Powerhouses Nigeria and Egypt had been held to attracts and Ghana suffered a late loss on a day of shocks on the Africa Cup of Nations finals in Ivory Coast on Sunday.
Nigeria drew 1-1 with Equatorial Guinea and Egypt wanted a 97th minute Mo Salah penalty to rescue a degree and deny Mozambique a primary ever Cup of Nations victory.
However Ghana’s Black Stars walked away with nothing after a late objective noticed them slip to a 2-1 loss to Cape Verde and instantly put them on the again foot having been dumped out within the pool phases in Cameroon two years in the past.
“We hoped to win this match and we did all the things to win,” Nigeria coach Jose Peseiro stated. “Our workforce was higher than that of Equatorial Guinea however we lacked luck. I’m not joyful. We deserved to win, this draw does not go well with us.
“Our workforce created a variety of probabilities however we did not rating. We hope that subsequent time, even with fewer alternatives, we are going to rating. We merely have to enhance our ending.”
Mozambique had been seconds away from one of many biggest shocks in Cup of countries historical past, however could not see the sport out as Salah netted his penalty off the publish to earn seven-time winners Egypt a 2-2 draw.
“We had been so shut. The outcome was nearly in our fingers. Nonetheless, it’s as much as us to work tougher in order that this doesn’t occur once more. We’re unhappy and that could be a good factor as a result of we’re not glad with what we received at this time,” Mozambique coach Conde Chiquinho stated.
Midfielder Guima, who received Man of the Match, says the outcome exhibits what a menace The Mambas could be.
Join free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the most recent in African information delivered straight to your inbox
“It is an indescribable feeling. It is my first AFCON and I am so proud to be right here. I’m happy with my workforce. We stood as much as Egypt. We wish to showcase Mozambican expertise to the world. We actually consider we are going to go far, we expect large, we all know we are able to beat any workforce,” he stated.
Egypt had come into the event in high type, however their coach Rui Vitoria is now sweating on what will likely be a vital conflict in opposition to Ghana subsequent up.
“Mozambique has a stable workforce, I stated it earlier than assembly them and that is what occurred at this time,” the Portuguese coach stated. “They gave us a variety of tactical issues with this low pack. This workforce has wonderful components in midfield. They discovered gaps in us they usually took benefit of it.
“It is going to be a special story (in opposition to Ghana). We should cut back the areas and be extra concentrated as a result of in opposition to an skilled workforce like Ghana, the slightest mistake is paid dearly.”
The Black Stars had been left desperately disenchanted by their loss, which reignited unhealthy reminiscences of their first spherical exit in Cameroon.
“We deserved extra from the match,” defender Alexander Djiku stated. “Simply once we had been coming into the sport, we conceded the second objective, although we had been on high of the sport. We did not create many probabilities, we did not utilise the few probabilities we created, it’s why we could not win.
“I used to be within the workforce over the past AFCON, our elimination within the first spherical stays the worst reminiscence of my profession and I do not wish to relive that.”
Ghana coach Chris Hughton additionally expressed his bitter disappointment.
“I feel it rocked us the objective that we conceded (within the first half) however I believed that we received again into the sport and at that stage it appeared like we may go on and win it. We’re vastly, vastly disenchanted with the outcome,” he stated.
