Graham Ruthven gives his verdict on how some of the Premier League's big names performed at AFCON 2021.
The 2021 Africa Cup of Nations is over with Senegal crowned kings of the continent after a penalty shootout victory over Egypt in Sunday’s final. While the tournament started off slowly (only one team scored more than once in the first 12 fixtures), it burst into life as the likes of Sadio Mane, Mohamed Salah and others demonstrated their brilliance.
Minnows like Comoros and Gambia provided the fairytale moments with heavyweights Ghana crashing out in the group stage and hosts Cameroon falling just short of the final. Meanwhile, numerous Premier League managers will surely be thankful to have participating players back in their respective squads.
This is a quick look at how a selection of the Premier League’s big names fared at AFCON 2021…
Kelechi Iheanacho (Nigeria)
Injury to Victor Osimhen presented Kelechi Iheanacho with a golden opportunity to make himself Nigeria’s main man in attack at AFCON 2021. The Leicester City frontman scored a winner for the Super Eagles in their tournament opener against Egypt and notched an assist in the group stage win over Guinea-Bissau, but generally underwhelmed.
Iheanacho averaged just 1.5 shots per 90 minutes - for context, Taiwo Awoniyi averaged double this (3.0) per 90 minutes while Wilfred Ndidi, a midfield anchor, averaged 2.0. The 25-year-old was particularly poor in the last 16 loss to Tunisia, with Iheanacho hooked before the hour mark after failing to register a single shot.
Sadio Mane (Senegal)
Only two players (Vincent Aboubakar and Karl Toko Ekambi) scored more goals than Mane during AFCON 2021. Initially, the Liverpool attacker was used as a centre forward in Senegal’s 4-3-3 system, but this only resulted in Mane being isolated. It was only once he was moved into his more familiar left-sided role that the 29-year-old started to have a real influence.
Mane averaged 3.2 dribbles per 90 minutes, a tally that was bettered only by Nigeria’s Moses Simon (4.3). Tellingly, he also averaged 1.2 tackles per 90 minutes which demonstrated how Mane embraced a rounded role for a Senegal side that defended from the front. This was basis upon which the Lions of Teranga built their successful AFCON campaign, giving Mane the platform to score the winning spot kick in the final.
Edouard Mendy (Senegal)
Gabaski might have been the most impressive goalkeeper over the course of the tournament, but Edouard Mendy also lived up to his billing as one of the best shot-stoppers around with his performances. Protected by a backline that included Abdou Diallo and Kalidou Koulibaly, Mendy faced just 7.5 shots per game, but handled almost everything that was thrown at him.
Indeed, Mendy was a solid presence for Senegal, making a crucial save in extra time of the final to earn his team a penalty shootout. Of course, the most important save Mendy made in the entire tournament came in the shootout when he stopped Mohanad Lasheen from the spot to set Mane up for the winner.
Wilfred Ndidi (Nigeria)
Until they suffered a shock defeat to Tunisia in the round of 16, Nigeria had looked in good shape to make a deep run at AFCON 2021. They comfortably saw off Egypt, Sudan and Guinea-Bissau in the group stage and Ndidi was a key figure for the Super Eagles who played in a fluid 4-2-2-2 shape.
No Nigeria player made more tackles in the tournament than Ndidi (3.8 per 90 minutes). The Leicester City midfielder also averaged 1.5 interceptions per 90 minutes and made 1.3 key passes per 90 minutes, highlighting how the 25-year-old is much more than just a destroyer in the centre of the pitch. Nigeria might have suffered a disappointing AFCON, but Ndidi should be spared blame.
Thomas Partey (Ghana)
No team at AFCON 2021 flopped as badly as Ghana. The Black Stars crashed out in the group stage as they lost two and drew one of the three matches they played. Thomas Partey was one of Ghana’s best performers, averaging the most key passes (1.7) per 90 minutes and notching two assists, but that isn’t saying all that much.
Thomas was a driving force for Ghana who were made to pay for a number of individual errors in defence. There is a sense the Black Stars will enter a generational transition, especially if they lose their 2022 World Cup qualifying play-off against Nigeria in March. Many of Ghana’s key performers fading with age, but Thomas gives them a player to build around.
Nicolas Pepe (Ivory Coast)
Ivory Coast might have suffered another disappointing AFCON campaign, exiting the competition at the round of 16 stage, but Nicolas Pepe caught the eye with his performances. While the winger has been frozen out at Arsenal, he was a key figure for the Elephants, registering two goals and one assist in four games (three starts).
Only three players averaged more shots per 90 minutes than Pepe (3.8), illustrating the attacking threat he posed. Pepe also averaged 2.8 key passes per 90 minutes, one of the highest such tallies at AFCON 2021. Ivory Coast boasted one of the strongest attacking units in the tournament and Pepe was frequently their most formidable figure.
Mohamed Salah (Egypt)
As arguably the best player on the planet right now, it was always likely that Salah would make his mark at AFCON 2021, and that proved to be the case. However, the Egyptian’s tournament saw him used in a different way to how Jurgen Klopp uses him at club level for Liverpool. We saw a different side of Salah.
At first, Carlos Queiroz used Salah as a centre forward with the idea being that the 29-year-old would give Egypt cutting edge as their sharpest finisher. However, this left Salah isolated in Egypt’s tournament opener against Nigeria. Subsequently, Quieroz made the decision to use Salah as an attacking hub on the right.
Salah averaged 2.7 key passes per 90 minutes, but also 2.5 fouls per 90 minutes which illustrates how Salah did more to track back and get involved on the defensive side - for context, Salah is averaging just 0.5 fouls per 90 minutes in the Premier League so far this season. However, he was only able to muster two shots on target in 120 minutes of play in the final. Might Egypt have got more out of their best player and figurehead?
Wilfried Zaha (Ivory Coast)
Despite his obvious ability, Wilfried Zaha started just one of Ivory Coast’s four matches at AFCON 2021. While Sebastian Haller had the centre forward position nailed down, with Pepe favoured on the right, Patrice Beaumelle rotated between Maxwel Cornet, Max-Alain Gradel and Zaha on the left side of his attack.
Zaha averaged just 1.3 dribbles per 90 minutes compared to 1.8 per 90 minutes registered by Pepe on the opposite wing. However, the Crystal Palace attacker still posed a goal threat, averaging 1.8 shots per 90 minutes during the tournament. Once again, though, he was outshone by Pepe (3.8 per 90 minutes) on the right side.