Africa Cup of Nations Notebook - Day 3

Three survivors from 2006 Afcon in Egypt

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Egypt are hosting the Afcon finals for the fifth time in the tournament’s history. They previously hosted the continental football jamboree in 1959, 1974, 1986 and 2006. Thirteen years after their last show, the home of the Giza Pyramids has once again welcomed Africa’s best players. Interestingly, only three players from the combatants of 2006 have survived to make a return to the tournament. They are 35-year-old Carlos Kameni of Cameroon, ever green Tresor Mputu, 33, of Democratic Republic of Congo and tireless John Obi Mikel, 32, of Nigeria, who lifted the Cup with the Super Eagles in 2013.

No videos please: Strict rule for journalists

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The media stand at the Cairo International Stadium, filled to the last seat, during the opening match between Egypt and Zimbabwe on Friday resembled a circus of sorts. Local Organising Committee volunteers had a hard time trying repeatedly to stop journalists from taking videos of what was happening in the stadium. Perhaps fearing that the videos were being transmitted live – trust some journalists to do this – Caf was trying hard to ensure that did not happen to protect the interests of the broadcast right holders. But what of the thousands of phone holders on the fans’ section? And hidden phones?

Zimbabwean names just rock

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Zimbabwe put up a strong fight against Egypt in their Group A opener late Friday night pushing the nervous hosts all the way only to lose 1-0. Another talking point was their names on the team sheet. There was Knowledge Musoma, Divine Lunga, Marshall Nyasha, Teenage Hadebe, Marvellous Nakamba, Talent Chawa Pihwa, Sunday Chidzambga and Liberty Mushekwi. Can you imagine the Warriors having all the Knowledge and Talent to Marshall a team without any Teenage player and mount a Marvellous campaign full of Liberty to win the tournament on a Sunday?

Final ticket will set you back Sh4,687

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The Africa Cup of Nations Local Organising Committee has announced the price of tickets for the knock-out stages from quarter-finals. Seeing a round of eight match will set you back 400 Egyptian Pound (EGP) (about Sh2,500) for the most expensive ticket and 200 EGP (Sh1,250) for the cheapest. Semi-final tickets will be priced at 500 EGP (Sh3,125) and 300 EGP (Sh1,875) while the final has tickets pegged at 750 EGP (Sh4,688) for the most expensive and 500 EGP for the ordinary mwananchi. Imagine this was in Kenya where ordinary people complain when tickets are sold for more than Sh200!