The 2023 Africa Cup of Nations starts today in the year 2024 as it was postponed due to adverse summer flooding in the host nation Ivory Coast.

The opening match is tonight at 8pm GMT (9pm CET, 3pm EST) when Ivory Coast take on Guinea-Bissau in the 60000 capacity Alassane Ouattara Stadium (also known as the Olympic Stadium of Epimbe).

The AFCON, more than any other international tournament I can think of, feels like it should be granted the REAL FOOTBALL seal of approval. Closely fought matches between teams usually not blessed with super star players, fans in the stadium playing traditional music and beating drums, stadiums with running tracks around them which give a sort of 70's to 90's World Cup retro appeal.

Except every AFCON I remember watching of late has been mainly played to largely empty stadiums as they price ticket prices so high as to effectively shut locals out from paying to attend any game not involving the host nation, so perhaps not. Let's hope the ticket prices suit local wallets better this time.

Let's use this thread for match reports and scores.

Happy AFCON, everyone!

RM

Real_Mardin wrote:

> Except every AFCON I remember watching of late has been mainly played to largely empty stadiums as they price ticket prices so high as to effectively shut locals out from paying to attend any game not involving the host nation, so perhaps not. Let's hope the ticket prices suit local wallets better this time.

For the group stages the cheapest ticket is 5000 FCFA (up from 3000 in 2022) but the most expensive ticket is 15000 FCA (down from 20000). Hard to find a lot of information about the average salary in Ivory Coast but from what I can find online and doing some admittedly rough calculations the cheapest ticket would appear to be many more times the average daily wage.

Or to look at it another way: the cheapest ticket is equivalent to $8 in a country where 11% of people live off less than $2.15 per day and 75.6% live off less than $6.85 per day.

I think this points to a lot of empty stadiums in the matches not involving Ivory Coast? Perhaps some neighbouring nations like Ghana, Guinea, Mali and Burkina Faso might take enough travelling support to make the ground fuller, as might a continental power house like Egypt?

RM

STOP PRESS

Ivory Coast v Guinea Bissau is live on BBC 3 (free to air)

BBC showing selected matches, apparently.

RM

Alassane Ouattara Stadium looks great, as good as any ground you’d see in Western Europe.

RM

And Ivory Coast go 1-0 up when Fofana shields the ball from two defenders and finds the back of the net from just inside the area! 5 minutes played.

RM

59 minutes, Krasso basically plays keepy up in the area then does a sort of falling side volley (?) to put Ivory Cosst 2-0 up!

RM

FT: Ivory Coast 2 - Guinea Bissau 0

Tomorrow's fixtures:

Nigeria - Equatorial Guinea

Egypt - Mozambique

Ghana - Cape Verde

RM

Real_Mardin wrote:

> FT: Ivory Coast 2 - Guinea Bissau 0

Thanks for the report and posting the results. Will try to catch some games if possible.

Group A

Nigeria 0 - Equatorial Guinea 0 33 minutes

After yesterday’s near full house we’re back to the usual AFCON image of a near empty stadium. The tickets ate just priced too expensive for local people to go to a match they don’t have a vested interest in.

Believe it or not this is the same 60000 capacity stadium from yesterday, not that you would recognise it from today’s rows of empty seats.

Osimhen has come close for Nigeria a couple of times. Is it only a matter of time before the Super Eagles take the lead?

RM

And as soon as I suggest Nigeria will take the lead Equatorial Guinea work the ball into the box, Edu shoots from just inside the area to put the National Thunder (not it’s not a heavy metal band name, it’s their nickname) 1-0 up.

Then Nigeria respond with a cross from the left which Osimhen heads in at the far post to equalise!

39 minutes Nigeria 1 - Equatorial Guinea 1. Who needs fans?

RM

HT:

Nigeria 1 - Equatorial Guinea 1

Equatorial Guinea’s kit would make a great Italy away kit: white with blue trim, and the Tricolore colours under the collar.

RM

65 minutes- still 1-1 but Nigeria have forced a couple of good saves from the Equatorial Guinea keeper.

RM

The cameras show fans of both sides partying in the stands, there just seems to be hardly any local fans to make up the numbers.

RM

75 minutes- Nigeria put Osmhen through one on one, somehow he puts his shot wide. How did he miss that?

RM

FT: Nigeria 1 - Equatorial Guinea 1

It was all Nigeria in the second half but they just couldn’t put away their chances.

A result that gives Ivory Coast the advantage in Group A.

RM

Welcome to a largely empty Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium for an AFCON 2023(4) Group B double header! Egypt v Mozambique followed by Ghana v Cape Verde! What better way to spend a Sunday evening?

Egypt are in their traditional red shirts with black trim, Mozambique are wearing a Borussia Dortmund style yellow shirts with black trim.

RM

Only a minute gone and the former Galatasaray forward Mostafa Mohammed turns and shoots in the area to put Egypt 1-0 up!

RM

Mozambique are having some attacking possession here. Is an equaliser on the cards?

RM

On 2024-01-14 12:25 p.m., Real_Mardin wrote:
> Mozambique are having some attacking possession here. Is an equaliser on
> the cards?
>
> RM

Very quiet stadium, I thought maybe more Egyptians would have traveled.

I actually just switched over from the #ManuTOT match. Lily White would
be happy to see Spurs are at least trying to play Spurs football. Timo
Werner started and he has not missed a beat.

HT: Egypt 1 - Mozambique 0

RM

Binder Dundat wrote:

> On 2024-01-14 12:25 p.m., Real_Mardin wrote:
>> Mozambique are having some attacking possession here. Is an equaliser on
>> the cards?
>>
>> RM

> Very quiet stadium, I thought maybe more Egyptians would have traveled.

> I actually just switched over from the #ManuTOT match. Lily White would
> be happy to see Spurs are at least trying to play Spurs football. Timo
> Werner started and he has not missed a beat.

Please don’t pollute the AFCON thread by talking about Premier League matches. We’re trying to cover REAL FOOTBALL here!

RM

Quembo has the ball crossed to him from the right and heads powerfully into the net! 1-1 57 minutes!

RM

And now it’s 2-1 to Mozambique! Baque (sp?) received a low pass from midfield, rides a sliding tackle and shoots low past the keeper!

60 minutes.

RM

On 2024-01-14 1:18 p.m., Real_Mardin wrote:
> Quembo has the ball crossed to him from the right and heads powerfully
> into the net! 1-1 57 minutes!
>
>
> RM

Whaaat EGY 1 - 2 Moz?

Binder Dundat wrote:

> On 2024-01-14 1:18 p.m., Real_Mardin wrote:
>> Quembo has the ball crossed to him from the right and heads powerfully
>> into the net! 1-1 57 minutes!
>>
>>
>> RM

> Whaaat EGY 1 - 2 Moz?

Yes, the Mambas are strangling the Pharaohs!

Mozambique’s AFCON record before today: P 12 W 0 D 2 L 10

Can they make history?

RM