AFCON 2021: Can Gabon Break Quarter Final Duck?

Of all the great players who have come and gone; from the poaching instincts of Daniel Cousin, to the goalkeeping abilities of Didier Ovono, Gabon are yet to make the semis of the prestigious Africa Cup of Nations. This might just be the time with several changes and introduction of personnel that seem to fit the puzzle.

Team’s Tournament Bio

Two – time tournament hosts Gabon have played a total of seven AFCON finals since making their debut in 1994. The African Brazilians are however, yet to get past the quarter finals of the competition, with their best ever arear coming in 1996 and 2012, when they managed to reach the final 8 in both occasions.
Paired in 1996 with the former Zaire, now known as Congo, and Liberia in group C, Gabon qualified to the next round on goal – difference before eventually crashing out to beaten finalists Tunisia on shootouts (4-1).

Gabon then had a stinker in the competition with a queue of absences from 1998-2008, sandwiched with just that 2000 AFCON appearance that ended on a low for the Panthers.
Gabon then bounced back with successive appearances in 2010 and 2012. A young Pierre Emerick Aubameyang stared as Gabon got to the quarter finals of the AFCON that they, acted as co – hosts alongside Equatorial Guinea in 2012.

For a team that so much was expected from in 2017, Gabon was simply underwhelming and looked decapitated as they bowed – out of the group stage.

Road To 2021 AFCON

Gabon had a tricky path to the 2021 AFCON tourney finals, having been paired in the qualifiers alongside; Angola, Congo and the Gambia.

It was nerve – wracking up until the final two playing days.

Gabon’s AFCON place was guaranteed alongside Group D rivals Gambia, after they defeated the Democratic Republic of Congo 3-0 in Franceville on match day five.

The results left Gambia and Gabon tied on 10 points apiece while the DRC (6 points) and Angola (1 point) were left on the launch pad.

Gabon will pit Morocco, Ghana and newcomers Comoros in group C of the competition that kicks off on January 9.

Star Players

Arsenal star – Pierre Emerick Aubameyang, 31, is the skipper and aside from being the biggest name on Gabon’s roster, the erstwhile Dortmund striker is on a mission to make amends for a porous performance he and his teammates recorded on home soil in 2017. Aubameyang is the country’s all – time leading goal scorer with 27 goals. He currently counts more than 246 career goals, making him one of the most lethal goal scorers in the world.

Another who needs to be on the radar is Winger Denis Bouanga. Bouanga gave a good personal impression in 2017 despite the team’s abrupt exit at the group stage. The Saint Etienne man has so far scored 7 goals in 21 appearances in Gabon uniform.

Midfeild metronome Didier Ndong played 3 games in the AFCON run, averaging 190 minutes from his holding midfeild role, with two starts within that period.

Nice holding midfeilder Mario Lemina has insane abilities on the ball and could act like the main man in the team’s distribution. His long balls and eye for goal always comes up handy. The later played the champions league final for Juve in 2015, but has since then not gotten a foothold in his career. Lemina is eagerly awaited at the tourney finals.

Coach

Gabon is ushered by former French footballer – Patrice Neveu, who has been with the team since 2019, trying to rebuild. He extended his stay with a new bumper deal that will see him stay with Gabon until 2025. The former Niger, DRC and Mauritania coach would have pulled the rabbit out of the hat if he equals the country’s best performance in the competition, which is, making it through to the quarter finals.