Senegal walked away with the WAFU Cup of Nations title on Sunday, winning it on home soil after beating then-holders Ghana in a penalty shootout (one of many in the tournament).
While the sides in the Cup final were domestic-based versions of continental heavyweights, the Plate final was a story of success against the odds, as Guinea defeated tiny Cape Verde… also on penalties.
ESPN’s Ed Dove reveals his tournament awards following a fascinating two weeks of African football.
Player of the Tournament:…
A Senegal player appeared to headbutt his opponent sparking Mali outrage in the WAFU Cup semifinal on Wednesday.
THIES, Senegal — Which of the stars of the 2019 WAFU Cup of Nations are ready for a transfer to Europe already?
Here are five wh…
THIES, Senegal — Hosts Senegal will square off with holders Ghana at Stade Lot Dior in Thies on Sunday, in the first final of the new-look WAFU Cup of Nations.
It’s a clash that should be a delight for neutrals, with the finalists having been the top two seeded sides ahead of the draw, and being among the most eye-catching teams going forward during the two-week regional West African showpiece.
The revised WAFU Cup of Nations format means that no side is eliminated after the first round matches,…
Hosts Senegal face a stern test when they meet Mali in Wednesday’s WAFU Cup of Nations semifinal, with Ghana set to square off with the Ivory Coast on Tuesday in the other final-four showdown.
The Teranga Lions have impressed on home soil, taking control early against Guinea-Bissau in their opening fixture, before dispatching Benin in Thursday’s quarterfinal.
They attacked vibrantly and fluidly in their first match, and while the Bissau-Guineans threatened a comeback after pulling one back, the…
To say that Ghana entered the WAFU Cup of Nations at a low ebb would be an understatement, yet the Black Stars are growing into the tournament and are emerging as dark horses for the West African title ahead of Tuesday’s semifinal meeting with the Ivory Coast.
That they haven’t arrived in Senegal with the swagger and confidence of defending champions is understandable; the Ghana Premier League has been suspended since June 2018, following the dissolution of the Ghana Football Association.
The allegations…
Burkina Faso and Ghana collide in Friday’s WAFU Cup of Nations quarterfinal, with the Stallions eyeing the regional competition as an imperative next step in their rebuilding operation.
As recently as 2017, the two teams met in an Africa Cup of Nations third-placed playoff match, having been defeated by Egypt and Cameroon respectively in their semifinal bouts. It was a rematch of their 2013 Afcon semifinal, where Burkina Faso stunned the Black Stars to set up a final showdown with Nigeria.
Since…
Ahead of the WAFU Cup of Nations quarterfinals, ESPN Africa’s Ed Dove picks out five players who have impressed him during the First Round of the West African championship in Senegal.
Which of this quintet will have the biggest role to play as we approach the business end of the biennial regional showpiece?
Gnama Akate
While much of the fallout from Nigeria’s 2-1 defeat by Togo in their opener last weekend has focused on the Super Eagles’ own failings, the Sparrow Hawks deserve immense credit for…
SENEGAL — When Nigeria’s Ikechukwu Ibenegbu clinched the top scorer award at the 2011 WAFU Cup of Nations, having won the tournament alongside current Super Eagles captain Ahmed Musa the year before, he appeared primed to enjoy a move to a lucrative European league.
However, unlike other African players who leverage the opportunity afforded them by the regional West African Football Associations tournament, or the African Nations Championship (CHAN) for local-based players across the continent,…
During the first five matchdays of the Premier League season, three of the league’s four major African superstars – Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane – had reaffirmed their qualities; this past weekend, it was the turn of the fourth - Riyad Mahrez - to step into the spotlight.
Mahrez has been the quietest of the division’s quartet of continental megastars this season, despite entering the campaign on the back of a quadruple with Manchester City and the African Cup…
The sixth edition of the West Africa Football Union Cup of Nations kicks off in Thies, Senegal, on Saturday, with 15 of the region’s sides — plus guests Morocco — contesting the two-week competition.
Past editions of the tournament have thrown up some star players and memorable performers, some of whom have used it as a launch pad to greater things in their career, and others who failed to build on the promise they demonstrated in the regional showpiece for local players.
Anthony Okpotu was one…