★=Shocking
★★=Bad
★★★=OK
★★★★=Good
★★★★★=Excellent
Group A:
Equatorial Guinea: ★★★★★
Considering they were ranked 151 in the world (worst ranking in the competition), qualifying for the last 8 would be almost impossible. They showed great organisation and managed to finish the group in second place after beating Libya 1-0 and Senegal 2-1 after a 95th minute goal. However, their dream run ended with a 3-0 loss the Ivory Coast in the quarters.
Best player: Kily Gonzalez. Had an amazing game against Senegal. He plays for a Spanish 4th division side and scored the winner against footballers at some of the biggest clubs in the world.
Libya: ★★★
Just months earlier, Libya was in crisis with the revelution and Gadaffi. Their players were stranded. They hadn't played football for a year. They came into the competiton not expecting much. They ended up 3rd in Group A.
Best player: Ahmed Osman. Scored 2 of Libya's goals and was simply their best player.
Senegal: ★
Everyone expected Senegal to do well. They were the third favourites but had a shocking tournament. They lost every game in their group. It wasn't even a tough group.
Best player: The woodwork. That's how bad they were.
Zambia: ★★★★★
The champions! Their aim was to honour the Zambian footballers who died in a plane crash in Libreville in 1993. 19 years on, they won the competition in a final hosted in the same city. They just wanted to do well and make Zambia proud. Instead, they did much, much more. Definitely deserved to win it as they beat teams like Senegal, Ghana and Ivory Coast on the way.
Best player: Christopher Katongo. Their captain guided them to their historic win.
Group B:
Angola: ★★
Won their first match but just seemed to disintegrate from there onwards. Unlucky to have gone out on goal difference to Sudan. But still should've done better.
Best player: Manucho. It was a 1 sided team, really. No-one else played extremely well.
Burkina Faso: ★★
Not a nation famous for its footballing talent, except for the Kaboré brothers. Played quite poorly though and lost every match. Didn't do Angola a favour by losing to minnows Sudan.
Best player: Alain Traoré. No-one really stood out but he scored an awesome free-kick against Angola. That's the only reason why.
Ivory Coast: ★★★★
Their "golden generation" just had to win the competition this year. The last few years they have come so close but this year they had a perfect opportunity with most of the big teams not even qualifying. Their world superstars walked through their qualifying group. They walked through every game infact. Going into the final against Zambia, they had won every match and not conceded a single goal at all. Would they become the first team to do so? No. They became the first team not to win the competition after getting clean sheets in every match, instead.
Best player: Boubacar Barry. Everyone played well but Barry didn't let a single goal in.
Sudan: ★★★★★
They just somehow managed to creep into the Last 8. This was the first time they qualified for the competition in 42 years. They were the second worst ranked team in the competition - and it showed. But as I said, they creeped in after beating Burkina Faso in the last match. They lost to Zambia in the Last 8, 3-0, by the way.
Best player: Mudathir. For trying to replicate Maradona's hand of God. It didn't work.
Group C:
Gabon: ★★★★★
Gabon were excellent. They played like contendors for the competition. They claimed a historic win against Morocco after M'Banangoye curled in a free kick in the 98th minute to make it 3-2 to Gabon. They were inspired by key players Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Daniel Cousin. Sadly, they went out to a penalty shootout against Mali.
Best player: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. This guy is amazing. He's got speed and flar. He'll get signed up by a big team definitely.
Morocco: ★★
They were great against Tunisia. But they lost. They were great against Gabon. But they lost. They were unlucky in the compeition.
Best player: Houssine Kharja. Scored three goals in three matches. Was a great leader for Morocco.
Niger: ★★
Nigeria didn't qualify this year, but neighbours Niger did. The poor country from West Africa were drawn in a tough group with Morocco, Tunisia and Gabon.
Best player: Tonji N'Gounou. Scored Niger's first ever AFCON goal.
Tunisia: ★★★
They haven't been consistent at all. Their qualifying campaign wasn't convincing and neither have the finals. Tunisia managed to get to the quarters but lose to Ghana after extra time.
Best player: Youssef Msakni. He set up most of Tunisia's goals and scored two himself.
Group D:
Botswana: ★★
They aren't recognised for footballing ability and they didn't surprise us either. They did lose 6-1 to Guinea though.
Best player: Mogakolodi Ngele. Because he scored. That's it.
Ghana: ★★★
Over the last few years, Ghana have been impressive. Winning the U20 World Cup in 2009 and reaching the Quarters in the World Cup in 2010. However, this year, they weren't as impressive. Maybe because they didn't have key player Kevin-Prince Boateng?
Best player: John Mensah. He was sent off twice but the defender did score two crucial goals for Ghana.
Guinea: ★★★
They beat Botswana 6-1. But still went out. They played well but they just didn't get through. They had a tough group, though. With Ghana and Mali.
Best player: Abdoul Camara. Controlled the right wing in their matches.
Mali: ★★★★
Had a great competition. Came third. They lost to Ghana in the group stage but reversed that in the 3rd place match. They also faced a nervy penalty shootout against Gabon in the quarters. They played quite well, Mali.
Best player: Seydou Keita. The Barcelona midfielder was Mali's key player and leader.
So that's my opinion on the teams this year. Some of the big teams didn't even qualify. This gave the not-so-good teams a chance and they took it (except for Botswana losing 6-1 to Mali)! A few big shocks. Senegal were shocking. Zambia were excellent.
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