Isyaku Ibrahim
The final of the 34th edition of AFCON which will take place on the eleventh of this week will be a battle between a Francophone nation and its sister Anglophone country.
This was due to the fact that the remaining four countries namely the host Elephants of Ivory Coast, Leopards of Congo, Bafana Bafana of former apartheid enclave South Africa and our own Super Eagles two each were French and English speaking countries and coincidentally while Congo and Ivory Coast who are speaking same official language will battle it out likewise Nigeria and South Africa that are using English as Lingua Franca will also trade tackles to decide who cross the hurdle to the final.
All the four Countries have at one time or the other lifted the trophy while Congo won it twice they were known as Zaire, the host Ivory Coast and South Africa lifted the Cup once while hot favourite Nigeria was able to win it thrice.
Beside that all the states at one time or the other represented the continent in world cup.
It will be recalled that Super Eagles of Nigeria and Leopards of Congo got their tickets on Friday while the remaining secured their places yesterday
While Ivory Coast who won two one against Mali playing with ten men booked their seat through a last minute goal after their cracker went on extra time at the completion of ninety minutes regulation time without a winner emerging, on the other hand, the South Africans have to thank their goalkeeper for saving four penalty kicks after their tie with Cape Verde ended in a stalemate.
