CAN 2016: Cameroon hosts the 10th edition

TwitCount

Published on November 19, 2016 at 12:58 AM

African women's football will be celebrating from 19 November to 03 December 2016. Cameroon, country of Roger Milla and Samuel Eto'o Fils hosts the 10th edition of the Africa Cup of Nations. The host nation is among the favorites among which the voracious Nigeria who in addition to being the title holder has so far 7 victories won in the 9 editions that have already been played. The 2016 CAN will also be an opportunity to appreciate the talent of confirmed footballers such as Cameroonian Gaëlle Enganamouit or the Nigerian Asisat Oshoala. Before the big bath Coeurs de foot invites you to discover this competition, which is gaining momentum and developing the practice of women's football on the African continent.

CAN women, 18 years that lasts ...

The Can edition, which starts on November 19, 2016, continues a tradition born in 1998. That year, the Confederation of African Football organized the first real edition of this competition in Nigeria. The host country wins this one too. As it did in 1991 and 1995 for the tournaments that held the African Cup of Nations. The Caf decides to organize it every two years (even years). It is the competition that designates the African representatives to the Ladies World Cup.

Nigeria and South Africa have each already organized the competition on 3 occasions. Equatorial Guinea (2 times) and Namibia (1 time) are the other host countries of the tournament. From this weekend, Cameroon will be the fifth on the list of host countries. Except in 1998 when it was played at 7, the final phase of the African Cup brings together each 8 teams from playoffs organized on the continent.

These are divided into 2 pools of 4 teams each. The top two in each group qualify for the semi-finals, from which the two finalists who are automatically qualified for the World Cup will emerge. The third representative of the African continent at the World Cup is the winner of the ranking match between the two losers of the semi-finals. In all, 19 countries have played at least once in the finals of the African Cup of Nations senior ladies version.

Towards the final

This Saturday, Nigeria's national women's pennant team is putting its title of Africa champion back on the line. It will be on the occasion of the 10th edition of the Africa Cup of Nations which starts that day in Cameroon. In addition to the title holder, 7 selections will try to tear off the evening of December 3, 2016, the coveted trophy. The matches will be played in two cities. The Yaoundé capital will be home to Group A composed of Cameroon (organizing country), South Africa, Egypt and Zimbabwe. The seaside resort of Limbe will host group B where we will meet Nigeria, Kenya, Mali and Ghana. Mali is a draft of the last hour, which replaced the Equatorial Guinea excluded for cheating.

Cameroon will host its first major sports competition for 44 years. The country had no longer organized an African Cup of Nations football since the 1972 men's event ended on the victory of Congo-Brazzaville. The African nation with the most record participation (7) at the Men's World Cup is fighting as best it can to organize the event in a proper way. Although the infrastructure was not fully realized, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) gave in August 2016 its agreement for the organization of the event. Visitors should come across competition and training stadiums still under construction. The organizing committee also faces a rejection of the mascot and the official song of the competition, not really appreciated by the local public.

Nigeria, Cameroon, Ghana ... Favorites

Although the communication around the event night almost nonexistent, the whole Cameroon hopes, believes that his team, dubbed the "Indomitable Lionesses", will win his cup. Supporters argue the recent performances of their champions in international competitions. Second place at the end of the 2014 Africa Cup Namibia, first "honorable" participation at the 2015 Canada World Cup marked by their historic accession to the second round, silver medal at the 2015 Brazzaville (Congo-Brazzaville) African Games. Four years after the gold ripped from the Maputo Games (Mozambique).

This prize list is a favorite in Cameroon. But to win, the Lionesses will have to walk on the body of Nigeria, considered in Africa as an ogre. The "Super Falcons" hold the record of victories in the African Cup of Nations. The Nigerian players have gleaned 7 times the trophy. Against 2 successes for Equatorial Guinea, the other crowned head of the event. Nigeria also had to win "the competition Continental "on 2 occasions (1991 and 1995) when it was not yet called the African Nations Cup (CAN), the Nigerians lost none of the finals they played.

The other possible winner of the next CAN is Ghana's selection. She will face Nigeria in a duel at the top, which promises to be explosive in Pool B.

This is a team that played in the final three times (1998, 2002 and 2006). Each time, the "black queens" fell in front of Nigeria. Accustomed podiums West Africa finished third in 2000 and 2004. Their worst performances at the African Cup editions in which they took part are the 5th position occupied in 2008, 2010 and 2014. Ghana has a successful last African Games. It is he who beats Cameroon in the final. Filly coach Yusif Basigi has already played in the Senior World Cup 3 times. For the Cameroonian campaign, 10 professional players including Eunice Beckmann who was born in Germany, were called in reinforcement. The expatriate footballer could confirm all the good that one thinks of her, alongside the confirmed stars who will have to illuminate with their talent the big event of the African women's football.

Enganamouit, Oshoala and Seoposenwe: the main attractions

The women's CAN also has its stars. After Perpetua Nkwocha (Nigeria), Genoveva Anonma (Equatorial Guinea), Portia Modise (South Africa), the new stars of African football are Gaëlle Enganamouit, Asisat Oshoala, Jermaine Seoposenwe and Eunice Beckman. With others, they will be expected on Cameroonian stadiums. To begin with Gaëlle Enganamouit.

The technical leader of the Indomitable Lionesses, will arrive in the competition haloed his crown of best African footballer, awarded on behalf of the year 2015 by the Confederation of African Football (Caf). The player of the Swedish club Rosengard owes this award to its great season 2014-2015. In this exercise, Enganamouit scored 18 goals for his former club Eskilstuna of Sweden and sank 3 more in his country's first World Cup match. A spectacular performance, shines on it all the spotlight. Its speed, its technical qualities make them the major asset of the Indomitable Lionesses of Cameroon. Gaëlle Enganamouit is so precious that her club has agreed to let her join her teammates less than a week before the opening match between her country and the selection of Egypt.

The show will also be with Nigerian Asisat Oshoala. The 22-year-old Nigerian Super Falcons forward is presented as the worthy successor to Nigeria's Super Falcons Perpetua Nkwocha (4-time top female footballer). This laurel collector will lead the Nigeria team to Limbe.
At the 2015 U-20 World Cup in Canada, the Arsenal player finished top scorer (with 7 goals) and was voted best player of the tournament. Also in 2015, the world's first radio, British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), made her the best African footballer. Asisat Oshoala also has a record-breaking track record, including one with Nigeria at the last edition of the CAN at the age of 20. As well as a title of champion of Africa in 2014 and two national cups (2013 and 2014) won with the Nigerian club River Angels of Port Harcourt. Evolving since 2015 in England, first with Liverpool, before joining Arsenal, with whom she just won the FA Women's Cup.

The hopes of South Africa are largely based on Jermaine Seoposenwe. The 23-year-old "Banyana Banyana" striker has been trying for a long time to forget Portia Modise, still alive. The member of the Bulldogs Stamford University in the United States has been on the international scene since 2010. His rise begins with the under-17 world, which hosts Trinidad and Tobago. In three matches the girl scores twice. This earned her an upgrade to the seniors and later to being voted footballer of the year in her country. It actively contributes, by means of a decisive pass, to propel South Africa to the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. At the same time she pats the balloon, the young woman continues her studies. She would like to pursue a career in the trade sector.

The winners of the African Cup of Nations (CAN) Women's Football

1991: Nigeria

1995: Nigeria

1998: Nigeria (1st edition of the Africa Cup of Nations)

2000: Nigeria

2002: Nigeria

2004: Nigeria

2006: Nigeria

2008: Equatorial Guinea

2010: Nigeria
2012: Equatorial Guinea
2014: Nigeria

The results of the CAN finals

1998 Nigeria - Ghana: 2-0
2000 Nigeria - South Africa: (match dropped by South Africans when 2-0)