Angolan Football: African Cup 2010 Recap

The 2010 Africa Cup of Nations, also known as the Orange Africa Cup of Nations, was the biennial football championship of Africa, organised by the Confederation of African Football (CAF). It was held in Angola from 10 to 31 January 2010. The hosts, Angola, were joined by 15 nations who advanced from the qualification process, although this was reduced to 15 after Togo withdrew following a terrorist attack on their bus upon arriving for the tournament. Egypt won the tournament, beating Ghana 1-0 in the final.

Angola's 2010 hosting of the tournament was intended to encourage the country to move towards peace after the civil war

Angola's hosting of the 2010 African Cup of Nations was intended to encourage the country to move towards peace after the civil war. The tournament, also known as the Orange Africa Cup of Nations for sponsorship reasons, was the 27th biennial African Cup of Nations, organised by the Confederation of African Football (CAF). Angola was selected as the host nation in 2006, with the tournament taking place between 10 and 31 January 2010.

The competition was awarded to Angola to encourage the country to continue its path towards peace and recovery after the Angolan Civil War. The tournament was intended to be a symbol of unity and a celebration of football across the African continent.

The 2010 African Cup of Nations was the first to be hosted in Angola, and it involved 15 nations, including the hosts, that advanced through a rigorous qualification process. The tournament was initially supposed to feature 16 teams, but Togo withdrew after a terrorist attack on their team bus upon arriving for the tournament. Unfortunately, the attack resulted in the deaths of the assistant coach, press officer, and bus driver, and multiple injuries. This tragic incident led to the disqualification of Togo, reducing the number of participating nations to 15, with 29 games played instead of the scheduled 32.

Togo withdrew from the tournament after a terrorist attack on their team bus

On 8 January 2010, two days before the start of the Africa Cup of Nations tournament in Angola, the Togo national football team's bus came under machine-gun fire as it travelled through the Angolan province of Cabinda. The bus driver, Mário Adjoua, was killed, and several others were injured. The attack was carried out by the Front for the Liberation of the Enclave of Cabinda (FLEC), a group promoting independence for the province of Cabinda. FLEC claimed that the attack was not aimed at the Togolese players but at the Angolan forces at the head of the convoy.

The attack had a profound impact on the players, who hid under their seats to shield themselves from the gunfire. Emmanuel Adebayor, the captain of the Togo team, described it as "one of the worst things I've ever been through in my life". Thomas Dossevi, another Togolese player, said, "It was a real hell. Twenty minutes of shots, of blood and fear".

In the aftermath of the attack, there was uncertainty about whether Togo would continue in the tournament. Adebayor, as captain, convened a team meeting to discuss their next steps. Many players expressed their desire to leave and return to their families. Moustapha Salifou, an Aston Villa midfielder who was on the bus, said, "I am OK but extremely shocked and very upset".

Ultimately, Togo withdrew from the tournament. The players initially decided to compete in memory of those who had died, but the Togolese government ordered the team to return home on security grounds. Togo was disqualified from the tournament and banned from participating in the next two Africa Cup of Nations tournaments due to "government involvement in the withdrawal from the tournament".

Angola were eliminated in the knockout stage

Angola hosted the 27th biennial African Cup of Nations in 2010, which began on the 10th of January and concluded on the 31st. 15 nations joined the hosts Angola, who had also qualified for the tournament, in the competition.

Angola were drawn in Pot 1 as the hosts, alongside Egypt, the reigning title holders, and Cameroon and Ivory Coast, who had the strongest records of the remaining teams. Angola's group stage matches saw them draw 1-1 with Algeria and then beat Mauritania 3-2, leaving them at the top of Group D with 4 points.

However, Angola's success in the group stage was short-lived, as they were eliminated in the knockout stage. This was the second time in nine finals appearances that Angola had topped their group in the opening round, only to be immediately knocked out.

Egypt won the tournament, beating Ghana 1-0 in the final

The 2010 Africa Cup of Nations, held in Angola, culminated in a final match between Ghana and Egypt. This tournament was the 27th Africa Cup of Nations and the biennial football championship of Africa (CAF). Egypt emerged as the winner, beating Ghana 1-0 in a closely contested final. This victory marked Egypt's seventh ACN title and a remarkable third consecutive championship.

The final match, which took place on January 31, 2010, at the Estádio 11 de Novembro in Luanda, Angola, was a tense and hard-fought encounter. Both teams had demonstrated their prowess throughout the tournament, with Egypt showcasing their dominance in previous matches by scoring the most goals (7) in the first round. Ghana, on the other hand, had been undefeated in the tournament, winning all their matches 1-0.

The game began with a strong start from Ghana, who applied early pressure and created chances. However, Egypt gradually settled into the game and began to create opportunities of their own. The first half ended goalless, with both teams unable to break the deadlock. In the second half, Egypt brought on Gedo, a substitute who would later prove to be the hero of the match. With only 16 minutes left to play, Gedo, who had already scored four goals in the tournament as a substitute, worked his magic once again. He combined with Zidan, exchanging a clever one-two pass, and then curled a brilliant shot from inside the right of the area, past the Ghana goalkeeper, Richard Kingson. This goal, his fifth as a substitute in the tournament, ultimately won the game for Egypt.

Egypt's victory in the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations further solidified their dominance in African football and cemented their place in the continent's footballing history.

The tournament mascot was the Palanquinha, inspired by the Giant Sable Antelope, a national symbol of Angola

The 2010 Africa Cup of Nations, also known as the Orange Africa Cup of Nations for sponsorship reasons, was held in Angola. The tournament mascot was the Palanquinha, inspired by the Giant Sable Antelope, a national symbol of Angola.

The Giant Sable Antelope, or royal sable antelope, is a subspecies of the sable antelope native to the region between the Cuango and Luando Rivers in Angola. It is the national symbol of Angola and is held in high regard by its people. The antelope is portrayed on numerous stamps, banknotes, and even passports. The Angola national football team is also known as the Palancas Negras in honour of this antelope.

The Giant Sable Antelope is a large, rare, and compact subspecies with massive scimitar-shaped horns. It is a critically endangered species, with a population of only 300 as of 2021, 100 of which live in the Cangandala National Park. The species is protected in natural parks, and hunting it is forbidden.

The Palanquinha, as the tournament mascot, celebrated the national symbol of Angola and helped to promote and unite the country during and after the tournament.

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