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The 2002 African Cup of Nations was expected to be the coming of age of the competition with Africa's best players and teams on display.
Against all expectations, however, the tournament began slowly and it was only in the later stages that the quality of football reached the anticipated heights. The lack of goals was the most notable feature of the first round, and after the first ten matches the continent's leading strikers had only five goals to show for all their exertions, with six of the matches ending in 0-0 draws. First Round
In the opening match between Mali and Liberia, the home side came from behind to score a late equaliser through their star player, Seydou Keita, whose creative skills and ingenuity were a revelation in a tournament starved of individual brilliance. Mali went on to grow from strength to strength as the tournament progressed and went on to draw 0-0 with one of the tournament's favourites, Nigeria, in a match in which they more than matched their opponents. In their final group match against Algeria, they played magnificently and a 2-0 victory sent their fanatical fans into delirious celebrations as they reached the second round. Nigeria came to the tournament with great expectations and they sailed through the first round quite easily although they didn't exactly set the stage alight. They seemed to be content to do just enough to get through without really exerting themselves and 1-0 victories over Algeria and Liberia plus the draw with Mali comfortably saw them through. Liberia arrived with dampened spirits following a dispute between the Football Association and the players over the teams bonuses and two draws in three matches were not enough to see them through. Their legendary captain George Weah announced his retirement from the national side ending an era for Liberian football. Algeria showed that though they still have much to do before they can once again challenge the continent's leading team's and departed with a single point from their 2-2 draw with Liberia. In group B, South Africa and Morocco began as favourites while Ghana's Black Stars and Burkina Faso were not expected to reach the next round. Burkina Faso came close to providing the first major shock of the competition in a 0-0 draw with South Africa in a match in which they showed their more illustrious opponents little respect and took the game to them for most of the match. It was to be the Bukinabe's high point in the tournament and in subsequent matches they failed to rise to the occasion, losing 2-1 to Morocco and Ghana respectively. In the match against Ghana they were two minutes away from a place in the quarter final leading 1-0 but two dramatic late goals by substitute Isaac Boakye put Ghana through at their expense. South Africa's woeful form continued in their next match, a 0-0 draw with Ghana, but they finally found the net in their final group match thanks to the introduction of Udinese striker Siyabonga Nomvete who created two goals and scored one in the 3-1 defeat of Morocco. Morocco's first round exit sent shock waves through the competition. They arrived in Mali expected to atone for their world cup qualification failure with a credible showing but left with their reputation in tatters. Cameroon were group C favourites and three straight wins served to highlight their status as favourites to retain their crown as African champions. Two 1-0 victories over Democratic Republic of Congo and Cote d' Ivoire respectively and the 3-0 annihilation of Togo were achieved without them having to break sweat. Togo had an outstanding goalkeeper in Agassa but offered little in attack and departed without scoring a single goal. The runner-up spot in the group was decided in the match between DR Congo and Cote d' Ivoire which Congo won 3-1. The hard work they had put in prior to the tournament paid off against a team regarded as superior prior to the tournament. The group of death, Group D, saw Senegal and Egypt qualify to the next round at the expense of Zambia and Tunisia. Zambia were considered as the group's whipping boys but proved to be no such thing. They drew with Tunisia before putting up brave performances in the 1-0 loss to Senegal and subsequent 2-1 defeat by Egypt. Tunisia, world cup qualifiers, were the tournament's biggest disappointment and coach Henri Michel's future is in doubt following their dismal showing. Quarter Finals
The draw pitted traditional rivals Ghana and Nigeria together, with Nigeria regarded as favourites against their younger and less experienced opponents. The two sides matched each other punch for punch in the initial stages but Nigeria's experience told as the match progressed with Sunday Oliseh, JJ Okocha and Finidi George, survivors from the 1994 African Cup of Nations, nullifying the pacy but eratic Ghanaian midfield. Garba Lawal's twenty metre drive eleven minutes before time settled the match. Ghana may have been beaten but they returned home with visions of a brighter future given the gusty performances they put up throughout the tournament. The second quarter final between Mali, and South Africa provided plenty for the home fans to cheer about as they tore their opponents to pieces. Basalla Toure and Dramane Coulibaly both scored for a comprehensive 2-0 victory. The key player in the Mali side was, once again, the supremely gifted Seydou Keita. His vision and skill were in a class of their own and he played with a maturity that belied his years. South Africa departed the competition with more questions than answers both about their playing side and the future of their coach, Carlos Queiroz. His team featured many big names from Europe's top league's but they failed to deliver and the critical South African public who had called for the inclusion more home-based players called for changes in the technical staff. Egypt faced Cameroon in the third match and in a drab affair went down 1-0, courtesy of a headed goal from Patrick Mboma midway through the second half. Egypt seemed, at times, more determined to avoid humiliation than to actually win the match and showed little inclination to go forward. Once Cameroon were ahead, the result was a foregone conclusion and Egypt were on their way home. It was the last match in charge for Mahmud el Gohari in his third spell as coach. In the last quarter final match, DR Congo and Senegal played the best match of the last eight in a battle that swung from end to end as both sides sought victory. Allasane Diao and Al Hadj Diouf scored for Senegal before the match deteriorated into an ill-tempered affair that ended with DR Congo's Tekumu sent off for a horrific foul. The absence of Congo's Shabani Nonda was the difference between the two sides as Senegal took their chances while Congo didn't. Semi Finals
Senegal were down to ten men for most of this encounter against Nigeria but a rugged performance saw them emerge 2-1 victors. They began the stronger of the two sides and their neat, passing game had Nigeria on the back foot from the start of the first half. The tide began to turn when Pape Sarr was sent off for elbowing Garba Lawal midway through the first half. From then, Nigeria were back in the match and Senegal went into the break grateful for some time to restore their composure and to re-organise. Senegal played with grit and determination and Nigeria's numerical advantage was rarely noticeable in the second half. They took the lead through a Pape Diop header and looked to be heading for victory until the ever-sharp Julius Agahowa took advantage of some hesitation between goalkeeper and defence to score his third goal of the competition when all looked lost for Nigeria. In the first period of extra time, Salif Diao exchanged passes with El Hadj Diouf before shooting past Ike Shoronmu for the winning goal. A missed penalty by Wilson Oruma summed up Nigeria's afternoon. As Nigeria were bowing out of the competition, sixty thousand Malians filled the May 26th Stadium for Mali's greatest football hour in modern times. The victory over South Africa had brought thousand's out onto the streets but Cameroon were a different proposition altogether. Mali's star player, Seydou Keita was subjected to some harsh attention from Pierre Wome and was unable to exert his influence on the match. Cameroon scored first through Solomon Olembe after Pius Ndiefi laid the ball back from the edge of the box and Olembe's shot eluded goalkeeper Mamadou Sidibe. Minutes later Olembe effectively ended the contest with a second goal, playing a wall pass with Ndiefi and side-footing the ball past Sidibe. Mali came out for the second half with renewed vigour but were unable to break down the Cameroonian defence. Towards the end substitute Patrick Suffo of Sheffield United in England played a clever ball that put Marc Vivien Foe through and he eluded Sidibe to shoot into an empty net for the third. It was a painful loss for the Malian public, many in tears as they faced the reality of the situation. They went out having played some of the most exciting football in a tournament all too often starved of goals and individual flair but are surely a team to look out for in the future.
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