Tanzania advanced to the knockout stage of the Africa Cup of Nations for the first time in 45 years, securing their spot after a 1-1 draw with Tunisia in Rabat, Morocco. The historic result, achieved on January 21, 2024, sees Tanzania progress despite not winning a single match during the group stage. This marks a significant milestone for Tanzanian football and a surprising turn in the tournament.
The draw followed a dominant performance by Nigeria, who topped Group C with a perfect record after defeating Uganda 3-1. Nigeria’s Raphael Onyedika scored twice, while Tunisia will now face Mali in the round of 16. The advancement of both Tanzania and Nigeria highlights the growing competitiveness of African football.
Tanzania’s Historic Africa Cup of Nations Qualification
Ismael Gharbi opened the scoring for Tunisia with a penalty just before halftime, awarded after a VAR review of a foul in the penalty area. However, Tanzania quickly responded in the second half, with Feisal Salum leveling the score early on. This goal proved crucial, allowing Tanzania to edge out Angola on goals scored and claim one of the four best third-place spots.
Despite their historic qualification, Tanzania’s journey has been fraught with challenges. They entered the tournament as underdogs and managed two draws and a loss in the group stage. Their coach, Miguel Gamondi, made three changes to the starting lineup, including giving a debut to 33-year-old goalkeeper Hussein Masaranga, demonstrating a willingness to experiment and adapt.
Meanwhile, Nigeria showcased their strength with a convincing victory over Uganda. A red card to Ugandan goalkeeper Salim Magoola in the 56th minute further tilted the match in Nigeria’s favor. Raphael Onyedika capitalized on the opportunity, scoring twice with assists from Samuel Chukwueze.
Changes to the Africa Cup of Nations Format
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) recently announced a shift in the Africa Cup of Nations schedule, moving it to a four-year cycle. This decision, made by CAF president Patrice Motsepe, has sparked debate across the continent. Ivory Coast coach Emerse Fae supports the change, believing it could foster better development of African football.
Fae argued that a four-year cycle, combined with the introduction of an annual African Nations League modeled after the UEFA Nations League, would provide more consistent and competitive matches for national teams. He believes this would benefit the overall quality of play and allow for more frequent encounters between top African nations, such as Morocco, Senegal, and Algeria. The aim is to increase revenue for national federations through the new league format.
However, the decision has faced criticism from those who fear it will diminish the prestige and frequency of the continent’s premier football competition. Concerns have also been raised that the change is a concession to European clubs, who often resist releasing players for the bi-annual tournament. The introduction of the Nations League is intended to offset this reduction in AFCON frequency.
The secondary keyword, football development, is central to the rationale behind the schedule change. Proponents believe a more structured calendar will allow for greater investment in youth academies and coaching programs. Another related keyword, CAF president, Patrice Motsepe, has been a key driver of the reforms.
Looking ahead, Tunisia will prepare to face Mali in Rabat on Saturday, January 27th, in their round of 16 match. The opponents for Nigeria and Tanzania are yet to be determined, pending the completion of the group stage matches. The success of the new four-year cycle and the African Nations League remains to be seen, and will be a key area to watch in the coming years as CAF seeks to elevate the standard of African football.
