2022 W/Cup: After Four Games, African Sides Yet To Win A Match
After four games, no African team have won a match at the ongoing World Cup in Qatar. None have also scored a goal.
The Indomitable Lions of Cameroon became the latest African casualty at the global soccer fiesta, losing 1-0 to European side Switzerland in a Group G tie on Thursday.
Five teams are representing the continent in Qatar – Morocco, Tunisia, Senegal, Cameroon, and Ghana. Of the number, only the Black Stars of Ghana have not played a match so far in the Middle East nation.
Although for the first time, all African nations are being coached by home-grown gaffers, the results are so far not going the continent’s way as they push to surpass the quarter-final ceiling in the competition.
Senegal were the first side from Africa to play in Qatar and they lost to The Netherlands in a Group A tie which was followed by Tunisia’s Group D barren draw against Denmark.
In Group F, Morocco held Croatia to another goalless draw.
Overall, African teams have conceded three goals and with Ghana set to file out against Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal later in a Group H encounter, fans across the continent expect Otto Addo’s men to give Africa its first win.
The recent results, fans fear, may be a foreshadowing of the continent’s performances in the last World Cup.
Four years ago, Africa’s quintet of Nigeria, Egypt, Tunisia, Morocco, and Senegal crashed out in the group stage. Only the Teranga Lions were close to making the round of 16 after garnering four points. They, however, lost the spot to Japan on disciplinary records after accumulating more yellow cards than the Blue Samurai.
Since the competition began, no African side have reached the semi-final. Only three nations – Cameroon, Ghana, and Senegal – have managed something closer by making the last eight of the World Cup.
Cameroon achieved that feat in the 1990 edition, and Senegal did theirs in stunning fashion, beating then-defending champions France in their debut competition en route to the quarter-finals of the 2002 tournament.
Ghana’s Black Stars were the latest nation from Africa to equal that mark when they did so in South Africa twelve years ago.
