Samuel Kalu: Nigeria will be pleased with their draw in South Africa as, despite the altitude, the weather and the absentees, the Super Eagles secured their spot in Cameroon. The West African giants will have rued two dubious offside calls that went against them, but they will take great encouragement from the performance of Kalu. Employed in an unfamiliar wing-back role, the youngster looked to bounce back from the criticism he received after the Libya double-header. He made a series of defensive interventions, caught the eye with his forays forward, and was also influential in Nigeria’s opener.
Riyad Mahrez was overlooked for the Goal 50, and hasn’t been named among the nominees for the BBC Africa Player of the Year award, but he ensured that fans were reminded of his class during an excellent showing for Algeria this weekend. The Manchester City superstar scored twice—including a magnificent 25-yard chip—as Les Fennecs demolished Togo 4-1 away. The win secured the North Africans’ Africa Cup of Nations ticket, and they’ll certainly be among the contenders in Cameroon.
Jordan Ayew returned to international football in some style this weekend, answering his critics emphatically with both goals as Ghana defeated Ethiopia 2-0 to take a giant step towards Cameroon. Assuming Sierra Leone are disqualified from the competition amidst their ongoing suspension, the Black Stars have already booked their ticket for the tournament, and they’ll have Jordan to thank. He hasn’t feature for the national side since September 2017, but vindicated Kwesi Appiah’s decision to recall him with a masterful showing. Can he transfer this fine form to his stuttering club career?
Geoffrey Kondogbia: The Central African Republic can’t qualify for the AFCON after Guinea and the Ivory Coast took the two spots in Group H. Despite their ultimate failure, Les Fauves may look back fondly on this international break after they nabbed a last-minute draw away at Rwanda. It was Valencia midfielder Kondogbia—a new arrival on the African scene after completing a nationality switch from France—who scored the 95th-minute equaliser to open his account for the CAR. The powerhouse looks set to be a key man for the Central Africans moving forward.
Hakim Ziyech: Another African All-Star who netted twice this weekend is Morocco’s Ziyech, who delivered a magnificent showing on Friday evening as the Atlas Lions beat Cameroon 2-0 in Casablanca. Sofiane Boufal deserves immense credit for proving the catalyst to unlock the Indomitable Lions’ defence, but it was Ziyech who provided the killer touch for the North Africans, even if he did pick up an injury in the process. The playmaker has scored 12 goals in his 23 Morocco appearances to date, establishing himself as the team’s talisman, and 2019 could well be his year.
