Tout Puissant Mazembe

Stephen KESHI was able to offer to Nigeria a third AFCON CUP Sunday night in Johannesburg following the match Nigeria VS Burkina Faso (1-0) and became the ninth African coach to win the continental competition.

KESHI has just entered a very closed circle where he joined the Egyptian Hassan SHEHATA and many other local Coaches. Another feat on his part: winner as a player of the AFCON 1994, he wins it as coach in 2013.

This is a consecration for a 51 year old man who had done another miracle prior to the one of Sunday evening. This crafty coach had qualified Togo in 2006 for the World Cup in Germany and had participated in the finals of the AFCON 2010 in Angola with Mali. But as a result of poor performance of Eagles who were eliminated in the group stage at the time, the Nigerian was fired from his post at the end of the tournament.
 
The black man’s revenge

His comeback; he realizes it with his home country, Nigeria. He took over in November 2011. Despite criticism of his final list of 23 players for the AFCON 2013 - he dismissed former executives as TAIWO, ODEMWINGIE, MARTINS, YAKUBU - the local technician has succeeded with his younger group to add a third AFCON cup to the list of prizewinners of the Super Eagles. And while his federation experiencing problems paying his salary. For months, he did not receive wages, but he continued to lead the team.

In this context, KESHI criticized the European coaches last Thursday during a press conference. "The white come to Africa just for money. They do nothing other than what we can do. I'm not racist, but that’s it." he said. Then he added: "In our own country, the media does not give the same importance, they do not believe that a black coach is able to do as well as a white ..." With this continental title at the end, hopefully this will change in the future.

Jonathan PITROIPA elected best player.

They would nearly deprive him the final before being allowed to compete: Jonathan PITROIPA played it and lost it against the Stallions of Burkina Faso. The attacking midfielder of Stade Rennais could console himself with the most coveted individual award in the tournament, having been best player of the competition. With 2 goals and 3 assists in 6 games, the stallion brought honor to his national colors.

On his side, the Nigerian Emmanuel EMENIKEE finished top scorer in the AFCON 2013. As for the Tunisian Youssef MSAKNIM, his winning shot into the top corner against Algeria was ranked as the best goal of the tournament. The Nigerian John Obi MIKEL has been named man of the final.

The winners of the AFCON 2013:

Player of the  Orange Tournament: Jonathan PITROIPA (Burkina Faso)
Top Goal scorer of the  Pepsi Tournament: Emmanuel EMENIKE (Nigeria)
Goal of the Nissan Tournament:   Youssef MSAKNI (Tunisia)
Samsung fairplay Award: Victor MOSES (Nigeria)
The  team of the AFCON: ENEYEMA (Nigeria) - AMBROSE (Nigeria), Bakary KONE (Burkina) NEVES (Cape Verde), Siaka TIENE (C.Ivoire) - Keita (Mali), OJ MIKEL (Nigeria) PITROIPA (Burkina Faso) - MOSES (Nigeria), Emenike (Nigeria), Asamoah GYAN (Ghana).