5 top facts about African teams in FIFA confederations Cup history

African players, coaches and teams have made landmark achievements in the history of FIFA Confederations Cup, which was formerly called King Fahd Cup.


Abdoulaye Traore

First African goal scorer at the Confederation Cup (King Fahd Cup then).Only four teams; Saudi Arabia, USA, Cote d'Ivoire and Argentina took part in the maiden edition of the tournament which was then known as King Fahd Cup, each team played two games. The Cote d' Ivoire national team, winners of the 1992 African Cup of Nations in Senegal represented Africa.

Abdoulaye Traore scored the Ivoirians'' first goal in the defeat to USA in the third place match on October 19th 1992 and thus became the first African player to score at the tournament.

EGYPT

First African team to defeat a world champions at the Confederations Cup. In one of the most entertaining matches in the history of the FIFA Confederations Cup

African Champions, Egypt defeated 2006 World Champions Italy 1-0 on 18th June 2009 with a performance to remember.

Youngster Mohamed Homos scored the Pharaohs' goal in the game but the more significant fact was that it became the first win of an African team over a reigning world champions at the tournament.

NIGERIA'S NNAMDI ODUAMADI [FIRST AFRICAN HAT-TRICK SCORER]

Super Eagles forward Nnamdi Oduamadi joined the privileged list of players to have scored hat-trick at the FIFA Confederations Cup when he struck thrice in Nigeria's 6-1 thrashing of Tahiti in their first game of the tournament in 2013 in Brazil.

The Super Eagles, Champions of Africa after the Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa in 2013, arrived Brazil rather late but early enough for the game against their opponent on 17th June 2013.

Oduamadi nicknamed 'Robinho' scored in the 10th, 26th and 76th minutes of the game, while the other goals where two own goals and Elderson Echiejile's goal.

Oduamadi joins the league of players to score thrice in the tournament with the likes of; Vladimir Smicer, Ronaldo, Romario, Cuauhtémoc Blanco, Marzouk Al-Otaibi, Ronaldinho, Figueroa, Torres, David Villa and Abel Hernandez. While Torres,Blanco and Hernandez are the only players to have scored four in a match.

South Africa (first African's fair play winners, in 1997)

The Bafana Bafana of South Africa won the FIFA Play award in the FIFA Confederations Cup held in Saudi Arabia despite finishing buttom of Group B of the tournament.

They are the only African team to have been handed this honour at the tournament.

SHAIBU AMODU (YOUNGEST AFRICAN COACH AT THE CONFEDERATIONS CUP)

The late Shaibu Amodu, born 18th April 1958, was only 37yrs old when he led Nigeria's Super Eagles to the second edition of the FIFA Confederations Cup.

The one time BCC Lions of Gboko head coach had the honour of being the youngest coach at the tournament but that has been broken by the New Zealand English-born coach at the just concluded 2017 Confederations Cup at Russia [Anthony Hudson, born 11th March 1981] but Amodu still remain the youngest African coach at the tournament.

Amodu's Eagles' finished second with four points in Group B behind Argentina with the same points but the Argentines had a better goal difference [+4, while Nigeria had +3]

The Eagles, winners of the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations, were fourth placed team after losing 5-4 on penalties against Mexico.

(c) Christian voice newspaper