Cup of Nations: the Last 8...

The Group Stages are over and quarter finals start tomorrow! This year top teams like Nigeria, South Africa, Cameroon, Algeria and Egypt didn't even qualify. The competition was also going to be hosted in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea - 2 countries definitely not famous for football. However, the competition has been exciting for sure. This is a review on the teams in the last 8.

Zambia: Group A Winners
Path to the Last 8:
Senegal 1-2 Zambia
Libya 2-2 Zambia
Equatorial Guinea 0-1 Zambia

Zambia have played well especially in their 2-1 win over Senegal. They are the underdogs and realistically have a good chance. They play their quarter final game against Sudan which should be easy and then the winner of Ghana v Tunisia in the semis.

Equatorial Guinea: Group A Runners up
Path to the Last 8:
Equatorial Guinea 1-0 Libya
Equatorial Guinea 2-1 Senegal
Equatorial Guinea 0-1 Zambia

Everyone expected both the host nation to play valiantly but not get any points. This is because they are ranked 150 in the FIFA rankings - which is the worst in the tournament. However they surprised us all. They beat Libya...which was a shock. Their dream run continued as they also got three points against Senegal - the third favourites with a last minute winner. This meant they had qualified for the quarters and knocked out Senegal. Equatorial Guinea will play Cote d'Iviore in the quarters and the winner of Gabon v Mali in the semis. Who knows? They might shock us again?

Cote d'Ivoire: Group B Winners
Path to the Last 8:
Cote d'Ivoire 1-0 Sudan
Burkina Faso 0-2 Cote d'Ivoire
Angola 0-2 Cote d'Ivoire

Cote d'Ivoire were the pre-competition favourites and they still are. This is because they have world stars like Didier Drogba and Yaya Touré. As a result, they literally walked through their group. They had an unconvincing win against Sudan and then played their second team against Angola after making 9 changes but they still won all their game. In the quarters they play the hosts, Equatorial Guinea and the winner of Gabon v Mali in the semis.

Sudan: Group B Runners up
Path to the Last 8:
Cote d'Ivoire 1-0 Sudan
Angola 2-2 Sudan
Burkina Faso 1-2 Sudan

Sudan are another surprise entry in the last 8. They had a really tough group but just managed to sneak in on goal difference at the expense of Angola. 42 years ago Sudan won the competition but since then it has all gone down hill. Their goals against Angola were their first in 36 years and their win against Burkina Faso was their first in 42 years. They face Zambia in the last 8 and Ghana or Tunisia in the semis if they get there.

Gabon: Group C Winners (I'm supporting them)
Path to the Last 8:
Gabon 2-0 Niger
Gabon 3-2 Morocco
Gabon 1-0 Tunisia

Gabon have played extremely well and deserve to be in the last 8 after being the better side against teams like Morocco and Tunisia - two North African giants. M'Banangoye curled in an amazing free kick in the 98th minute against Morocco to send them through. Their key player and playmaker has been Pierre-Emrick Aubameyang. He is just amazing. "He looks like Neymar and has the status of him too here in Libreville..." He's a benchwarmer for Lille OSC by the way. Gabon play Mali in the quarters and Cote d'Ivoire or Equatorial Guinea in the semis.

Tunisia: Group C Runners up
Path to the last 8:
Morocco 1-2 Tunisia
Niger 1-2 Tunisia
Gabon 1-0 Tunisia

Tunisia have been inconsistent in the qualifying and also in the finals. They may have got through but definitely haven't played too well. North African rivals Morocco dominated in their match v Tunisia but Tunisia hung on. They haven't been convincing. They play Ghana and then Gabon or Mali in the semis.

Ghana: Group D Winners
Path to the Last 8:
Botswana 0-1 Ghana
Ghana 2-0 Mali
Ghana 1-1 Guinea

Unlike Cote d'Ivoire, Ghana had a tough group. Mali and Guinea are both good teams. Ghana walked through their group as well but were also unconvincing. They'll play Tunisia and then the winner of Zambia v Sudan.

Mali: Group D Runners up:
Path to the Last 8:
Mali 1-0 Guinea
Ghana 2-0 Mali
Mali 2-1 Botswana

Mali have played good. They're definitely underdogs as well as Zambia. They face Gabon in the last and then either Equatorial Guinea or Cote d'Ivoire in the semis.

Monday Madness!

Worst acting ever:

Equatorial Guinea beat Senegal 2-1 in the African Cup of Nations - which is a huge shock. They were winning 1-0 until the 91st minute when Sengal equalized. (Equatorial Guinea got the historic winner in the 94th minute) Just before they equalized, look what Narcisse Amia Ekanga did to waste time. This is the worst acting I've ever seen. He goes down looking for the freekick. No freekick. So he just collapses and rolls about. Calls for the stretcher. Cold spray and all. He gets carried off on the stretcher. 10 seconds later he runs back. Watch it here.

This isn't the only time Ekanga has been acting. Watch it here.

Awesome warm-up:

Look at Craig Bellamy's little dance to warm up before he comes on in the City game. Watch it here.

Contendor for miss of the season:
Have a look at this terrible miss by Robbie Findley for Nottingham against Leicester. It takes some skill to miss from there! Watch it here.

Your team wins a penalty. Great! Now argue over who takes it. This is what Bury players Giles Coke and Steve Schumacher did. Watch it here.

How do you miss this?:

Okay, we've already seen 2 terrible dives and acting, but this is real. André Dias punches Mark van Bommel and the ref completely misses it! Watch it here.

Worst PR Stunt ever:

This is the worst PR stunt I've ever seen a football club do. German giants Bayern Münich claimed on their website that they had signed "a spectacular name" and would unveil him in a press conference that will be broadcast on their Facebook page at 1pm Time passed on and nothing happened. At 3pm the Bayern manager appeared and the "player" was a picture of their own profile picture and a Bayern shirt with their name on and the number 8. Apparently this was to show the importance of the fans.

Equatorial Guinea 2-1 Senegal: One of the greatest shocks ever?

The Preview:

Equatorial Guinea: A small nation from Africa. Not known at all for their football. Co-hosts of the CAN 2012. Worst ranked team in the competition. Ranked 141 in the world.

Senegal: 3rd favourites in the competition. African giants. Ranked 54 in the world. Many skilled footballers like Demba Ba, Moussa Sow and...Diamé.

Equatorial had already caused a minor shock as they beat Libya 1-0 and Senegal had lost to Zambia 2-1. A win for the hosts would see them through and Senegal out.

Before the match, everyone would have expected Senegal to defeat the minnows. I predicted a 5-1 win for Senegal. However, Equatorial Guinea surprised everyone with a historic win. 

1-0!

Equatorial Guinea 1-0 up:

Senegal totally dominated but just couldn't score. Out of nowhere, in the 62nd minute, Kily showed his skill a curled an amazing cross that Randy scored a header from. I couldn't believe it. Equatorial Guinea were ahead! If they hung on Senegal would be out! Come on Equatorial Guinea!

Hanging on to a historic win:

From this moment, Senegal went all out attack in an attempt to save their disastrous campaign. They, like the commentators said, literally threw the kitchen sink at them. Senegal had so many clear chances but Equatorial just got lucky and hung on to what looked like one of the greatest ever shocks in football.

Senegal had France's current top scorer this season (Moussa Sow), France's top scorer last year (Mahmadou Niang), Germany's 2nd top scorer (Demba Cissé, but he's now joined Newcastle) and England's 2nd top scorer this season (Demba Ba) but they can't score against the defence of Equatorial Guinea.

Senegal equalize:

Finally, in the 91st minute, Niang scrambled in an equalizer for Senegal and shattered Equatorial Guinea dreams. The assistant holds up the board for 5 minutes.

In the 93rd minute, Equatorial Guinea missed a chance by centimetres. It seemed it was the last chance and draw would have to be it for the underdogs.

2-1!!!:

Kily scores a screamer!

Then came an incredible finale when Kily controlled a crossfield pass before unleashing a thunderbolt that tore into the back of the net and the party had started. Equatorial Guinea have surely now caused one of the greatest shocks in football history!

And there it is, the final whistle! Confirmed: Senegal are going home after a terrible game and the whole country of Equatorial Guinea in ecstasy!

At least Wigan get Diamé back!

Later, Equatorial Guinea lost to Zambia 1-0 (no shock this time) and Libya beat Senegal 2-1 as they ended a miserable campaign. Equatorial Guinea and Zambia have qualified for the next round.

Vishal Chahwala: Flops of the season so far

GK al Habsi

RB Figeuroa CB Gohouri CB Berra LB Givet

RM Young CM Henderson CM Nasri LM Downing

ST Torres ST Tévez

Vishal Chahwala: Team of the Season so far

GK Friedel

RB Assou-Ekotto CB Kompany CB Vermaelen LB A Cole

RM Sessegnon CM Silva CM Dempsey LM Bale

ST van Persie ST Ba

Subs Vorm Enriqué Škrtel van der Vaart Mata Yakubu Yaya Touré

Tom Horn: Flops of the Season so far

GK De Gea

RB Bosingwa CB David Luiz CB Koscielney LB Hanley

RM Henderson CM Mikel CM Watson LM Crusat

ST Torres ST Carroll

Subs Cech A Cole Drogba Rodallega Chamakh Andre Santos Vermaelen Ngog Martin Petrov

Tom Horn: Team of the Season so far

GK Vorm

RB Walker CB Kompany CB King LB José Enrique

RM David Silva CM Parker LM Yaya Touré

RS Sinclair ST van Persie LS Mata Subs al Habsi Jones Taylor Ba Rooney

Monday Madness!

Bubble Football!

A Norwegian man invented a new game: Bubble Football It's exactly like football but players wear a ball filled with air on their body. In this game fouls dont exist because as soon as you fall over, you bounce straight back up! So no injuries.

Joey Barton can't stand arguing with his own player on Football Manager 2012: "Just had my first argument with myself on FM12" and "FYI @footballmanager I am not born in Runcorn. I am not 5'9 (5'11) and I am not 11st (12st). If ur gonna do it properly..."

Under performing Juventus striker, Amuari, was put on eBay buy an angry fan. The bid for him reached £8 million. The offer included: delivery in 4 working days and free shipping. This was until eBay removed it off their site.

Former Celtic player, Nakamura, gave bus travellers in Japan a shock when he curled a ball in through a window. Watch it here.

Chelsea sign three 12 year olds from Luton for £1m. No joke.

Match Report QPR 3-1 Wigan

Well this result was the probable result due to the appointment of Mark Hughes and this being his first home league game in charge but Wigan didn't do themselves proud at all. Early in the game QPR dominated and James McCarthy handles from a corner and the ref gave a penalty which Helguson put away. Shortly before half time it got worse for Wigan. Akos Buzsaky took a brilliant free kick into the top corner. 2-0 at HT Second half Sammon comes on for Wigan and does some good things and eventually Wigan score. A Hugo Rodallega free kick goes into the top corner and the game is on. But just 15 mins later Gary Caldwell gives away a penalty but al Habsi saves. However Tommy Smith's strike was unstoppable and made it 3-1 and that's how it finished.

Transfer Rumours

As quiet as this window has been it hasn't lacked a bit of excitement! Gary Cahil to chelsea is a done deal Wigan are intrested in Wolves winger Adam Hammil and apparently have had a bid accepted for leeds striker Ross McCormack. Chris Samba's transfer request has made Spurs interested and are preparing a bid for the player. Chelsea's striker crisis may see them make a 20m bid for Porto's Hulk. Also Stoke want DJ Cambell on loan for the rest of the season. Demba Cissé joins Newcastle for 10m. Liverpool sign Portuguese prospect João Carlos Teixeira for 1m.