AFCON matchday preview: Ethiopia go in search of qualification miracle

While
host
nation
Cameroon
have
already
secured
their
last-16
spot,
any
of
Burkina
Faso,
Cape
Verde
and
Ethiopia
could
yet
join
them
in
the
next
round.

Ethiopia’s
qualification
would
truly
seem
miraculous
given
they
lost
their
opening
two
games
and
have
failed
to
win
any
of
their
previous
10
matches
in
this
competition.

Yet
in
a
tournament
that
has
already
seen
a
few
shocks,
few
would
rule
out
another
famous
result.

African
Cup
of
Nations
(AFCON)
2021:
Full
schedule,
timing
in
IST,
venues,
teams,
groups
and
telecast
details

Burkina
Faso
v
Ethiopia

Ethiopia
are
on
a
four-match
losing
run
at
the
AFCON,
and
they
have
only
once
endured
a
longer
such
streak,
losing
five
in
a
row
between
1968
and
1970.

They
also
suffered
a
4-0
defeat
to
Burkina
Faso
in
the
only
previous
meeting
of
these
sides
in
this
competition,
in
what
was
the
Stallions’ biggest
victory
in
the
tournament.

However,
despite
losing
1-0
to
Cape
Verde
and
4-1
to
Cameroon
at
these
finals,
Wubetu
Abate’s
men
can
still
clinch
a
top-two
finish
with
a
win
on
matchday
three.
A
high-scoring
win
would
see
them
snatch
second
place
should
the
hosts
win
the
other
game,
while
they
could
still
end
up
as
one
of
the
top
four
third-place
finishers.

“We
did
everything
to
put
in
a
good
match
and
a
good
performance
against
Cameroon,” said
Abate.
“We
scored
a
goal
early
in
the
game
but
couldn’t
keep
the
score
in
our
favour.

“We
are
learning
in
the
big
competitions.
Experience
has
made
the
difference
between
us
and
the
Cameroon
team.
Each
match
has
its
characteristics.
The
matches
are
different
but
we
try
to
show
our
abilities
and
play
good
football.”

One
to
watch:
Gustavo
Sangare

Burkina
Faso
could
finish
second
even
with
a
defeat
as
long
as
Cape
Verde
lose,
but
the
man
best
placed
to
get
them
all
three
points
could
be
Sangare.
Scorer
of
the
opening
goal
of
the
tournament
against
Cameroon,
he
has
attempted
more
shots
(four)
and
created
more
chances
(six)
than
any
other
player
for
his
side.

Cape
Verde
v
Cameroon

Although
they
have
twice
had
to
come
from
behind,
Cameroon
have
looked
impressive
in
these
finals,
their
4-1
thrashing
of
Ethiopia
guaranteeing
their
spot
in
the
last
16.

Should
Toni
Conceicao
choose
to
rest
any
of
his
stars,
this
could
prove
to
be
a
far
trickier
test
given
Cape
Verde’s
recent
defensive
record.

They
had
lost
only
once
in
their
previous
eight
AFCON
matches
before
a
1-0
defeat
to
Burkina
Faso,
and
that
was
the
only
time
in
their
most
recent
four
games
in
the
competition
in
which
they
conceded
a
goal.
They
have
faced
difficulties
in
the
opposition
box,
though,
failing
to
score
in
three
of
their
past
four
AFCON
matches.

There
is
plenty
to
admire
about
Cape
Verde’s
approach,
even
if
goals
have
been
a
little
hard
to
come
by.
They
have
recorded
more
sequences
of
10
passes
or
more
than
any
side
at
these
finals
(24),
while
a
high-pressing
approach
has
yielded
13
high
turnovers,
a
figure
bettered
by
only
four
teams.

One
to
watch:
Kenny
Rocha
Santos

No
Cape
Verde
player
has
attempted
more
shots
(five),
created
more
chances
(two)
or
made
more
recoveries
(13)
than
Kenny
Rocha
Santos.
The
22-year-old
Oostende
midfielder
also
leads
his
side
for
shot-ending
sequence
involvements
(eight)
and
shot-ending
carries
(two).
Little
wonder
there
is
talk
of
interest
from
Liverpool.