Despite the tragedy that befell the Togolese team ahead of the tournament, which saw three people killed, AFCON has provided the continent with some talking points. The match between hosts Angola and Mali set the tone in an eight-goal thriller. Angola have only themselves to blame for squandering a 4-0 lead and end up sharing the spoils. The Black Antelopes' coach, Manuel Jose has promised that the hosts will recover from the disappointing result against the Eagles and qualify for the knockout stage.
Flavio, who scored a brace in the 4-4 draw against Mali, remains the key player for the hosts and needs help from the likes of Manucho to deliver. The only setback for Angola might be the goalkeeping department, which was awful in their opening game. With goalkeeper Lama having proven his class in the past, it remains a mystery why he should not command a regular place. At the time of going to press, Angola were in action against Malawi, in what is termed a 'Southern African derby'. The Malawi Flames set the continent alight when they brushed aside World Cup finalists, Algeria 3-0 in their opening game.
