SPORTS
BRINGING JOY TO AFRICA THROUGH
FOOTBALL By Janet Abena Quainoo
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After weeks of thrilling soccer action, which saw 23 qualifying countries test their strength against each other for the coveted AFCON trophy, the curtains were drawn for the closure last Sunday, with the Teranga Lions of Senegal emerging as the ultimate winners after beating 8-time champions Egypt. Besides keeping football lovers glued to their seats on the continent and beyond for weeks, this year's finale could arguably pass as one to have forced many disappointments down the throat of so-called football powerhouses on the continent. It would be a discussion for another day. Who would have guessed that Egypt would make it to the final after losing to Nigeria? But, I suppose, there are no surprises in football! To be fair, Egypt seemed uneasy right from the start of the tournament. It simply shows how well they mastered performing in the competition and for the final that they made it to the grand finale in the first place. The Egyptian team was a discipline side with so much fluidity to their play, not to mince words. So, their dominance on
w w w. a f r i c a n l e a d e r s h i p m a g a z i n e . c o . u k
the continent comes with not much surprise to many. Enough said! Before the substantive issue, let's spend time to reflect on the final? What a game that was! By way of comparison, the two teams were miles apart. Egypt, eight-time champions. The closest to them is Cameroon
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