Why 2014 Was the Year of Hope Formed, Hope Realised and Hope Lost

Looking back over African football in 2014, three main narratives dominate. Hope, as is often the case in football, is a central theme.

One of these narratives is a story of the creation of hope, finding optimism where none had any right to exist.

The second is a story of the realisation of hope, of great expectations becoming reality.

The third is a tale of hope evaporating, capsizing and exploding.

I begin with the last of this trio.

Nigeria began the year with the belief that anything was possible.

In 2013, the Super Eagles had found their identity once again, with an unlikely victory at the 2013 Cup of Nations, and appeared to be on the brink of establishing themselves as Africa's heavyweights once more.

To an extent, Nigeria will always be a continental giant—the sheer size of the nation, the volume of players and the glittering moments in history dictate this—but there were signs that, finally, Stephen Keshi was building a team that would live up to the great expectations.

A year ago, Jonathan Wilson, writing with Bleacher Report, celebrated the manager as football's tactical genius of 2013. 

However, by then, there were already signs that the Super Eagles were unable to build upon the momentum of that glorious continental triumph in South Africa.

Without Emmanuel Emenike and Victor Moses, they had too often lacked cohesion and cutting edge at the 2013 Confederations Cup, while they were wholly unconvincing during World Cup qualification. They scored fewer than Africa’s other World Cup representatives in the qualification group stage, drawing once each with Namibia, Malawi and Kenya—hardly continental giants.

In 2014, things unraveled.

The Super Eagles had their moments in Brazil—those two Ahmed Musa goals against Argentina, spells of dominance against France and Peter Odemwingie’s goal against Bosnia-Herzegovina—but they didn't find top gear and were undermined by some puzzling personnel decisions from the coach.

It didn't help that they headed into the tournament without a win in five, and that run was to continue. By the middle of the Cup of Nations qualification programme, Nigeria had won only one (1-0 against Bosnia) of their previous 12 matches.

At the beginning of AFCON qualification, the Super Eagles were humbled in Calabar by the Republic of Congo. It was their first competitive home defeat since 1981, and their first loss against the Red Devils since 1970.

Despite a late rally, their attempt to return to the continental high table to defend their crown was a failure, and after two draws against South Africa and a defeat against Sudan, they were out of the running.

Keshi began the year as world football's tactical genius, his side as continental champions. They end it knowing that they will be on the outside, in the rain, when their African rivals contest their crown in Equatorial Guinea in 2015.

Algeria, like Nigeria, progressed to the last 16 of the World Cup in Brazil.

However, while the Super Eagles' confidence has dribbled away over the last 12 months, Algeria have grown to look like the successors-elect to Keshi's side.

In 2014, Nigeria played 14 matches while Algeria played 13. The Super Eagles won three, the Desert Foxes won nine.

While Keshi occasionally bewildered with his erratic decision-making and bizarre personnel choices, both Vahid Halilhodzic and, subsequently, Christian Gourcuff, have attempted to merely diversify and sharpen Algeria's options.

Players have been brought into the fold gradually. While Nigeria gave debuts to eleven players over the last 12 months, only four new faces have been seen on the pitch for Algeria. There is stability, but there has also been a cultivation of approaches and rivalry within the squad.

The North Africans impressed in defeat against Belgium in the Cup of Nations opener, before seeing off South Korea (in a terrific offensive display) and securing a draw with Russia to advance to the second round. They held eventual winners Germany for 92 minutes—taking them to extra time—before eventually capitulating.

David Ornstein described Halilhodzic’s side as “enterprising” and “impressive” in his BBC match report, and despite a change of manager, their cohesion and confidence continued into Cup of Nations qualification.

Ahead of the final dead-rubber against Mali, they had won their five fixtures, becoming the second team (after Cape Verde) to qualify. Despite playing a second-string XI for this final match, essentially forfeiting it, they still accrued more points than any of the other 2015 qualifiers.

They will rightly head to Equatorial Guinea among the favourites for the title, despite being drawn in the tournament’s Group of Death.

In 2013, Algeria only scraped into the World Cup after a 3-3 aggregate play-off draw with Burkina Faso. The fragility they displayed in these contests (particularly the first) has been fixed, and the Desert Foxes went on to enjoy a 2014 that those involved will never forget.

Finally, having considered hope lost and hope realised, I wish to consider hope formed.

From a purely footballing point of view, Guinea's qualification for the 2015 Cup of Nations was an impressive achievement.

Before the last two matches of Group E, Guinea had only four points and sat outside the qualification spots. Leaders Ghana had eight and Togo had six.

Heading to Lome for the penultimate match, Guinea knew that a loss to hosts Togo would spell elimination.

The National Elephants opened the scoring through Idrissa Sylla before a Seydouba Soumah hat trick stunned the Sparrow Hawks.

Guinea then beat Uganda in their final qualifier (with Soumah again on the scoresheet) to seal a spot at the continental high table.

Their progression was made all the more unlikely due to the Ebola epidemic that has ravaged Guinea, as well as neighbouring Sierra Leone and Liberia. This ensured that Michel Dussuyer’s side were forbidden from playing any of their home games in Guinea, and instead, were forced to welcome sides to the Stade Mohamed V in Casablanca, Morocco.

This was not quite as bad as some, who suggested Guinea played six away games, have suggested, but they were robbed of the undoubted benefits of playing before a partisan home crowd.

Within that admirable narrative, there is also the story of Ibrahima Traore, the side's star player, who defied his club Borussia Monchengladbach to travel and play for his besieged nation, per John Bennett of BBC Sport.

Attitudes such as Traore's helped to generate the belief not only that Guinea could actually progress to the AFCON, but also that qualification would give a lift to those poor souls back home who find their nation under siege.

As James Ezimoha of Goal Nigeria reminded us, “The Syli Nationale, through their dogged and hard fought qualification, proved that football, as a sport, can be a useful tool in bringing people together even in the face of a nation-wide economic downslide and contagious health hazards.”

Regardless of what happens in Equatorial Guinea, the Guinean national side gave their country hope where, reasonably, none ought to have existed.