West Africa To Set Trend
Sports - Africa Cup Of Nations
by Ebo Quansah
Before that day the Danes had never stood firm against English manoeuvres in the football arenas. And despite the vast improvement in the Danes standard of play, football analysts in the British Isles looked at the event from spectacles beclouded by images of the British armada that destroyed Danish resistance in the fight for forts and Castles in the Gold Coast before the Bond of 1844.
That break of jinx is reason enough to be resolute in mind that next year's African Cup of Nation's tournament will depart from tradition. Instead of the usual straight fight between the skills of the Arabs of North Africa and the glory of West African blacks, this year's competition will be a West African dominated event.
Of course this is not to dismiss the fantastic rediscovery of Egyptian football, nor belittle Algeria who shocked West Germany in Spain.
Both Egypt and Algeria are through to Abidjan.
Fact is that West Africa seems to have too many men and materials to be rivalled in Ivory Coast.
Out of the eight surviving finalists from all over Africa, West Africa has five representatives. The nations are Cameroons, Nigeria, Togo, Ghana, and host nation, Ivory Coast. And with North Africa being defended by only Algeria and Egypt, the Arabs look like breaking before the power of West African football. (Malawi from Southern Africa, are the odd team. out).
All the five West African representatives are giants in their own right making the competition a bit one sided.
Before the 1982 world cup, Cameroons had never made much impact on national assignments in Africa. Apart from club assignment, which had seen teams like Union Douala Oryx, rising to the top, Cameroons have never lined up in the African Cup of Nations final of finals.
Their showing in the world cup in Spain during which they held champions Italy to a pulsating 1-1 draw, drew with Peru and Poland, suddenly shot them into world class materials.
With N'kono, the man who won the second best goalkeeper's award in the world cup guarding the post, Cameroons have confidence in the rear while Roger Miller, that fantastic dribbler and a goal poacher lead defence-splitting attacking machinery.
The Green Eagles of Nigeria have minced no words about their determination to win the cup in Ivory Coast. The dismal performance of the Green Eagles in last year's competition in Libya, where they were routed 3-0 by unsung Zambia has infuriated Nigerian football.
The way and manner Nigeria qualified, beating a strong resistance from King Hassan's Morocco with a 4-3 on penalties in Rabat, is enough testimony of great revival in Nigeria.
Until that great victory away from home, the Green Eagles had never won a competition without a massive lead at home. And that is enough booster to see them through Ivory Coast.
The Togolese national team are out for a historic turn-out in Abidjan, one of the least respected sides in Africa, the Togolese have suddenly shot into focus with their two representative teams in the continental club championship doing wonders. The way and manner Agaza disposed of Sekondi Eleven Wise of Ghana with a fantastic 4-1 aggregate win gives credence to the rise of Togolese football.
Ivorians call their national team the Elephants. In choosing this name, the originators obviously were guided by the strength of the biggest animal on earth.
Unfortunately, the Ivorians have not succeeded in bullying their way through African Soccer like the elephant does over other animals. They are however optimistic of their chances next year, when they will be performing before their home fans.
With proper control of their home grounds, the Elephants hope to topple all opposition in this competition which opens in West Africa's most beautiful city, in March 1984.
Whatever be the case, one name that will be in focus is that of the five letter word spelling G-H-A-N-A. It is a name that has come to be almost synonymous with the fortunes of African football.
Four times champions and losing finalists on two occasions, the Black Stars of Ghana are almost a myth in African football.
With abject poverty and hunger the only thing Ghana can pride themselves with is football which flows like a sweet wine. And to talk about football is to exhaust all that matters in the country at the moment.
With victories in all events the Black Stars have competed on the continent within the last two years, the Black Stars are the side to beat in Abidjan which gives West Africa every hope of swaying the scales in their battle with the Arabs of North Africa.
