Afcon Latest News - Cameroon stampede and Predicted finalist

The knockout stages of the Africa Cup of Nations kick off on Sunday, following a group stage that produced two major shocks and history on the pitch. The tournament came alive after a slow start, which saw nine 1-0 low score and two goalless draws in the first round of group games.

Favourites Winner?

So far, two teams have stood out: the host country Cameroon and Nigeria. The Super Eagles are the only side to boast a 100% record, a statistic made more surprising given that they fired long-time manager Gernot Rohr just four weeks before the tournament began. Still, the team fitted in well under caretaker coach Augustine Eguavoen, who dominated seven-time world champions Egypt in their opening.

After an unconvincing World Cup qualifying campaign so far, the West Africans are a team to watch. Cameroon, meanwhile, picked up fine wins over Burkina Faso and Ethiopia to top Group A. Captain Vincent Aboubakar netted five times to tie the tournament goalscoring record for the Indomitable Lions. Many bookmakers are giving there best odds and betting offers for punters to bet on the winner of the Afcon 2021/2022.

Underdogs

Equatorial Guinea denied being 85 places below Algeria in the world rankings to end their 35-game unbeaten streak dating back to October 2018.

Then Comoros scored their first Afcon goals and won their first win over 10th-placed Ghana, giving the 132nd-ranked side in the world a notorious scalp that eventually earned them a place in the Round of 16. as one of the best third-placed teams.

The Gambia, the other first team in Cameroon, qualified for the round of 16 after winning their opener against Mauritania, snatching a late draw against Mali and beating Tunisia.

Malawi also qualified for the round of 16 by playing dynamic football. They were narrowly beaten by Guinea, before beating Zimbabwe and drawing with Senegal.

Stampede Tragedy

At least 8 people were killed and 38 injured during a stampede to one of the entrance gates of the Olembe Stadium in Yaoundé, for the second round of the Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon - Comoros. Even the commentators of the match on Canal + confirmed the news of the stampede without being able to provide a balance sheet of this tragic event. So far, no official communication has come from the African Cup of Nations. According to a first impact and to the Diario Olè website, 40 people were injured in serious conditions, several transferred to the Messisi hospital. In the world of the web, the dramatic event has already gone viral. Here are the videos of what happened.



THE SITUATION - The African Confederation meanwhile released a statement: "The situation is currently being investigated and trying to obtain more details on what happened. We are in constant communication with the Cameroonian government and the local organizing committee".

AFCON 2021: Matches To Observe Moment Of Silence For Victims Of Cameroon Stadium Stampede | Sahara Reporters https://t.co/A5IdvWdluL pic.twitter.com/iMdaSQLC7W

— Sahara Reporters (@SaharaReporters) January 25, 2022

Oorganizational Issues

Cameroon should have staged the 2019 Nations Cup but slow preparations have delayed the arrival of the continent's showpiece. Despite the considerable time and expense spent on the organisation, the main disappointment was the state of the pitch at the Japoma stadium in Douala.

Another controversial moment came when Zambian referee Janny Sikazwe whistled for a full time 13 seconds before the end of the Mali-Tunisia match, but Caf dismissed the Tunisians' protests. Refereeing history was more positive when Rwanda's Salima Mukansanga became the first woman to take charge of a men's Nations Cup match, refereeing Zimbabwe's victory over Guinea.

Stadium Attendance

Nations Cup matches that don't involve the host team are often poorly attended, but attendance in Cameroon has been better than at previous tournaments, where 'neutral' matches have always struggled to attract fans.

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, attendance has been capped at 80% capacity for Cameroon games and 60% for all others.

But after low attendance for the first matches in Bafoussam, Douala and Limbe, Cameroon's prime minister ordered schools and civil servants to finish early so they could attend matches.

Locals have complained about the cost of tickets and long queues for compulsory Covid tests - although the stipulation about proof of negative tests is not always enforced. Still, the fan parks, which don't have to endure the rigors of lateral flow testing, were well attended.

For the delegations themselves, it has been virtually impossible to avoid Covid cases. Cape Verde, Malawi and Tunisia were among the hardest hit, but all three managed to reach the round of 16 and all matches took place as scheduled.