AFCON 2023 Flicks: Cocktail of anger and destruction

Cocktail of anger and destruction


It was the heaviest home defeat in the history of Ivory Coast, whose dreadful -3 goal difference may now surely prevent them from scraping through to the knockout rounds as one of the final best four third-place finishers at AFCON. Equatorial Guinea advanced as group winners, meanwhile, ahead of Nigeria on goal difference after the Super Eagles beat minnows Guinea-Bissau 1-0 on Monday.


There was outrage yesterday in the camps of Black Stars of Ghana and Elephants of Cote d’Ivoire whose fans showed their resentment after Ghana’s exit from the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations was virtually sealed by a late 2-2 draw with Mozambique in Abidjan.

Just as they did against Comoros two years ago, Ghana let the minnows Mozambique back in and conceded stoppage-time goals to Geny Catamo’s penalty and Reinildo Mandava’s header which combined with Egypt’s draw to surely send them home. The Ghanaian fans were piqued and prevented the bus conveying their players from moving. They wanted to let them feel their anger but Ivorian security sensing danger called for more personnel support to prevent danger. You could feel the ire of the Ghanaians with one shouting, ‘Oh, Charlie, we’re finished’.

The Ghanaians were not alone in ruing their misery. The hosts, Cote d’Ivoire’s case was more pathetic. They needed just a point to cruise to the knockout stages. However, the two-time champions suffered their heaviest-ever home loss to leave them on the brink of group-stage elimination. Surely the defeat went down as one of the very worst nights in Ivorian football history. And the fans reacted angrily.

The mood turned notably angry as boos rained down from the stands and some furious fans hauled cans and water bottles into the stadium. Security was alert and escorted players to the dressing room. Outside the Alassane Ouattara Stadium, tension was high. Security had hectic time keeping the angry fans at bay. In the process, windscreen of buses were shattered and objects set ablaze. Truly, it was the heaviest home defeat in the history for Ivory Coast.

We need female Police officers like Bouchra

Bouchra Karboubi shattered Moroccan football’s gender barriers in 2020 by becoming the first woman to referee a match in Morocco’s top-tier men’s professional league.

On Monday at the Felix Houphouet-Boigny stadium, Bouchra made history as the only female central referee at the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). The Moroccan showed her tough stance by standing on her decisions and warding off rampaging players who questioned her decision in Group A’s clash between Nigeria and Guinea Bissau.


Karboubi is among the seven Moroccan referees that the Confederation of African Football (CAF) appointed to officiate at the ongoing continental tournament in Cote d’Ivoire.


Born in 1988 in Taza, Karboubi is a trailblazing referee who has made significant strides in officiating both women’s and men’s matches at continental competitions.

Karboubi, who previously officiated Morocco’s Throne Cup final in 2022, made history in 2020 as the first female referee in Morocco’s top men’s football league, the Botola Pro 1.

In addition, the 36-year-old referee was appointed as the main referee for the group stage game between the US and Vietnam at the 2023 Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.

It’s interesting to note that Bouchra is also an Inspector of Police. And this is where we call on our crime expert, Emma Nnadozie to encourage more of the female police to take interest in refereeing other than being at checkpoints.


Send down the rain!

After the anger, the pain, agony, ache, rage, the rains came down yesterday to calm the frayed nerves of Ivorians who are yet to come to terms with the shocking result of their Elephants against Equatorial Guinea’s Wild Dogs 4-0 in the ongoing AFCON.

The drumming rhythms of raindrops brought so much calm and coolness from the riotous night with the police. The rain was very calming. If it does not rain, nothing grows. This is extending my sympathy to Ivorian football family that Ivorian football shall rise again. And like Majek Fashek said, ‘’everything in life has got its time and seasons’’.