Rio, Mahachi in Africa’s best XI

By The Southern Eye | Feb. 3, 2014

CAPE TOWN — Warriors trio Partson Jaure, Kuda Mahachi and Peter “Rio” Moyo have been named in the 2014 African Nations Championship (Chan) best XI.

Jaure, courted by SuperSport United of South Africa was the captain of the ship while both Mahachi and Moyo won man-of-the-match awards. Mahachi has already been signed by South African giants Mamelodi Sundowns and loaned to Zimbabwe local side Highlanders.

Champions Libya, who beat finalists Ghana, and bronze medalists Nigeria dominate the fantasy side. The Mediterranean Knights lifted this year’s trophy following their penalty shoot-out win over the Black Stars on Saturday evening after the Cape Town Stadium final had ended goalless after 120 minutes.

Mohamed Abdaula, Ali Salama and Mohamed Elgadi were the standout men for the Libyans, while Super Eagles ace Rabiu Ali and Ghana’s Seidu Bansey were the star performers up front.

Libya’s penalty kings, coached by former Spain boss Javier Clemente, won 4-3 in sudden death in the shoot-out after it was 0-0 through 90 minutes and extra time at Cape Town Stadium. Libya also won penalty shoot-outs in the quarter-finals and semi-finals in South Africa.

The Chan is the continent’s lower-level tournament for home-based players, but that mattered little for the Libyans, whose best football achievement was watched by Fifa president Sepp Blatter. Blatter handed out the medals to the Libyan players. Goalkeeper Mohamed Abdaula saved the first two Ghanaian penalties to help the North Africans clinch victory in a tournament they were initially meant to host, but had to give up to South Africa because of unrest at home.

Ghana’s penalty pain continued having been knocked out in shoot-outs in the semi-finals at last year’s African Cup of Nations (Afcon) and the quarter-finals of the 2010 World Cup. Libya’s best result before Saturday’s triumph was reaching the final of the main Afcon on home soil in 1982, when it lost to Ghana on penalties.

It helped Libya atone for the loss in the final of Afcon 1982. At the time, after a draw in 120 minutes of football, Ghana had won the title 7-6 on penalties.

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Libya handed over hosting rights for this tournament and last year’s full continental championship following the overthrow of Moammar Gadhafi in 2011 and because of the ongoing violence.

But under Clemente, Libya’s footballers drew with Ghana in the group stage and beat Gabon and Zimbabwe in shoot-outs in the knockouts to progress to the deciding game. Then Ahmed El Trbi scored the sixth penalty for Libya before Joshua Tijani missed his for Ghana to spark celebrations from the Mediterranean Knights.

Libya played a defensive tournament, got themselves organised and ended up becoming champions. It was so evident that new coach Javier Clemente had a great hand into their success.

It was a lively, very tactical and competitive final match from first whistle with both sides eager to open the scoring, but clear-cut scoring opportunities were few and far between. Then slowly, but surely the game opened up more and the crowd bayed for more of the entertaining stuff.

There was a slight delay almost in disbelief before the Libyan players could celebrate a meaningful feel-good moment for their long-troubled nation.

The crowning of Libya as African champions by beating Ghana on the first occasion, boosts Libya’s hopes in the sport, but not only, at a time when it is most needed so close to the third anniversary of the February 17, 2011 Revolution and with the country still trying to find its feet in the world.

Caf Chan best XI Goalkeeper: Mohamed Abdaula (Libya)

Defenders: Ali Salama (Libya), Partson Jaure (Zimbabwe), Odunlami Kunle (Nigeria), Joshua Tijani (Ghana) Midfielders: Kudakwashe Mahachi (Zimbabwe), Mohamed Elgadi (Libya), Jordan Opoku (Ghana), Christantus Ejike (Nigeria) Forwards: Rabiu Ali (Nigeria), Seidu Bansey (Ghana) Substitutes: Stephen Adams (Ghana), Peter Moyo (Zimbabwe), Buhlebuyeza Mkhwanazi (South Africa), Mohsine Moutaouali (Morocco), Yahaya Mohammed (Ghana), Abdelsalam Omar (Libya), Ibourahima Sidibé (Mali), Hardy Binguila (Congo), Jean-Marc Makusu Mundele (DR Congo) Erwin Nguema (Gabon), Samuel Ainooson (Ghana)

— Kick Off/Ghanasoccernet