2008 Africa Cup of Nations

The 2008 Africa Cup of Nations, also known as the MTN Africa Cup of Nations due to the competition's sponsorship by MTN, was the 26th edition of the Africa Cup of Nations, the biennial football tournament for nations affiliated to the Confederation of African Football (CAF). The tournament was staged at four venues around Ghana between 20 January and 10 February 2008. This was the last Africa Cup of Nations to use the old CAF logo.

2008 Africa Cup of Nations
MTN Africa Cup of Nations Ghana 2008
Africa Cup of Nations 2008 official logo
Tournament details
Host countryGhana
Dates20 January – 10 February
Teams16 (from 1 confederation)
Venue(s)4 (in 4 host cities)
Final positions
Champions Egypt (6th title)
Runners-up Cameroon
Third place Ghana
Fourth place Ivory Coast
Tournament statistics
Matches played32
Goals scored99 (3.09 per match)
Attendance714,000 (22,313 per match)
Top scorer(s) Samuel Eto'o (5 goals)
Best player(s) Hosny Abd Rabo
Best goalkeeper Essam El-Hadary

Egypt won the tournament, beating Cameroon 1–0 in the final. As winners, they qualified for the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup as African representatives.

Host selection

Bids:

  • Ghana
  • Libya
  • South Africa

The organization of the 2008 Africa Cup of Nations was awarded to Ghana on 8 July 2004 by the CAF Executive Committee members which are 12 in Cairo, Egypt. Voters had a choice between Ghana and Libya which was disadvantaged by the fact that two countries in the North Africa region had already hosted the last two editions (Tunisia in 2004, and Egypt in 2006).

South Africa, also was a candidate at the start, eventually withdrew in May 2004 after being nominated for the organization of the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

This is the fourth time that Ghana has hosted the African Cup after 1963, 1978 and 2000 (jointly with Nigeria).

Results
Nation Votes
Ghana 9
Libya 3
South Africa Withdrew
Total votes 12

Venues
Accra
Kumasi
Ohene Djan StadiumBaba Yara Stadium
Capacity: 40,000[1]Capacity: 40,528
TamaleSekondi-Takoradi
Tamale StadiumSekondi-Takoradi Stadium
Capacity: 21,017Capacity: 20,088

Squads
Main article: 2008 Africa Cup of Nations squads

Qualification
Main article: 2008 Africa Cup of Nations qualification

The entrants were divided into 12 groups. All group winners and the best three runners-up from groups with four teams (groups 2-11) qualified for the finals. Host Ghana qualified automatically. Qualifying took place between 2 September 2006 and 13 October 2007.

Teams
A map of Africa showing the qualified nations, highlighted by stage reached.
  •  Ghana – Host, 16th appearance (4 titles)
  •  Ivory Coast – Group 1 winner, 17th appearance (1 title)
  •  Egypt – Group 2 winner, 21st appearance (5 titles)
  •  Nigeria – Group 3 winner, 15th appearance (2 titles)
  •  Sudan – Group 4 winner, 7th appearance (1 title)
  •  Cameroon – Group 5 winner, 15th appearance (4 titles)
  •  Angola – Group 6 winner, 4th appearance
  •  Senegal – Group 7 winner, 11th appearance
  •  Guinea – Group 8 winner, 9th appearance
  •  Mali – Group 9 winner, 5th appearance
  •  Namibia – Group 10 winner, 2nd appearance
  •  Zambia – Group 11 winner, 13th appearance
  •  Morocco – Group 12 winner, 13th appearance (1 title)
  •  Tunisia – Group 4 runner-up, 13th appearance (1 title)
  •  Benin – Group 9 runner-up, 2nd appearance
  •  South Africa – Group 11 runner-up, 7th appearance (1 title)

Match officials

16 referees and 16 assistant referees were selected for the tournament, including two from Japan and one from South Korea.[2]

Referees Assistant Referees
Mohamed Benouza Brahim Djezzar
Divine Evehe Evarist Menkouande
Yuichi Nishimura Toru Sagara
Abderrahim El Arjoun Redouane Achik
Jerome Damon Enock Molefe
Kokou Djaoupe Komi Konyoh
Kacem Bennaceur Bechir Hassani
Djamel Haimoudi Jeong Hae-Sang
Coffi Codjia Celestin Ntagungira
Modou Sowe Angesom Ogbamariam
Alex Kotey Desire Gahungu
Koman Coulibaly Lassina Paré
Badara Diatta Peter Edibe
Eddy Maillet Inacio Manuel Candido
Muhmed Ssegonga Nasser Sadek Abdel Nabi
Kenias Marange Kenneth Chichenga

Seeding and grouping procedure

The draw for the tournament took place on 19 October 2007. The sixteen teams were divided into four pots according to their performances in past Cup of Nations tournaments. Ghana, as host, were automatically seeded as the top team in Group A. Egypt, the defending champions, were seeded as the top team in Group C.[3] Each group consists of four teams, one drawn from each of the pots.

  • Pot 1: Ghana (Group A), Egypt (Group C), Nigeria, Tunisia
  • Pot 2: Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Morocco, Senegal
  • Pot 3: Guinea, Mali, South Africa, Zambia
  • Pot 4: Angola, Benin, Namibia, Sudan

Tournament ball
The tournament ball "Wawa Aba"
Wawa aba, an Adinkra symbol of hardiness, toughness, and perseverance

During the previous editions of the Africa Cup of Nations, the ball used was not a ball especially made for the tournament. As the tournament was held on even years, the same years big tournaments such as the UEFA European Cup of Nations or the FIFA World Cup were held, the official ball for the tournament held this year was used for the African Cup of Nations: the Adidas Roteiro in 2004, or the Adidas Teamgeist in 2006. However, for the 2008 tournament, Adidas made a special ball, clearly different from the Adidas Europass going to be used five months later for the Euro. The ball was named Wawa Aba and was designed to include host nation Ghana's red, yellow and green. The ball was later used for the other African competitions.

For the Akan culture originating from Western Africa, one of the Adinkra symbols named Wawa Aba is a symbol of hardiness, toughness, and perseverance.[4] People there particularly believe in the strength and team spirit of a community. The Wawa Aba literally means "seed(s) of Wawa tree (Triplochiton scleroxylon)”,[5] one of the strongest and most processible woods of Africa and whose seeds are very hard. For the population, the Wawa Aba mainly has mystical significance. These are people who don't let failure discourage them, who seize all opportunities successfully and who are thus just as strong and adaptable as the Wawa Aba.

Group stage

Tie-breaking criteria

Where two or more teams end the group stage with the same number of points, their ranking is determined by the following criteria:[6]

  1. points earned in the matches between the teams concerned;
  2. goal difference in the matches between the teams concerned;
  3. number of goals scored in the group matches between the teams concerned;
  4. number of away goals scored in the matches between the teams concerned;
  5. goal difference in all group matches;
  6. number of goals scored in all group matches;
  7. drawing of lots by the organizing committee.

All times given as local time (UTC+0)

Group A
Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
 Ghana 3 3 0 0 5 1 +4 9 Advanced to the quarter-finals
 Guinea 3 1 1 1 5 5 0 4
 Morocco 3 1 0 2 7 6 +1 3
 Namibia 3 0 1 2 2 7 −5 1
Source:
Ghana 2–1 Guinea
A. Gyan  55' (pen.)
Muntari  90'		 Report Kalabane  65'
Attendance: 35,000
Namibia 1–5 Morocco
Brendell  24' Report Alloudi  1', 5', 28'
Sektioui  40' (pen.)
Zerka  74'
Attendance: 2,000
Referee: Divine Evehe (Cameroon)
Guinea 3–2 Morocco
Feindouno  11', 63' (pen.)
Bangoura  59'		 Report Aboucherouane  60'
Ouaddou  90'
Attendance: 15,000
Ghana 1–0 Namibia
Agogo  41' Report
Attendance: 40,000
Referee: Kacem Bennaceur (Tunisia)
Ghana 2–0 Morocco
Essien  26'
Muntari  45'		 Report
Attendance: 40,000
Referee: Modou Sowe (Gambia)
Guinea 1–1 Namibia
Youla  62' Report Brendell  80'
Attendance: 1,000
Referee: Muhmed Ssegonga (Uganda)

Group B
Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
 Ivory Coast 3 3 0 0 8 1 +7 9 Advanced to the quarter-finals
 Nigeria 3 1 1 1 2 1 +1 4
 Mali 3 1 1 1 1 3 −2 4
 Benin 3 0 0 3 1 7 −6 0
Source:
Nigeria 0–1 Ivory Coast
Report Kalou  66'
Attendance: 20,088
Mali 1–0 Benin
Kanouté  49' (pen.) Report
Attendance: 11,000
Ivory Coast 4–1 Benin
Drogba  40'
Y. Touré  44'
Keïta  53'
Dindane  63'		 Report Omotoyossi  90'
Attendance: 13,000
Referee: Kenias Marange (Zimbabwe)
Nigeria 0–0 Mali
Report
Attendance: 16,000
Referee: Abderrahim El Arjoun (Morocco)
Nigeria 2–0 Benin
Mikel  53'
Yakubu  86'		 Report
Attendance: 4,000
Referee: Kacem Bennaceur (Tunisia)
Ivory Coast 3–0 Mali
Drogba  9'
Zoro  54'
Sanogo  86'		 Report
Attendance: 20,000

Group C
Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
 Egypt 3 2 1 0 8 3 +5 7 Advanced to the quarter-finals
 Cameroon 3 2 0 1 10 5 +5 6
 Zambia 3 1 1 1 5 6 −1 4
 Sudan 3 0 0 3 0 9 −9 0
Source:
Egypt 4–2 Cameroon
Hosny  14' (pen.), 82'
Zidan  17', 45'		 Report Eto'o  51', 90' (pen.)
Attendance: 42,000
Referee: Modou Sowe (Gambia)
Sudan 0–3 Zambia
Report Chamanga  2'
J. Mulenga  50'
F. Katongo  59'
Attendance: 35,000
Cameroon 5–1 Zambia
Geremi  28'
Job  32', 82'
Emana  44'
Eto'o  66' (pen.)		 Report C. Katongo  90'
Attendance: 10,000
Egypt 3–0 Sudan
Hosny  29' (pen.)
Aboutrika  78', 83'		 Report
Attendance: 15,000
Referee: Coffi Codjia (Benin)
Cameroon 3–0 Sudan
Eto'o  27' (pen.), 90'
El Khider  33' (o.g.)		 Report
Attendance: 10,000
Referee: Kokou Djaoupe (Togo)
Egypt 1–1 Zambia
Zaki  15' Report C. Katongo  88'
Attendance: 2,000

Group D
Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
 Tunisia 3 1 2 0 5 3 +2 5 Advanced to the quarter-finals
 Angola 3 1 2 0 4 2 +2 5
 Senegal 3 0 2 1 4 6 −2 2
 South Africa 3 0 2 1 3 5 −2 2
Source:
Tunisia 2–2 Senegal
Jemâa  9'
Traoui  82'		 Report Bayal Sall  45'
Kamara  66'
Attendance: 12,000
South Africa 1–1 Angola
Van Heerden  87' Report Manucho  29'
Attendance: 15,000
Senegal 1–3 Angola
Diagne-Faye  20' Report Manucho  50', 67'
Flávio  78'
Attendance: 10,000
Referee: Modou Sowe (Gambia)
Tunisia 3–1 South Africa
Santos  8', 34'
Ben Saada  32'		 Report Mphela  87'
Attendance: 15,000
Referee: Kokou Djaoupe (Togo)
Senegal 1–1 South Africa
H. Camara  36' Report Van Heerden  14'
Attendance: 15,000
Referee: Alex Kotey (Ghana)
Tunisia 0–0 Angola
Report
Attendance: 10,000
Referee: Coffi Codjia (Benin)

Knockout stage
 
Quarter-finalsSemi-finalsFinal
 
          
 
 3 February - Accra
 
 
  Ghana 2
 
 7 February - Accra
 
  Nigeria 1
 
  Ghana 0
 
 4 February - Tamale
 
  Cameroon 1
 
  Tunisia 2
 
 10 February - Accra
 
  Cameroon (a.e.t.) 3
 
  Cameroon 0
 
 3 February - Sekondi
 
  Egypt 1
 
  Ivory Coast 5
 
 7 February - Kumasi
 
  Guinea 0
 
  Ivory Coast 1
 
 4 February - Kumasi
 
  Egypt 4 Third place
 
  Egypt 2
 
 9 February - Kumasi
 
  Angola 1
 
  Ghana 4
 
 
  Ivory Coast 2
 

Quarter-finals
Ghana 2–1 Nigeria
Essien  45+2'
Agogo  83'		 Report Yakubu  35' (pen.)
Attendance: 45,000
Ivory Coast 5–0 Guinea
Keïta  25'
Drogba  70'
Kalou  72', 81'
B. Koné  85'		 Report
Attendance: 14,000
Egypt 2–1 Angola
Hosny  23' (pen.)
Zaki  38'		 Report Manucho  27'
Attendance: 6,000
Tunisia 2–3 (a.e.t.) Cameroon
Ben Saada  34'
Chikhaoui  81'		 Report Mbia  18', 93'
Geremi  27'
Attendance: 15,000

Semi-finals
Ghana 0–1 Cameroon
Report N'Kong  72'
Attendance: 40,000
Referee: Abderahim El Arjoune (Morocco)
Ivory Coast 1–4 Egypt
Keita  63' Report Fathy  12'
Zaki  61', 67'
Aboutrika  90+1'
Attendance: 30,000

Third place match
Ghana 4–2 Ivory Coast
Muntari  10'
Owusu-Abeyie  70'
Agogo  80'
Draman  84'		 Report Sanogo  24', 32'
Attendance: 40,000

Final
Main article: 2008 Africa Cup of Nations Final
Cameroon 0–1 Egypt
Report Aboutrika  76'
Attendance: 35,500
Referee: Coffi Codjia (Benin)

Awards

Best Goalkeeper

Best XI

The following players were selected as the best in their respective positions, based on their performances throughout the tournament. Their performances were analysed by the tournament's Technical Study Group (TSG), who picked the team.[9]

Goalkeepers Defenders Midfielders Forwards

Essam El-Hadary

Geremi
Wael Gomaa
Michael Essien

Sulley Muntari
Yaya Touré
Alex Song
Hosny Abd Rabo
Mohamed Aboutrika

Amr Zaki
Manucho

Substitutes

Goalscorers
5 goals
4 goals
3 goals
2 goals
1 goal
Own goals

References
  1. "Ohene Djan Stadium will last "forever"- Micheletti". ghananewsagency.org. Retrieved 4 December 2013.
  2. Referees
  3. Caf release Cup of Nations' seeds, "BBC Sport", 18 October 2007. Retrieved 4 February 2008.
  4. Willis, W. Bruce (1998). The Adinkra Dictionary: A Visual Primer on the Language of Adinkra. Washington, DC: The Pyramid Complex. pp. 196–7.
  5. Azindow, Yakubu M. (1999). Philosophical Reflections of Adinkra Symbols. Accra, Ghana. p. 29. ISBN 9988-0-0130-4.
  6. Article 5, paragraph 13 in the Regulations of the XXVth Africa Cup of Nations guide.
  7. Kick-off delayed by 15 minutes due to floodlight failure
  8. "Abd Rabou wins best player award". BBC Sport. 10 February 2008. Retrieved 11 February 2008.
  9. "CAF names Best XI for Ghana 2008 ACN". cafonline.com. 10 February 2008. Archived from the original on 13 February 2008. Retrieved 11 February 2008.

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