“CAF” looks at the immortal game that made the history of the African Cup of Nations

Since its first edition in 1957, the continental tournament has provided matches as it has evolved. Objectives For immortal moments that are still etched in the minds of African footballers.

The great conflict of goals revealed the spirit of competition in African football, where skill mixed with surprise, and courage made themselves indestructible, and from generation to generation, the game remained a symbol of unexpected joy.

The official website of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) reviewed the names of the players and teams that were not published in the game, after they entered history from the biggest gates, after showing the ugly scenes that turned into references in the story of the tournament, which we show in the following lines.

Egypt-Nigeria match – the best (1963)

The clash between Egypt and Nigeria in the 1963 tournament was one of the craziest matches of the tournament, seeing nine goals in each opening match.

The Egyptian team set up their attacking style with precision and efficiency, disrupting the Nigerian defence. The match also embodied the spirit of the African Cup of Nations, where fierce bravery was a prominent theme, so that the match remains the most successful in the tournament’s history.

Ivorian Boko plays alone (1970)

In the 1970 edition, the national team of Côte d’Ivoire showed attacking displays, when it swept Ethiopia with a score of 6-1, and its player Laurent Boco became the undisputed star of the evening, scoring five goals at once.

This performance cemented Boko’s position as one of the best strikers in African football history, and the game remains a symbol of exceptional talent in the Africa Cup of Nations.

Final history – Congo Brazzaville and Mali (1972)

At the end of the 1972 edition, there was a fierce clash between the teams of Congo-Brazzaville and Mali, which ended with the victory of Congo-Brazzaville with a score of 3-2 in a game that revived until the last minutes.

The latter proved that a good balance between tactical control and aggressive performance was the key to winning the continent’s biggest matches.

(The Untamed Lions) Covering Their Feet (1972)

The selected foot Cameroon A strong performance in the third game against Zaire (currently the Democratic Republic of the Congo), and the game was decided by five or two goals, despite the disappointment of being eliminated in the semi-finals.

This clash heralded the beginning of the Untamed Lions team’s rise as a force to be reckoned with for years to come. The team won five titles in the African Nations, occupying the second place in the list of countries with the most successful cups, with two titles behind the Egyptian team (leader).

Sahar Madjer leads Algeria to title (1990)

The Algerian national team kicked off the 1990 tournament, which was held at home, with a resounding 5-1 victory for the national team. NigeriaIn a game led by Rabah Madjer with leadership and offensive intelligence.

The clash included Algeria’s dominance at the time, and remains one of the most important in winning the continental title.

Eight goals – Cameroon v Zimbabwe (2004)

The 2004 edition in Tunisia witnessed one of the most exciting matches of the tournament, when Cameroon came from behind to win 5-3 against Zimbabwe in the opener.

This match proved the ability of the African Cup of Nations to provide real entertainment, as the outcome was not decided until the final whistle.

Egyptian Quartet in Cameroon (2008)

to be placed Egypt It dominated its opening game in Ghana in 2008, with an emphatic 4-2 victory over Cameroon, despite the genius of Samuel Eto’o, Barcelona’s Spanish player at the time, scoring a goal.

The historic clash catapulted the Pharaohs to a new world title, led by coach Hassan Shehata, and marked one of the greatest moments in African football history.

Crazy opening – Angola and Mali (2010)

Angola and Mali played one of the craziest matches of the tournament, with the clash ending in a thrilling 4-4 ​​draw after a dramatic comeback in the final minutes, with Mali overturning a 0-4 deficit in the second half.

The match established precisely the image of the African Cup of Nations as a tournament that has no previous ideas.

Wonders of Comoros and Equatorial Guinea

The current edition of the African Cup of Nations continued to provide surprises, after teams such as Comoros and Equatorial Guinea forced themselves to conform to traditional traditions.

African football fans still remember Equatorial Guinea’s historic 4-0 victory over Côte d’Ivoire in their home stadium and in front of their fans in the final match of the tournament in 2023, before the Elephants rose in their entire journey, winning the cup for the third time in its history.

As for the Comoros team, it was a surprise, with a 3-2 victory over its Ghanaian counterpart in the first round of the 2021 tournament, hosted by Cameroon, knocking out the team (Black Stars) at the beginning of the tournament, which it won 4 times.

There is no doubt that these results have proven that the African Cup of Nations recognizes not only names, but also will, organization and courage.