5 Winners and 5 Losers From Matchday 3 of AFCON Qualifying

Africa Cup of Nations qualifying continued last weekend. As always, there were upsets aplenty in AFCON qualifying as Sudan defeated continental champions Nigeria, Lesotho held Angola, and Mozambique beat the high-flying Cape Verde Islands.

The shock results leave some coaches and players in good stead, but others in doom and gloom. In this slideshow, AFKSports present the winners and losers from Africa’s weekend matches.

Five Winners

Senzo Meyiwe (South Africa)

South Africa are the only African side to have kept three consecutive clean sheets in these continental qualifiers, and a big part of their defensive success is due to goalkeeper Senzo Meyiwe. Normally a backup to talismanic figure Itumeleng Khune, Senzo has staked a claim for a starting position. His distribution does not rival Khune’s pinpoint precision, but Senzo has displayed impressive reflexes and shot-stopping spurring Shakes Mashaba’s men on in their impressive campaign.

Christian Gourcuff (Algeria)

Succeeding Vahid Halilhodzic’s as coach of the Algerian national team was a tough ask, considering his impressive showing at the World Cup. Yet Christian Gourcuff has made it look easy, comfortably winning all three of his qualifying fixtures. Gourcuff has avoided the potential banana skin, by maintaining the same core of players. The jury is still out on just how far the former Lorient manager can take the North Africans, but early indicators hint very auspiciously towards success.

Abdoulaye Diaby (Mali)

Abdoulaye Diaby, has won the accolades of experts in Belgium, scoring six goals and notching three assists in this young season. The young striker won his first cap against Ethiopia on Saturday and marked his induction by scoring a vital goal away from home. Mali are often earmarked as a team with little creative capacity, but with an on-form Diaby, that may soon change.

The Gabonese Attack (Gabon)

The Black Panthers of Gabon produced the continent’s most pleasing football last weekend. The attacking duo of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Malick Evouna combined to score both goals as they defeated group leaders Burkina Faso. Evouna has long impressed in Morocco, where he leads the line for mythical club Wydad Casablanca. His symbiotic relationship with Aubameyang is one that will trouble any African defence, and should propel Gabon to certain qualification.

Mbark Boussoufa (Morocco)

Morocco have only contested friendly matches, not having to qualify for the tournament proper as hosts. As a result, coach Badou Zaki has used these months to experiment and try to find equilibrium for his side. After beating the Central African Republic on Friday night, Zaki declared that he knew 80% of the team he would select in January – and Mbark Boussoufa is sure to feature. The impish midfielder fell out of favour with Zaki for an extended period of time, but he marked a triumphant return in a 4-0 win on Friday. Boussoufa facilitated a fluidity in attack, dropping deep to collect the ball, then involving his attacking teammates, who converted their chances.

Five Losers

Mariano Bareto (Ethiopia)

‘Bareto is a disease, Bareto is Ebola!’ Came the chants outside of the Addis Ababa Stadium. The chant is undoubtedly harsh on the Portuguese caretaker, but is indicative of the acrid atmosphere currently engulfing the Ethiopian camp. The Walya Antelopes look a forlorn outfit; a shadow of what they were this summer. On Saturday, the East Africans once more dominated possession, but failed to translate that sterile domination to goals. They are now virtually eliminated and must begin a process of reconstruction.

Stephen Keshi (Nigeria)

Perhaps this weekend’s biggest loser is Africa Cup of Nations winning head coach Stephen Keshi. There are plenty of non-football related issues riddling Keshi’s reign, but no excuse can be found for winning, but one point from a possible nine. The ‘Big Boss’, as he is affectionately known in Nigeria, no longer seems to get the best of his players. On the edge of the precipice, Keshi now needs a perfect three wins from his remaining fixtures to assure qualification and keep his job. The revival begins in Calabar on Wednesday, as he looks to avenge a tough loss in Khartoum.

The Zambian Attack (Zambia)

Touted favourites in a relatively weak Group G, Zambia have failed to score a single win in their first three matches. Their failure to find the scoresheet seems coach Patrice Beaumelle’s biggest problem as star striker Emmanuel Mayuka has not found form. As result, the Chipolopolo have turned to James Chamanga and Given Singuluma, who equally do not seem up to task. Their impotency manifested itself on Saturday as the Copper Bullets could not find the target against Niger in Niamey. If Zambia do not find an attacking antidote, and quickly, they could very well miss out on next year’s edition of the Africa Cup of Nations.

The Ghanaian FA (Ghana)

The Ghanaian Football Association decided to offer Kwesi Appiah an improved contract in August, in spite of his several man-management failures in Brazil. That decision ultimately backfired after Appiah lost the confidence of his players, supporters, and, the administration. Not only were the FA, then, forced to fork over a hefty compensation package, but they also began a recruiting process in an attempt to find a worthy successor. That process continues and the Black Stars have had to manage with interim coach Maxwell Kamudo. The interruption has generated on-the-pitch effects, when Ghana drew with Guinea on Saturday. Off of the pitch, a culture of listlessness has emerged with regards to this dysfunctional Ghanaian national team.

Milutin Sredojevic (Uganda)

Uganda’s encouraging progress came to a screeching halt, when the visiting Togolese side threw a nail-bump in their way. The Cranes had not lost in 10 years in Kampala, and coach Milutin Sredojevic had called the fixture, ‘the mother of all battles’ in the run-up. But not only did Uganda look devoid of any attacking inspiration, they also conceded two soft goals: a sign of a lack of mental preparation. ‘Micho’ has to shoulder the blame, as Group F has been blown wide open and all of Uganda’s hard work has come undone. The Cranes have one remaining home match, and must, therefore, try to nab a result away from the fortress that is the Mandela National Stadium.