UEFA Champions League Preview (Matchday 2): Group H

Tammy Abraham of Chelsea celebrates after scoring his team's fourth goal during the Premier League match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Chelsea FC at Molineux on September 14, 2019 in Wolverhampton, United Kingdom.

(Sept. 13, 2019 - Source: Getty Images Europe)

Group H

Valencia vs Ajax- Wednesday, 02 October 2019

These two might be fancying themselves for the group winners spot after excellent displays on matchday 1. Valencia edged Chelsea 1-0 at Stamford Bridge while last season’s semi-finalists dispatched Lille by 3-0. Ajax in particular weren’t really at their best despite what the score line suggests. The Eredivisie champions enjoyed themselves a little too much, showboating excessively with manager Erik Ten Hag and talisman, Hakim Ziyech calling themselves out on the relaxed performance. Ajax will definitely not afford to have any more such luxuries when they travel to the Mestalla. Despite their unsteadying backroom changes, Valencia have done relatively well. Just this past weekend, they recorded a rare and famous 1-0 win at Athletic Bilbao. A fortress in Spanish football.

It’s a close one, the winner here will be one of the favorites to progress to the knock-out stages.

LOSC Lille vs Chelsea- Wednesday, 02 October 2019

Lille choked on opening night at Ajax, which was understandable, considering their long-time absence from Europe’s biggest club football tournament. The French club can definitely not be any worse than they were against Ajax and Chelsea should expect a tough match against last season’s Ligue 1 runners-up. Nigerian international Victor Osimhen is one of the players who has to level up his weekend’s performance if Lille are to get a result against a Chelsea side who have seemingly found their identity under new boss Frank Lampard.

Group H seems to be one of the most unpredictable groups this season. Let’s get popcorn and soda as it unfolds.

UEFA Champions League Preview (Matchday 2): Group F

Antoine Griezmann of FC Barcelona runs with the ball during the Joan Gamper trophy friendly match between FC Barcelona and Arsenal at Nou Camp on August 04, 2019 in Barcelona, Spain.

(Aug. 3, 2019 - Source: Getty Images Europe)

Group F

Slavia Praha vs Borussia Dortmund- Wednesday, 02 October 2019

Slavia Praha just might be the surprise package of this season. Might be. They reached the Europa League quarter-final last year, narrowly losing to eventual champions Chelsea. On their opening champions league night at Inter, they showed promise with a hard-earned 1-1 draw against one of the most in-form teams in Europe. On Wednesday, they welcome a side without a lack of attacking talent, Borussia Dortmund. Lucien Favre’s men must be feeling hard done by with a consecutive set of league draws, that have left them 8th on the Bundesliga table, 3 points off champions Bayern Munich. Without Hummels in the side, their defense which lacks experienced leadership has been guilty of letting in some more goals than needed. The Black and Yellow will be hoping to pick up on their impressive performance in an unlucky 0-0 draw against Barcelona on matchday 1 when they travel to a tricky Slavia Praha.

It’s still very much an open group with all four teams on a single point.

Barcelona vs Inter Milan- Wednesday, 02 October 2019

This must be the fixture of the round. The Spanish champions are looking anything but stable even after getting all 3 points against Getafe over the weekend. They needed an assist from star goalkeeper, Marc Andre Ter Stegen and fed off a defensive error by the Getafe shot-stopper to get the win. A growing injury list that has since sidelined teenage sensation Fati, Dembele and skipper Messi has them possibly biting their nails when they welcome Antonio Conte’s men who have won all their 6 Serie A league matches this season, effectively giving Juve a run for their money in the title race. Furthermore, Manchester United flop, Alexis Sanchez looks re-energized after he scored twice on his debut over the weekend in a 4-1 win over Sampdoria, even though he got sent off later on for a second yellow.

Who knows what might happen when a shaky Barca faces possibly the best Inter side since the heroes of 2009/10 who won a treble under Jose Mourinho.

UEFA Champions League Preview (Matchday 2): Group E

Kalidou Koulibaly of Napoli during the Group C match of the UEFA Champions League between SSC Napoli and Liverpool at Stadio San Paolo on October 3, 2018 in Naples, Italy.

(Oct. 2, 2018 - Source: Catherine Ivill/Getty Images Europe)

Group E

Genk vs Napoli– Wednesday, 02 October 2019

Nothing about their performance in Austria was Belgian champions like for Genk. That 6-1 thrashing was the heaviest loss of the opening Champions League night and the writing is on the wall. They just have to improve very quickly if they are to make this UCL season a favorably memorable one. Tanzanian skipper, Mbwana Samatta was one of their positives in that loss to Salzburg, scoring a landmark goal for the Tanzanians. It, however, doesn’t help their cause that their next opponent is Carlo Ancelotti’s Napoli who beat defending champions Liverpool 2-0 on matchday 1. It could get worse before it gets better for Genk who have to stop the attacking talents of Hirving Lozano and the big center forward, Fernando Llorente.

Liverpool vs Red Bull Salzburg– Wednesday, 02 October 2019

The Reds haven’t started their UCL title defense as well as their 2019/20 Premier League title hunt. Seven wins in seven matches mean they are the only remaining side with a perfect record in England and their 1-0 weekend win over Sheffield United was their 16th consecutive Premier League win. On Wednesday, they, however, have to come from the shadows when they welcome high flying Salzburg to Anfield. The Austrian champions led by the historic American gaffer should be informed about the uniquely hostile atmosphere that is Anfield on a Champions League night. They will need to be humble, put aside their 6-1 win over Genk aside and deal with attacking triad that is Salah, Mane and Firmino.

Liverpool themselves will need to be cautious when they go for the win as the teenage hattrick hero on his debut night, Erling Haland will be lurking.

UEFA Champions League Preview (Matchday 2): Group D

Diego Costa of Atletico Madrid and Cristiano Ronaldo of Juventus walk out onto the pitch prior to the UEFA Champions League group D match between Atletico Madrid and Juventus at Wanda Metropolitano on September 18, 2019 in Madrid, Spain.

(Sept. 17, 2019 - Source: ANGEL MARTINEZ/Getty Images Europe)

Group D

Juventus vs Bayer Leverkusen– Tuesday, 01 October 2019

There is nothing more that Cristiano Ronaldo cherishes other than competition. The awarding of FIFA’s The Best Male Player Award for 2019 to Messi could have possibly poked the 34-year-old Portuguese legend to push himself to the limit once more. A 5-5 tie on such awards sounded a decent end to their decade long rivalry but with the scale now tipped 6-5 to Messi, best believe the all-time record scorer in the Champions League is preparing to fire himself and Juve to a coveted UCL title. After all, that’s what the Old Lady signed him for.

Bayer Leverkusen have since recovered from a shocking loss at home to Lokomotiv Moskva in the Champions League and also recorded some decent results in the league that have seen them rise to 6th in the Bundesliga, only a point off leaders Bayern. However, against Juve and Ronaldo in Turin who are yet to win in the UCL this season, it’s hard to see them get a result.

Lokomotiv Moskva vs Atletico Madrid– Tuesday, 01 October 2019

Just how good is Thomas Partey? The Ghanaian international was the best player on the pitch over the weekend as Real and Atletico battled to a 0-0 draw in the Madrid derby at Wanda Metropolitano. On a night such as that one, he looked a combination of Sergio Busquets and N’golo Kante and Atleti would be hoping he carries that form into the Tuesday clash in Russia.

Teenage sensation, Joao Felix has also settled in well at Rojiblancos and looks quite dangerous every-time he gets the ball. Simeone and his men are going for all 3 points at Group D topping Lokomotiv Moskva as they look for their first win this campaign after a 2-2 draw against Juve on opening night. Lokomotiv Moskva themselves beat fellow champions league representatives, Zenit 1-0 over the weekend and are just 2 points off table-topping CSKA Moscow after 11 matches.

UEFA Champions League Preview (Matchday 2): Group C

Duvan Zapata of Atalanta BC celebrates his goal with his team-mates during the Coppa Italia match between Atalanta BC and Juventus at Stadio Atleti Azzurri d'Italia on January 30, 2019 in Bergamo, Italy.

(Jan. 29, 2019 - Source: Emilio Andreoli/Getty Images Europe

Group C

Atalanta vs Shakhtar Donetsk– Tuesday, 01 October 2019

Baptism of fire, that’s what Atalanta got on their long-awaited, emotional and fairy-tale return to the Champions League. La Dea were possibly at their worst, with a timid performance that saw them lose 0-4 at the hands of Zagreb in Croatia. They have however not capitulated after that, responding with two impressive Serie A wins, 0-2 away at Roma and the recent 4-1 thrashing of Sassuolo. Gasperini’s men will now take two when they welcome the Ukrainians on Tuesday and with the Colombian Zapata in sizzling form, Shakhtar could find themselves in the firing line.

To be fair to the Ukrainian champions, they have been quite decent in their European matches in the past seasons. They could be forgiven for losing 0-3 to Manchester City on matchday 1 but would be expected and are good enough to get a result in Italy. The question will be on whether they can sustain their opposition’s momentum and desire to prove themselves on the biggest stage.

Manchester City vs Dinamo Zagreb– Tuesday, 01 October 2019

It looks obvious on paper but not so much in reality.

City have since picked themselves up from their shocking 2-3 loss at bottom of the league Norwich, with victories such as an 8-0 dragging of Watford, 3-0 win at high flying Championship side, Preston North End and most recently a late 3-1 win at Everton. In particular, the Algerian captain and AFCON 2019 champion, Riyad Mahrez has re-captured his Leicester form and looks like a new signing for the English champions.

On the other hand, the Croatian champions lie at the top of Group C for a reason. Dinamo Zagreb crushed Atalanta on opening night with a 4-0 scoreline and their league form hasn’t suggested they have put off their foot off the pedal, lying only a point off leaders Hajduk Split in the league. It obviously will be a clash, a level up what they have been involved within recent weeks, but quite capable of getting a result as well. After all, Lyon did it at Etihad last season.

UEFA Champions League Preview (Matchday 2): Group A

Karim Benzema attends "El Corazon de Sergio Ramos" premiere at the Reina Sofia museum on September 10, 2019 in Madrid, Spain.

(Sept. 9, 2019 - Source: Getty Images Europe)

Group A

Real Madrid v Club Brugge – Tuesday, 01 October 2019

Zidane’s charges are expected to brush Brugge aside at the Bernabeu. Nothing less than a comprehensive victory will appease the Madrid faithful who were humbled to a 3-0 loss at Paris on matchday 1. Even though marquee summer signing, Eden Hazard, is yet to come alive in white, Benzema and the decent start to their La Liga campaign which has seen them occupy pole position after 7 matches offers enough hope that the real, Real could actually be back. A 0-0 draw over the weekend at Atletico was another piece of evidence that Zidane might have calmed the waters in the Spanish Capital.

That’s the expectation. But it’s actually easier said than done against the Belgian side who labored to a 0-0 opening draw against a Falcao inspired Galatasaray. Even more, their African contingent of Percy Tau, Diatta and Diagne showed what they can do if given the chance with a glorious display in 5-0 win over Mechelen during the weekend. No Champions League match is easy going and this one won’t be any different.

Galatasaray v Paris St Germain - Tuesday, 01 October 2019

The tide is on the French champions’ side to continue blowing opposition away and not least the Turkish champions. Quite frankly, it’s what they have repeatedly done in the UCL group stages for the past 2-3 seasons. This time, a 3-0 opening night win over Madrid could have been the best of them. Injuries have trouble Tuchel’s side in recent weeks with Mbappe, Cavani, Choupo-Moting amongst others having been forced to watch from the sidelines. Neymar who has scored all three goals in PSG’s last three, 1-0 league wins has won back the fans, settled the camp and convincingly re-integrated himself into the side after the summer transfer woes. The Brazilian will not play on Tuesday due to the ongoing ban for his comments last term but best guaranteed, PSG have enough firepower to own the night in Istanbul, provided they put their game faces on. One player you really should look out for is the summer signing from Everton, Idrissa Gana Gueye and of course Mbappe who just returned. The Senegalese international has already won hearts in Paris with his heart-on-sleeve performances in the middle of the park.

As for Galatasaray, the Turkish champions have enough champions league experience to know how to set-up against opposition such as PSG. At home, still riding on the wings of the summer arrival of Falcao and boosted by the disciplined performance that saw them earn a point at Brugge, they really must be fancying themselves to cause an upset.

We shall see how that will work out.

FT Pause Moment: Should "dummies" be considered as assists? Inspired by Suarez

Well, the UEFA Champions League matchday 2 is behind us now, but some moments stay with us forever. One such performance would obviously be vintage Messi showing up big time for Barcelona but schooling Tottenham Hotspur on the fundamentals of GOAT (Greatest Of All Time) behaviour. The 31-year-old created all of the four Barca goals and scored two as the La Liga champions registered a 4-2 victory at Wembley. Croatia’s Ivan Rakitic and Philippe Coutinho were also on the score sheet, banging some seriously ridiculous goals. One player not on the scoresheet or having a cute statistic for example, an assist, but equally crucial to the overall performance was Luis Suarez.

Two dummies, two goals

Luis Suarez of Barcelona shoots while under pressure from Davinson Sanchez of Tottenham Hotspur during the Group B match of the UEFA Champions League between Tottenham Hotspur and FC Barcelona at Wembley Stadium on October 3, 2018 in London, United Kingdom.

(Oct. 2, 2018 - Source: Shaun Botterill/Getty Images Europe)

Assists and goals have become some of the most important stats in the modern game. GOATs have been crowned based on such and the value of players continue to be influenced greatly by statistics more than anything else in the digital age, leaving many assuming the role of being unsung heroes. An assist in particular is simply awarded to the person who makes the final pass before a goal is scored. They are considered to have “assisted” the goal, laying it up on the plate for the scorer.

Now, what about those who do the same without touching the ball? On two occasions, Jordi Alba squared the ball into the box that found Messi after Suarez had skipped past the ball, in other words dummying, to draw out the defenders and give Messi the space to find his favorite spot in the net without pressure. In fact, on the first instance, Coutinho and Suarez had to both dummy the ball, confusing the Spurs defenders and aid Messi to deliver his masterpiece. Credit to Alba for delivering the assists by delivering the ball into the box, but what of Suarez’s awareness to know where Messi would be in a glance and drive all the defenders out of the “heat area” without touching the ball but with just simple cheeky movements. What brilliance!

The Uruguayan will not be in the record books for such, now and in the future and maybe even get criticized for not scoring as many goals as a striker. Alba laid up the ball for Messi, but Suarez increased the odds for Messi scoring exponentially. Looks like an assist to me, maybe even more.

“Jordi Alba squared the ball into the box that found Messi after Suarez had skipped past the ball, in other words dummying, to draw out the defenders and give Messi the space to find his favorite spot in the net without pressure.”

— Dennis Takaendesa, FirstTouch Africa

UEFA Champions League Round Up: Matchday 2

Lionel Messi of Barcelona is tackled by Victor Wanyama of Tottenham Hotspur during the Group B match of the UEFA Champions League between Tottenham Hotspur and FC Barcelona at Wembley Stadium on October 3, 2018 in London, United Kingdom.

(Oct. 2, 2018 - Source: Shaun Botterill/Getty Images Europe)

The premium club competition in Europe, UEFA Champions League is up and running. It’s only matchday two but we have seen clashes fit to be finals being played in front our eyes. Who would have thought that CSKA Moscow would beat reigning champions, Real Madrid or that Messi would show off his GOAT nature. Okay maybe, you could have guessed the latter. Here is a pick of the action that involved Africans playing in Europe.

1. (Man Utd vs Valencia) - Kondogbia and Valencia add insult to Manchester United’s injury

Romelu Lukaku of Manchester United is challenged by Geoffrey Kondogbia of Valencia during the Group H match of the UEFA Champions League between Manchester United and Valencia at Old Trafford on October 2, 2018 in Manchester, United Kingdom.

(Oct. 1, 2018 - Source: Michael Regan/Getty Images Europe)

The Central African Republic international was in the thick of things as Valencia and troubled United played out a goalless draw. The 25-year-old, Geoffrey Kondogbia teamed up with former Arsenal midfielder, Francis Coquelin to stuff out any potential threat from Jose Mourinho’s men coming from the midfield, winning the battle against Belgium’s Marouane Fellaini and Nemanja Matic. Had it not been for Valencia’s lack of intent and far from satisfying passes in the final third, Kondogbia and his teammates could have gotten more from the match played at Old Trafford.

2. (Porto vs Galatasaray) - Mali’s Moussa Marega steps up in the absence of Aboubakar

Porto had to battle the Turkish giants without their star forward, Cameroonian Vincent Aboubakar who will spend considerable amount of time on the sidelines after undergoing knee surgery. Aboubakar’s bag of goals carried the Portuguese side to the knockout stages in the 2017/18 UCL season but 27-year-old Marega looks more than capable to fill the big shoes. His solitary goal was enough to seal off a 1-0 victory against Galatasaray, sending Porto top of Group D ahead of Bundesliga side, Schalke, who also have four points

3. (Atletico Madrid vs Club Brugge) - Ever so reliable Thomas Partey does the job again

Ghanaian midfielder has really made Atletico Madrid his home and might be on course to become a future captain and legend. He was involved in the side as Diego Simeone’s men registered a 3-1 victory over Club Brugge, taking their points tally to six, tied with group A leaders, Borussia Dortmund who brushed aside Monaco, 3-0

Mauro Emanuel Icardi of FC Internazionale celebrates his goal with his team-mate Kwadwo Asamoah (R) during the Group B match of the UEFA Champions League between FC Internazionale and Tottenham Hotspur at San Siro Stadium on September 18, 2018 in Milan, Italy.

(Sept. 17, 2018 - Source: Emilio Andreoli/Getty Images Europe)

4. (Tottenham vs Barcelona) - Wanyama starts but taken off at the 57th minute

After spending a lot of time on the sidelines with injuries and also bench warming after Eric Dier became the more preferred defensive midfielder at Spurs, Kenya’s Victor Wanyama finally got to start a match, the biggest of them all. He was quite fiery in the opening stages, putting out fires and even getting yellow-carded at some point for a tactical foul on Messi but was just as guilty for Barca’s third goal as Messi leaped into the box to place the ball into the bottom corner under his watch. Dier soon came to replace the 27-year-old Kenyan for reasons best known by Pochettino. You cannot really blame anyone though for Tottenham’s 4-2 loss to Barca - they were simply outclassed.

5. (PSV vs Inter Milan) - Asamoah’s Inter record second successive UCL victory from behind

Ghanaian, Kwadwo Asamaoh was deployed once again at the left-back role as his side came from behind in Netherlands, to beat PSV 2-1. Inter Milan have now collected 6 out of 6 available points after seeing of Tottenham from behind again on matchday 1. It promises to be an interesting encounter when they meet Barcelona in their next match with both teams having bagged maximum points so far.

UEFA Champions League Matchday 2: Our African Fantasy Five

The biggest European club competition commenced last Tuesday and we witnessed some stellar performances by individuals who have been in and out of their teams since the beginning of the 2018/19 season. These soccer players will be looking to continue their form into Matchday 2. But before we pop some popcorn and get ready for the second round, let's look at the five African players that stood out in the competition last week. Here is FirstTouch’s UEFA Champions League Fantasy 5. We have one goalkeeper, one defender, two midfielders and a striker uptop in a diamond formation.

Andre Onana of Ajax reacts during the Group E match of the UEFA Champions League between Ajax and AEK Athens at Johan Cruyff Arena on September 19, 2018 in Amsterdam, Netherlands.

(Sept. 18, 2018 - Source: Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images Europe)

Andre Onana - Bayern Munich vs Ajax

We previewed the UEFA Champions League and identified Andre Onana as one of the Africans to watch out for in the competition. If you watched Ajax’s match against AEK Athens, you would understand why there is so much buzz around the youngster. The Cameroon international was at it again as he kept a clean sheet in his first outing of the UEFA Champions League tournament this season. He will surely look to maintain that and hopefully breakthrough into the conversation about the best young talents in the world.

Kwadwo Asamoah (R) of FC Internazionale is pulled by his shirt by Erik Lamela of Tottenham Hotspur during the Group B match of the UEFA Champions League between FC Internazionale and Tottenham Hotspur at San Siro Stadium on September 18, 2018 in Milan, Italy.

(Sept. 17, 2018 - Source: Emilio Andreoli/Getty Images Europe)

Kwadwo Asamoah - PSV Eindhoven vs Inter Milan

The versatile Ghanaian was preferred in the left back position for Inter Milan when they faced Tottenham. The defender grabbed this opportunity with both hands as he led his team to a solid 2-1 win. Asamoah and the defenders next to him had to be compact to keep out the dangers from inform striker Harry Kane and the resurged Lucas. This must have impressed Luciano Spalletti, the Inter Milan coach. He made 4 last ditch tackles in his own half before clearing the ball away from danger on 4 occasions.

Sadio Mane - Napoli vs Liverpool

The Senegalese international is ever consistent. Although he might not score goals on a regular basis, his work rate and chances he creates make up for his flaws. Mane was a constant threat to the Paris Saint Germain defenders. He completed 3 dribbles and made two key passes from the wing. You might remember him side-stepping Neymar, inarguably the overall best dribble from  matchday 1. His confidence to take on any defender means that he will always be a target for the defenders to foul him. Who doesn't need a pacy and trickery winger in their team? They can create something special from anything.

Hakim Ziyech of Ajax in action during the UEFA Champions League Play-off 1st leg match between Ajax and Dynamo Kiev held at Johan Cruyff Arena on August 22, 2018 in Amsterdam, Netherlands.

(Aug. 21, 2018 - Source: Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images Europe)

Hakim Ziyech - Bayern Munich vs Ajax

One of the most important African playmakers in the present day. The Moroccan international orchestrated Ajax’s attacks against AEK Athens. He was also hungry for goals as he made 7 shots throughout the entire course of the game. His defense splitting passes is a must have to a fan who plays fantasy football. He adds a sure attacking threat to our UEFA Champions League Fantasy 5 as he complements the attack with his knack for a goal. A playmaker like him deserves a place in our team.

Vincent Aboubakar - Porto vs Galatasaray

None of the African strikers scored a goal on Matchday 1. The Porto striker is probably the one more likely to score in the next matches purely because of the amazing record of carrying his side into the last 16 in the previous campaign. We are hopeful that the Cameroonian will pick up their scoring boots and repay our faith in his abilities to be shortlisted in FirstTouch’s Fantasy 5 side.

Porto's Cameroonian forward Vincent Aboubakar kicks the ball during their UEFA Champions League group G football match FC Porto vs Monaco at the Dragao stadium in Porto, on December 6, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / MIGUEL RIOPA

(Dec. 5, 2017 - Source: AFP)

2019 AFCON Qualifiers: Three things we learned from Matchday 2

Matchday two of six 2019 AFCON qualifiers fixtures is done and dusted. Yes, as anticipated, we were not robbed of thrills and spills. With 48 of the 54 African countries in action this past weekend, you would bet that millions had a chance to raise their flag and back their heroes. Here is what we picked up from the action, three things we made sure no one would miss.

They are actually no favorites; AFCON is as tough as it gets!

“Our goal is to reach the finals, even if we’re now in a tough group. Along with Burkina Faso, we also face Angola, who are a great football nation. And I also rate Botswana as one of Africa’s better teams, even if we beat them on their own soil. My goal as a coach is to get my team in shape to win as many games as possible and why not qualify for the tournament as well?”

— Corentin Martins, Former Auxerre Player and Head coach of Mauritania

Time and time again, we continue to see proof of why the CAF Africa Cup of Nations is perhaps the most interesting and fiercely contested tournament in the whole world. Take nothing away from the FIFA World Cup or the mighty English Premier League, there is just something unique about the passion and voices of a populace from less known communities being given a chance to be heard on a grand stage. Something about millions of people momentarily forgetting about the tough and seemingly impossible journey of building stronger public institutions, a journey that started in the colonial era dating back to the 1960s, to focus on football.

Uganda's goalkeeper Denis Onyango (R) congratulates Egypt's goalkeeper Essam El-Hadary at the end of the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations group D football match between Egypt and Uganda in Port-Gentil on January 21, 2017. / AFP / Justin TALLIS

(Jan. 20, 2017 - Source: AFP)

Here is a static for you, 14 of the 24 matches played over the weekend ended in a stalemate. That is 28 nations holding down their own and refusing to lose. That’s a lot of blood, sweat and tears shed to grind a result. More interestingly, the highly ranked nations who would be easily considered favorites weren’t having it easy. Clarence Seedorf’s debut as Cameroonian coach got off to a scary start as the defending AFCON champions scored a last minute equaliser to draw 1-1 away at Islanders, Comoros to save their blushes.The star studded black stars of Ghana look to continue their downward spiral after losing out 1-0 to Kenya in a famous match whose result sent tongues wagging, everywhere. The 2018 FIFA World Cup boys, Senegal learnt a tough lesson in Antananarivo as they drew 2-2 with lowly ranked Madagascar. Yes, Egypt did have it easy with a 6-0 thrashing of Niger and so did Morocco and Nigeria both winning 3-0 against Malawi and Seychelles, but it should be mentioned that all these three lost their opening matches and were in desperate mode to save their 2019 AFCON hopes heading into the weekend. It's not as easy as it seems.

Do not count anyone out yet, surprises are the order of the day whenever the African nations go to battle for the most coveted prize on the continent.

Home support is actually a thing

Now, home crowds cheering on their mates matters everywhere and it seems to be the key ingredient to all the upsets and “what on earth!” moments we witnessed over the weekend. The victories that headlined the weekend were all recorded on home soil, including some astonishing stalemates. Kenya saw off Atletico Madrid’s Thomas Partey and his Ghanaian teammates in Nairobi, Mauritania cruised to a 2-0 triumph over the 2013 finalists, Burkina Faso on home turf and so did the other guns who held onto unlikely draws against teams considered to be “favorites.” We are talking about Comoros, Madagascar, Namibia against 2012 AFCON Champions, Zambia and the list goes on and on to the Gambia and Lesotho. The unfortunate incident were at least one person died and 32 others injured in Madagascar as a result of a stampede prior to the Senegal match when supporters rushed to grab seats in an already full stadium further proves the point on how much people invest to back their heroes. You would be perfectly justified for suggesting that home crowds played a key role in deciding the matchday 2 fixtures.

Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu (front) of Ghana and Jonathan Pitroipa of Burkina Fuso compete during the Africa Cup of Nations Group B match between Burkina Fuso and Ghana, from the November 11 Stadium on January 19, 2010 in Luanda, Angola.

(Jan. 18, 2010 - Source: Gallo Images/Getty Images Europe)

Mauritania in dreamland

Not many people have had about the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, the eleventh largest country in Africa in terms of physical size in North West Africa partly bordered by the Atlantic Ocean and the Sahara Desert ( interesting tourist destination if you ask me). There is another African country called Mauritius in the Indian Ocean which on the contrary happens to be the tiniest. The Les Mourabitones reached an all time high of 81st on the FIFA rankings in August 2017, climbing up a dizzying 23 places. They have not looked back ever since and the hard work seem to be paying off as they keenly look to secure their first ever AFCON finals qualification. Even their gaffer, Corentin Martins speaking to FIFA.com, hardly gave his team a chance heading into the tournament but have now won all their opening two matches, sitting pretty at the top of a group also occupied by Angola, Botswana, and the Stallions of Burkina Faso.

"Our goal is to reach the finals, even if we're now in a tough group. Along with Burkina Faso, we also face Angola, who are a great football nation. And I also rate Botswana as one of Africa's better teams, even if we beat them on their own soil. My goal as a coach is to get my team in shape to win as many games as possible and why not qualify for the tournament as well?" - Corentin Martins, Former Auxerre Player and Head coach of Mauritania

Here is a full list of the results and tables from matchday 2. What did you also learn? Let us know in the comment box below.