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- Sunday, January 17, 2010, 0:35
- African Nations Cup, International Sports
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A glance at the participation of Premier League players at this year’s African Cup of Nations in Angola.Arsenal
Alex Song
(Cameroon v Gabon) – played 90 minutes: Was their best player, protecting the defence and, with his team-mates labouring, providing much of the good service that Cameroon’s strikers failed to use in a shock defeat. User rating: 8.1
Emmanuel Eboue
(Ivory Coast v Burkina Faso) – played 90 minutes: Should have been awarded a penalty, had a couple of good shots on goal but as with his team-mates failed to really turn it on in a poor draw with the un-fancied Burkinabe team. User rating: 8.5
(Ivory Coast v Ghana) – sent off after 56 minutes: an unnecessary, terrible two-footed tackle near halfway summed up a frustrated performance in a 3-1 win for his country. User rating: 4
Bolton Wanderers
Danny Shittu
(Nigeria v Benin) – played 90 minutes: Threw himself into every challenge with gusto throughout the match, twice being the only thing stopping Benin attackers get through on goal. It was his on-target header that forced the Benin defence confusion that led to the penalty. User rating: 6.8
(Nigeria v Egypt) – unused substitute.
Burnley
Andre Bikey
(Cameroon v Gabon) – unused substitute
Chelsea
Didier Drogba
(Ivory Coast v Burkina Faso) – captain, played 90 minutes: Had a penalty appeal turned down, put in a couple of very good balls team-mates wasted but lacked his usual goal threat and drifted in and out of the game. User rating: 6
(Ivory Coast v Ghana) – struggled to create chances but scored the third goal, a majestic header, in injury time of a 3-1 win. Injured club team-mate Michael Essien with a tackle. User rating: 7.7
Salomon Kalou
(Ivory Coast v Burkina Faso) – came on after 73 minutes: Surprisingly left on the bench, when he did come on he had little impact against a resolute Burkinabe defence. User rating: 7
(Ivory Coast v Ghana) – played 83 minutes: Chosen in place of Bakari Kone and formed a threat alongside Drogba and Gervinho. Created the opening goal for the latter by springing the offisde trap and squaring for the Lille striker. User rating: 7.3
Michael Essien (Ghana)
(Ghana v Ivory Coast) – captain, played 45 minutes: came on at the break to add experience but saw his side fall 3-1. Injured in challenge with Drogba but with all three changes having been made, played on till the finish. Two shots wide of the post late on. User rating: 4.4
John Obi Mikel
(Nigeria v Benin) – played 90 minutes: Struggled to impose himself against a lively Benin midfield, but got from box-to-box well enough. User rating: 8.2
(Nigeria v Egypt) – played 79 minutes; was generally fairly impressive, showing good range of passing and some strong tackling. Surprisingly taken off with Nigeria chasing the game. User rating: 6.9
Everton
Joseph Yobo
(Nigeria v Benin) – played 55 minutes: Put in an excellent captain’s performance as he held his side together at the back in the opening half, and Nigeria suffered badly for his loss when he hobbled off with a hamstring injury on 55 minutes. User rating: 7.8
(Nigeria v Egypt) – played 90 minutes; made two dreadful errors, one of which let in Emad Moteab for a goal, the other unpunished as the same man fired over. Looked uneasy in his country’s back-line although made one excellent block to deny Ahmed Hassan a tap-in and Egypt a fourth. User rating: 5.9
Yakubu Ayegbeni
(Nigeria v Benin) – played 59 minutes: Despite being the only man on the pitch to find the net it was a bad day at the office for the striker. He fluffed the best chance of the opening half after being put clean through by Etuhu and was lucky that his very poor penalty went in. User rating: 7
(Nigeria v Egypt) – played 90 minutes although hard to see why. Barely touched the ball, and reduced to a spectator thanks to a bruising defensive display from Wael Gomaa. User rating: 5.8
Fulham
Dickson Etuhu
(Nigeria v Benin) – played 90 minutes: Set up the best chance of the match to put Yakubu through, but otherwise struggled to deal with Benin’s impressive playmakers. User rating: 6
(Nigeria v Egypt) – played 90 minutes; was solid in his break-up play but offered little going forward, which is what is needed against Egypt, who packed the midfield with busy terriers anyway. User rating: 7
Hull City
Daniel Cousin
(Gabon v Cameroon) – played 90 minutes, scored: Gabon’s hero in one of their biggest-ever results. Pounced on poor defending to take his goal well and led the line manfully, despite little service. User rating: 6.6
Seyi Olofinjana
(Nigeria v Benin) – unused substitute.
(Nigeria v Egypt) – unused substitute.
Manchester City
Kolo Toure
(Ivory Coast v Burkina Faso) – played 90 minutes: Was barely tested by a very unambitious opposition, although was responsible for one very good long ball that Drogba should have won a penalty from. User rating: 8.5
(Ivory Coast v Ghana) – played 90 minutes: solid enough in 3-1 win but poor clearance allowed Mathew Amoah to volley against the post while only 1-0 up. User rating: 5.7
Portsmouth
Nadir Belhadj
(Algeria v Malawi) – played 90 minutes: Put in some good deliveries from the left and missed one decent chance but was, as with his team, terrible at the back as Algeria were crushed 3-0 by minnows Malawi. User rating: 3.7
(Algeria v Mali) – played 90 minutes: A much better performance, playing as a wingback Belhadj marauded down the left and put in some testing crosses, while solid at the back in a good display from the Algerians. User rating: 6.6
Hassan Yebda
(Algeria v Malawi) – played 90 minutes: Was barely noticable in the heay defeat, offering little going forward and nothing in defence. User rating: 2.4
(Algeria v Mali) – played 90 minutes: Like Belhadj, Yebda was atrocious in the first game and pretty good against Mali. Had a couple of shots on goal and chased everything. . User rating: 6.4
Aruna Dindane
(Ivory Coast v Burkina Faso) – came on after 81 minutes: Forced a good stop from the Burkinabe keeper in the closing stages and had a few good touches in his cameo. User rating: 5.7
(Ivory Coast v Ghana) – unused substitute.
Nwankwo Kanu
(Nigeria v Benin) – unused substitute.
(Nigeria v Egypt) – came on after 79 minutes; barely touched the ball, fell over once. His legs were never his asset and they have certainly gone now. User rating: 5.5
Wigan
Richard Kingson (Ghana)
(Ghana v Ivory Coast) – played 90 minutes – beaten three times in 3-1 loss, but made several decent stops. Nothing he could do about any of the goals.
Other English/Scottish based players:
Rui Marques (Angola/Leeds United) – played 90 mins v Mali. User rating: 6.1; played 90 mins v Malawi. User rating: 6.3
Madjid Bougherra (Algeria/Rangers): Played 90 mins v Malawi. User rating: 3.4; Played 90 minutes v Mali. User rating 7
Hameur Bouazza (Algeria/Blackpool): 79th minute sub v Malawi. User rating: 3.5; 70th minute sub v Mali. User rating: 5.1
Abdoulaye Meite (Ivory Coast/West Bromwich Albion): Unused substitute v Burkina Faso.
Souleymane Bamba (Ivory Coast/Hibernian): Played 90 mins v Burkina Faso. User rating: 5.5
Reda Johnson (Benin/Plymouth Argyle): Unused substitute v Mozambique; unused substite v Nigeria.
Landry N’Guemo (Cameroon, Celtic): Played 45 minutes v Gabon. User rating: 6.1
Friday 6.15pm Ivory Coast v Ghana LIVE on British Eurosport (Sky 410 / Virgin 521) and Eurosport Player
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