly lost their heads.

The image of the immensely talented Cameroonian midfielder, Andre Song who plies his trade at Barcelona, clutching his fist and with one swift “Jiu Jitsu” move, brutally elbowed Croatian forward Mario Mandzukic squarely on the back hacking him to ground in an off the ball incident, was more fitting of a martial arts movie than a football game ! He subsequently earned an instant red card.  

Such scenes have no place in the beautiful game and on top of the red card; FIFA should further reprimand Song with a ban or some harsher measure to deter anyone else from even imagining following his terrible example.
 

The Cameroonians were to take things to a further low, when cameras zeroed in on defender Benoit Assou-Akoto in a heated argument menacingly charge at forward Benjamin Moukanjo and thrust his forehead in an apparent attempt at head butting his teammate!

It took the prompt intervention of striker Archilles Webo to separate the two. This was to be followed by further ugly scenes of scuffles in the tunnel after the match.

Though there was the matter of the much reported revolt in the Cameroonian camp over unpaid remunerations and allowances by the Cameroon Football Federation (FECAFOOT) prior to the team's departure for Brazil, what could have gone so seriously wrong at this camp to warrant such shocking scenes by the Cameroonian squad!? Why brazenly air their dirty laundry infront of the billions of football fans? 
The conduct of the "Indomitable Lions" is despicable and belies their proud title! It is in stark contrast to images of the Brazilian squad as most other squads, fervently singing their national anthems, psyched up and ready to die for their nation's course.

Football is a team sport that espouses such qualities as team play, co-operation, brotherliness etc qualities aimed at enhancing positive human values. This spirit is usually further enhanced after each game when opponents shake hands, hug and even exchange jerseys.