In a big year for football championships in Africa, Paul Myers gets started with the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations from Angola.

Blog

Africa Cup of Nations - blog

Egypt's Moussa Narry holds up the Africa Cup of Nations trophy after his team defeated Ghana 1-0 in the final.Photo: Reuters

Final whistle blows on CAN 2010

Luanda airport. The international one. Time to go home. Or rather to start the trip away from Angola.

2010-02-01 12:18 TU

Africa Cup of Nations - blog

Pallbearers carry the coffin with the remains of Togolese Assistant Soccer Coach Abalo during the funeral service in the Togolese capital Lome, earlier this month(Photo: Reuters)

Banning and billing Togo

CAF President Issa Hayatou and his crew are hiding behind official communiques which spew out rules and regulations. It’s a sickening announcement. None of the executive members who put their names to it are worthy to hold the drip by the bedside of Kodjovi Obilalé who’s still in a hospital recovering from wounds sustained in the Cabinda attack.

2010-01-31 10:00 TU

Previous blog posts

Africa Cup of Nations - blog

Musing on Angolan politics

Democracy is wonderfully vibrant in Angola, reports Paul Meyers. Just take the Example of the double African champions Egypt, who arrive at the airport to fly to Luanda to play in the final. Do they get star treatment? No. They wait like everyone else.

2010-01-30 11:38 TU

Africa Cup of Nations - blog

Predictions for the final, sandwiches and Mr Bad

RFI’s Paul Myers reviews his predictions for the final, considers the quality of the ham and cheese sandwiches in Luanda, and recalls the illustrious, ubiquitous and altogether evil Mr Bad.

2010-01-29 12:09 TU

Africa Cup of Nations - blog

The knock-on effect of being lost in Lubango

Why should a day of doing nothing in Lubango airport leave you feeling tired? Maybe the upcoming semi-final match between Nigeria and Ghana will revive spirits.

2010-01-28 14:29 TU

Africa Cup of Nations - blog

Finding a drink at Lubango airport

In today’s blog Paul Myers considers hot and cold drinks at Lubango airport, match day predictions and corresponding with hacks in Nottingham.

2010-01-28 13:33 TU

Africa Cup of Nations - blog

Expect more shocks after Sunday's surprises

Angola should not have lost to an inexperienced Ghana side on Sunday afternoon and Côte d’Ivoire should have turned over Algeria on Sunday evening, reports RFI's Paul Myers.

2010-01-25 15:11 TU

Africa Cup of Nations - blog

Angola, Cote d'Ivoire: the pick of the quarters

As the Cup of Nations gets sterner now we've moved into the business end of the tournament, RFI's Paul Myers keeps us up to date with the quarter finals.

2010-01-24 12:35 TU

Africa Cup of Nations - blog

Zambia's style and silky skills

RFI’s Paul Myers has a transcendental experience at the African Cup of Nations whilst becoming familiar with the sense of jealousy. Meanwhile, more problems at the breakfast table!

2010-01-23 11:10 TU

Africa Cup of Nations - blog

Zambia go from zeroes to heroes

Starved for success of late, Zambia enjoyed a night to remember on Thursday when they went from bottom of their group to top after an action-packed final round of games in Group D. From Lubango, Paul Myers reflects on the Chipolopolos' unexpected progress and the exit of Tunisia's Carthage Eagles.

2010-01-22 18:21 TU

Report: Group D Review

African Cup of Nations - blog

Sunny breakfast travel planning

Let us bring offerings to the lord of the dance, for we have sunshine! Musing where to go next over breakfast in the sun.

2010-01-21 13:21 TU

African Cup of Nations - blog

Rainy days in Lubango

When I told the taxi driver in Luanda that I was soon to be off for Lubango, he said: "It rains a lot there." I thought he was being sniffy and metropolitan. But after two days in Lubango, I realise he was just telling it like it is.

2010-01-20 12:02 TU

Funerals and football in Lubango

There was a point just over two weeks ago when I was on the verge of not coming to Angola. The reason was the death of a good friend and his impending funeral. Mac was one of my first editors at the Wimbledon News where I started.

2010-01-19 14:19 TU

Report: Group A Review/Group B Preview

African Cup of Nations - blog

Reflections on destiny at the airport

The internal flights have been a thoroughly time consuming and frustrating affair. It can only be attributed to the airport vortex. And Sunday’s manifestation was the most demonic yet.

2010-01-18 11:13 TU

African Cup of Nations - blog

Bruised Ghana keep out of the spotlight

Our intrepid reporter finds Ghana's team hiding from the hacks, after their bruising by Côte d’Ivoire.

2010-01-19 14:37 TU

African Cup of Nations - blog

Impressing the locals over an espresso in Cabinda

RFI's Paul Myers comments on ten Ivorian men against 11 Ghanaian boys, mixed zone confusion and being chatted up over an espresso at Cabinda stadium.

2010-01-16 11:15 TU

African Cup of Nations - blog

Hard to chill out in violence-hit Cabinda

For the past day or so RFI's Paul Myers has been holed up in Cabinda, the scene of a fatal attack on the Togolese squad. But while politicians have said that the terrorists shouldn't ruin people's way of life, he finds it's easier said than done in a region that boasts the world’s highest per capita ratio of military to civilians

2010-01-15 21:50 TU

African Cup of Nations - blog

Tales from the departure lounge as we say farewell to Benguela

"Parting is such sweet sorrow," as some playwright once said. And so I left Benguela. My Angola adventure must take me to new pastures. But there will forever be a valley of fondness reserved for Benguela.

2010-01-14 13:55 TU

African Cup of Nations - blog

Benguela, a pearl of wondrous beauty

Paul Myers travels to Angola's port city of Benguela as he follows the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations for RFI.

2010-01-13 17:54 TU

Africa Cup of Nations 2010 - blog

Scheduling madness

Off to Benguela for Egypt v Nigeria and Mozambique v Benin on Tuesday. I had a choice of going to Cabinda on Monday, or seeing the defending champions start their campaign on Tuesday. I chose to see Egypt. And as we know, the story was in Cabinda.

2010-01-12 11:54 TU

African Cup of Nations - blog

Violence overshadows football

Security worries hang over the Africa Cup of Nations after Friday's attack on the Togo team. The players admit they are concerned, especially about matches in Cabinda, the most militarised zone in the world.

2010-01-10 10:21 TU