IFFHS AFRICA NEWS
Picture : the dance of Roger Milla in 1994 !
June, July months celebrate Africa’s triple FIFA World Cup heritage.
They are the two months in which the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon, the Teranga Lions of Senegal and the Black Stars of Ghana variably took the continent furthest in the tournament, the quarterfinals.
First, it was on July 1, 1990 when Cameroon took the world stage by storm in Italy, reaching the quarterfinals of the tournament and only being eliminated by England in stoppage time, 3-2. Cameroon had taken off on June 8, creating a major upset in Milan, defeating the defending champions and group B mates, Argentina, then captained by globally feared footballer, Diego Maradonna, 1-0. In the second game in Bari on June 14, they edged Romania 2-1. Assured of qualification for the second round, Cameroon bowed to Russia in Bari 0-4 on June 18. In the round of 16, Cameroon eliminated Colombia in Naples on June 23, 2-1 to become the first African side ever to reach the quarterfinals of the FIFA World Cup. But they were stopped by England on July 1 in Naples, 3-2, amid poor tactical options by their Russian coach, Valery Nepomniachii, and particularly hard play that saw England convert two penalties as against one for Cameroon.
Twelve years later, the Teranga Lions of Senegal duplicated the performance of the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon when they reached the quarterfinals of the 2002 World Cup Finals hosted by South Korea and Japan. They kicked off their campaign on May 31, defeating the defending champions, France in the tournament and group A opener in Seoul, 1-0. On June 6, they played to a 1-1 draw with Denmark in Daegu. Yet another draw, 3-3 was registered against Uruguay in Suwon on June 11. In the round of 16, Senegal edged Sweden 2-1 on June 16 in Oita. For the second time in history, an African team reached the round of 8 in the FIFA World Cup only for Senegal to be edged by Turkey in Osaka on June 22, 1-0.
Eight years later, the continent hosted the FIFA World Cup Finals when South Africa opened their doors to receive the globe. Amid expectations that an African team could win the trophy for the first time, the Black Stars of Ghana would take the continent to the round of 8 for the third time ever. They began their campaign piping fellow group D mates, Serbia 1-0 in Pretoria on June 13. Next, they pulled a 1-1 draw with Australia in Rustenburg on June 19. The Black Stars lost their third game on June 23 to the National Mannschaft of Germany 0-1 in Johannesburg(Soccer City). In the round of 16 Ghana prevailed over the United States 2-1 in Rustenburg on June 26. And in their quarterfinal tie with Uruguay on July 2 in Johannesburg(Soccer City), Ghana fought the South Americans to a standstill, 1-1 after 120 minutes. And as the Africans closed in on the match winner at the last minute, Luiz Suarez prevented the goal with his hand and earned a red card for what he later described as ‘the best World Cup save’ for Uruguay. Star player, Gyan Asamoah shot the penalty wide to send both sides to the penalty shootout that would close 4-2 in favour of Uruguay.
But amid the wait for any African qualification for the FIFA World Cup semifinals, the continent do still have reasons to celebrate the triple heritage.
Roger Milla set FIFA World Cup oldest scorer record 27 years ago
The charismatic talisman came off the reserve bench where French-born manager, Henri Michel had kept him intriguingly to score one goal for Cameroon who were trailing Russia 6-0 in a World Cup USA’94 group B match. Albert Roger Mooh Milla, 42 years, 1 month and 8 days old on that day went on to celebrate the record setting goal with a wiggle to the corner flag.
The Indomitable Lions of Cameroon who had been drawn in Group B of the tournament, drew 2-2 with Sweden in Los Angeles on June 19 and lost to Brazil 0-3 in San Francisco on June 24. Milla who had not found favour with the French manager was benched in the first game and only brought in during the dying minutes of the second managed just a kick into the waiting hands of the goalkeeper. In the third match and with general outcry for the ageing striker to be brought in, Henri Michel gave Roger Milla and Alphonse Tchami a nod early into the second half with Russia up 3-0. The mechanical contrivance between the two had the required effect when the oldest player yet to feature in a FIFA World Cup game surged forward at the 47th minute to score for Cameroon. Roger Milla celebrated the goal with the famous wiggle he used to celebrate each of the four goals he scored during the 1990 World Cup Finals in Italy. Although Russian player, Oleg Salenko scored five goals against Cameroon, another history-making event was Milla’s goal which made him the oldest player to score in the finals, an achievement unrivalled 27 years later.
Marc Vivien Foe demise was 18 years ago
It was on June 26, 2003 at the Gerland Stadium in Lyon with Cameroon ahead of Colombia 1-0 in a FIFA Confederations Cup semifinal. Pius Ndiefi had batted in a header by Mohamadou Idrissou from the left flank early into the game. And then, at the 72nd minute, Cameroon midfielder, Marc Vivien Foe collapsed inside the centre circle and as television cameras zoomed in on the agonizing player whose eyes rolled back in the sockets to suggest he was dying, the Cameroon French-speaking commentator, Jean Lambert Nang cut in with the now famous, “quelle image,”(what an image!”)
The Colombian player closest to the dying Foe, Jairo Patino waved a distress call in the direction of the Cameroon reserve bench for prompt medical assistance. Four Colombian medical staffers overtook the lone Cameroonian as all five ran toward the centre circle with a stretcher; and as the doomed party sped with the human load for apparent safety, one of the quintet crashed to the turf, stalling the flight to desperate safety by a few seconds as the crowds at Gerland stadium grumbled and booed in frustration.
FIFA medical officer, Dr. Muller, in the press briefing just after the match broke the news: “I want to give you a very sad information …the player, Marc Vivien Foe…has died!” The hall promptly went dead. Marc Vivien Foe was reportedly later diagnosed to have been suffering from what in medical circles is called hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.
Although Cameroon lost the Final game to France 1-0, courtesy of Thierry Henry in extra-time the Cameroon nation granted a State House Reception in honour of Marc Vivien Foe shortly after midday on Saturday, July 7. Besides ordering the decoration of the fallen hero posthumously with the medal of Commander of Valour, President Biya further ordered the naming of the avenue from the Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium to the Mimboman neighborhood, transiting Essos market, in honour of Marc Vivien, Rue Foe. The annual trophy for the best African in the French league, a street named after him in Lyon from where he had been loaned to Manchester City during the 2002/2003 season, and the retirement of the no. 23 shirt in that once professional club of his are things and gestures that were bestowed in memory of the fallen hero.
Cup of Cameron reaches semifinal stage.
This follows three quarterfinal matches played this afternoon with an 1/8th final game still pending. So far, Cotonsport Garoua, Union Douala and Les Astres Douala qualified for the penultimate stage after the following results: Union Douala 2 AS Dibamba 0; Les Astres 1 Options Sport Limbe 0; Cotonsport Garoua 2 Racing Bafoussam 1.
A delayed 1/8th final game tomorrow will pit Avion Douala and Djiko FC Bandjoun. The winners will confront PWD Bamenda for the fourth quarterfinal game. The winner would then play against Union Douala. The other semifinal game will pit Cotonsport Garoua against Les Astres Douala. So far, at least three of the semifinalists have, at least once, won the Cup of Cameroon first played in 1960.
Cameroon to affiliate only one club in each of CAF CL, Cup
The Confederation of African Football has published its annual calendar for competitions for 2021/22 with Cameroon excluded from countries eligible to affiliate two teams each in the Champions League and Confederation Cup. This is blamed on the failure of the country that pioneered winning the then Champions Clubs Cup in 1965 with Oryx Douala to run an operational domestic league over the current season due to financial difficulties bedeviling the clubs of the elite leagues 1 & 2 which have not received their annual subventions from the State, thereby frustrating attempts to resume activity after covid-19 had stalled same for several months.
In the CAF publication only the following 12 national federations would affiliate 2 teams each in each of the competitions: Algeria, Angola, DR Congo, Egypt, Guinea, Morocco, Nigeria, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Tunisia and Zambia. Excluded Cameroon could at long last find wisdom in urgently putting their house in order following an interminable in-house wrangling over who effectively manages football in the country. The federation was recently ordered by FIFA to proceed to the election of the various organs of the federation from district to the national level latest October, 2021. This is coming well after the modification of certain provisions of the statutes of the federation.
Meanwhile, for the competitions proper, it will now be possible to make 5 substitutions in a game, 9 players to feature on the reserve bench, and a total of 40 to be registered for the competition whose first round preliminaries will hold 10-12 September, 2021, and finals 22-29 May, 2022. The deadline for affiliating clubs is fixed for August 15, 2021.