Blue Sharks the toast of Africa

African soccer was all the rage on Sunday as the final round of qualifiers took place for next year's African Cup of Nations.

Cape Verde sensationally knocked Cameroon out to qualify for their first ever ACN finals, prompting wild celebrations in the Atlantic archipelago.

Senegal however are facing FIFA sanction as their match with Ivory Coast was abandoned following crowd trouble in Dakar, after the Ivorians went two-nil up through a Didier Drogba brace.

Cape Verde lost 2-1 in Yaoundé but the Blue Sharks won 3-2 on aggregate following a stunning 2-0 first-leg victory. Although the team has yet to register internationally, the nation of half a million people boasts some football heritage. Portugal's Nani and Switzerland's Gelson Fernandes are both Cape Verde born, while France's Patrick Vieira and Swedish legend Henrik Larsson both have a parent from the country.

Reigning champions Zambia made it through to defend their title alongside 2012's beaten finalists the Ivory Coast.

The most notable absentee from the finals lineup is Egypt, winner of three of the past four tournaments (2006, 2008 and 2010). The Pharaohs, managed by former USA boss Bob Bradley, were dumped out in the first round in June.

The now domitable lions of Cameroon will also be watching on television along with Senegal and two sides ranked in Africa's top ten - Gabon and the Central African Republic, conquerors of Egypt.

The finalists are thus, with their October FIFA World Ranking:

1. Ivory Coast 16
2. Algeria 24
3. Mali 27
4. Ghana 31
5. Zambia 41 (holders)
6. Tunisia 45
7. Cape Verde 51
8. Nigeria 63
9. Morocco 75
10. South Africa 76 (hosts)
11. Angola 83
12. Burkina Faso 91
13. Togo 93
14. DR Congo 103
15. Ethiopia 108
16. Niger 137

The 16-team tournament takes place in South Africa from the 19th of January to the 10th of February 2013.  The finals draw is in Durban on the 24th of October 2012.

Five of the stadia from the 2010 World Cup will be used, with the opening game and final at Soccer City, Johannesburg. 

Cape Town misses out however, with Durban, Nelspruit, Port Elizabeth and Rustenburg (pic) preferred.

In 2015 the finals visit Morocco with 2017 pencilled in for Libya.

Confederation of African Football official site

-Sean O'Conor & Soccerphile

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Eto'o is Africa's lion again

If Alexander the Great conquered the known world and beyond by the age of 30, Samuel Eto'o has come pretty close on the football field. He has just been named African Footballer of the Year for a record fourth time and shows no signs of calling a halt to an already illustrious career.

At 29, the Cameroonian captain has a soccer CV most of us would die for.

He is his country's captain and record goalscorer and has represented Cameroon in three FIFA World Cups, won an Olympic Games gold medal and won two African Nations Cups with the Indomitable Lions, while participating in a further four. He remains the all-time top scorer in that tournament and has netted 52 times in 101 games for his nation.

His club resumé includes Barcelona, Inter and Real Madrid and Eto'o has won the UEFA Champions League at all of them. This year he became the first footballer to win two continental trebles of league, cup and Champions League, having collected a clean sweep first at Barcelona and then at Inter.

Leaving Spain after five seasons and 171 strikes he joined José Mourinho at Inter in a swap deal with Zlatan Ibrahimovic and bagged 21 goals, not bad for an inaugural outing in defence-heavy Serie A.

A string of other garlands include a purple year in 2006 when he became La Liga's top gunner and won the Man of the Match award in the Champions League final. Most recently, Eto'o scored in the FIFA World Club Cup final as Inter were crowned the best team on the planet, their Cameroonian ace receiving the Golden Ball.

A lithe runner blessed with turbo-charged heels, a quick-thinking footballing brain and a lethal shot, Eto'o has also had his fair share of knockers, from coaches, players and journalists who have questioned his attitude and priorities, to 'fans' bellowing racist abuse at him in Spain and Italy.

Yet like all great players, he answers his critics on the field of play, a perfect pitch for this indomitable lion of Africa.

(c) Sean O'Conor & Soccerphile

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