Diaspora Africans Shining as Continent’s Representatives Struggle in First Round

Senegal’s 3-1 win against host country, Qatar yesterday ended African teams’ poor start to the 2022 FIFA World Cup here in Qatar. The Teranga Lions bounced back from their initial setback when they lost their opening campaign game to the Netherlands on Monday.

Before that victory, Africa’s other four teams namely Cameroon, Ghana, Tunisia and Morocco posted no win. Until Black Stars ended the hoodoo in their 3-2 defeat by Portugal, no team from the continent scored any goal in the four matches played preceding Ghana’s clash with Cristiano Ronaldo and his Portuguese teammates. Andre Ayew scored Africa’s first goal here in Qatar after 433 minutes of actions involving all the four teams. Though Osman Bukari added a second goal, the Black Stars capped that first round matches for Africa with no win.

Sadly, while teams from west and central Africa like Senegal, Ghana and Cameroon lost, the two from the northern part of the continent like Tunisia and Morocco pulled goalless draw results against more fancied opponents. Both countries have large migrant communities in the Gulf State and they ensured a rollicking atmosphere as Morocco and Tunisia rose to the occasion.

Both played at much higher tempo than they usually do, buoyed by the encouragement, but it now remains to be seen whether they will be able to deliver a performance of the same intensity in their second group games after only three days rest.

Tunisia drew 0-0 with Denmark on Tuesday in Group D while Morocco held Croatia, runners-up at the last World Cup, in their Group F clash on Wednesday.

Such is the disappointing manner African teams began the race to the tournament no country from the continent has played in the semi finals before.

While the performances of these teams from the continent have become worrisome in this first round, players with African ancestry have been shinning for their adopted countries. Take for instance the case of Breel Embolo who scored Switzerland’s only goal against Cameroon in Group G. He is originally from the same Cameroon. Embolo, 25, was born in Yaounde and only migrated to France with his mother after the separation of his parents aged just six years at the time. He is playing for Switzerland today because his mother got married to a Swiss national and he found himself in that country. It was little wonder he just could not celebrate his goal against his fatherland. Switzerland had two other Nigerians like Manuel Akanji and Noah Okafor.

Like Embolo, Kylian Mbappe is a Cameroonian. It is no use recounting how his contribution led France to win the last World Cup in Russia four years ago. Now, he’s back again, starting with the first game here in Qatar. He was on the scorers’ sheet as Les Bleus handed out 4-1 defeat to Australia in Group D.

Elsewhere, Timothy Weah, son of Liberian President, George Weah surpassed where his father stopped in the game. The junior Weah scored USA’s goal in the 1-1 draw with Wales in Group B. Liberia is not here but a Liberian made USA proud not losing their first match. Despite emerging World Best Player in 1995 as well as adding both the European and African title to it, the senior Weah never played at the World Cup until he hanged his boots.

The case of Michy Bashuayi is not different from Mbappe or Weah. He’s a Congolese by ancestry but now a Belgian. The former Chelsea player, now on Fenerbahce payroll, scored Belgium’s only goal against Canada to earn them their opening game victory. Even Canada had a Nigerian player with the name Sam Adekugbe on their line up.

Bukayo Saka has never hidden his Nigerian identity from anybody. He scored in England’s 6-2 demolition of Iran in Group B.

Against this background of African players in diaspora doing well for their adopted countries in Europe and the America, President of AIPS Africa, Mitchell Obi who is here for the tournament told THISDAY on Friday evening that administration of the game needs to grown beyond the level it is at the moment. “The performance of African teams at this first round is really disappointing. It is a reflection of the level we have sunk. The two from North Africa even fared better than the three from West Africa. This is totally unacceptable and solutions must be found otherwise our quests for more slots at the expanded next World Cup will be exercise in futility. Mitchell similarly recalled how all the five African teams crashed out in the first round in Russia four years ago.

Although Senegal have kicked off the resurgence of African representatives with the victory against Qatar yesterday, it remains to be seen how Ghana, Cameroon, Tunisia and Morocco will turn around their fortunes as the second round matches started yesterday. Tunisia will open their second round with clash with Australia who failed to win their first game today. Tomorrow, it will be the turn of Morocco versus Belgium while Ghana have tough customer in South Korea on Monday.