🌍 All eyes on AFCON: Salah set to shine, are South Africa the favourites?

2 weeks ago7 min read1 comments

All eyes are on the Africa Cup of Nations as the group stage reaches a critical juncture, with Monday's slate offering a fascinating blend of continental heavyweights and ambitious underdogs. The tournament, already delivering drama, saw Morocco solidify their credentials with a professional 2-0 dismissal of Comoros, a result that underscores the Atlas Lions' status as one of the pre-competition favourites.Today’s schedule, however, shifts the spotlight south and north. The 3 PM GMT kickoff pits Mali against Zambia in a clash of styles, while the 6 PM fixture sees South Africa, a team gathering quiet momentum, take on an Angola side known for its resilience.Yet, the evening’s crescendo, the 9 PM showdown between Egypt and Zimbabwe, is where the narrative truly crystallizes, orbiting almost entirely around one man: Mohamed Salah. For the Egyptian king, this tournament represents more than a quest for a second AFCON crown; it’s a sanctuary and a potential season-defining reset.His start at Liverpool has been uncharacteristically fraught, marked by public friction with manager Jürgen Klopp and performances that have, by his own astronomical standards, flickered rather than blazed. The relentless scrutiny of the Premier League is momentarily swapped for the immense, hopeful pressure of a nation, a different kind of weight that Salah has historically carried with distinction.A stellar performance against Zimbabwe isn’t just expected; it’s seen as the essential spark to ignite both Egypt’s campaign and his own personal trajectory. Analysts will be watching not just for goals, but for his body language and influence on a Pharaohs side that can sometimes appear overly reliant on his genius.Can he elevate those around him as effortlessly as he does for Liverpool? Meanwhile, the earlier match poses intriguing questions about South Africa’s true pedigree. Bafana Bafana, under Hugo Broos, have cultivated a disciplined, counter-attacking identity, but the ‘favourites’ tag being whispered in some quarters feels premature.Their encounter with Angola is a perfect litmus test; Palancas Negras are notoriously difficult to break down and possess the pace to punish on the transition. A convincing South African victory would send a serious message to the likes of Senegal and Morocco, while a stumble would reaffirm the tournament’s beautiful unpredictability.Historically, AFCON has been a graveyard for presumptions, where collective spirit often triumphs over individual star power. Salah’s quest is a microcosm of this eternal tension.He is the undisputed superstar, a player whose legacy in the continental game is secure yet feels incomplete without another winners’ medal. But football, especially this competition, is rarely about individual scripts.

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