Pulse logo
Pulse Region

The 5 funniest moments of the 2023 AFCON group stage

The group stage of AFCON 2023 is over. It's time to look back at the most peculiar actions during the games in the Ivory Coast.
Muhammed Sanneh trying to score with his hand.
Muhammed Sanneh trying to score with his hand.

The Ofori-Fail

Black Stars' fans might want to skip this point: Even three days after the game, nobody knows, and likely not even Richard Ofori himself, what led him to this action.

In the 93rd minute of the last group stage match, Ofori unnecessarily touched a ball that would have rolled out anyway. Atlético Madrid defender Reinildo Mandava then headed the following corner past Ofori into the net for the equaliser for Mozambique, which knocked Ghana out of the tournament.

The Rescue Mission

A look back at the first game of this AFCON: Just two minutes into their game versus Ivory Coast, Guinea-Bissau's defender Jefferson Encada completed the first crucial clearance, kicking the ball away, causing a corner.

But he forgot: there was absolutely no need for that, since he wasn't really under pressure.

'Hit me, Bebé, one more time'

From a distance of over 40 meters, Cape Verdean striker Bebé shot on goal against Mozambique. Fortunately for him, the goalkeeper wasn't really awake and let the ball into the net.

The clip of the former Manchester United player's goal went viral, prompting the German newspaper "11 Freunde" to change the Britney Spears song lyric from "Hit me Baby One More Time" to "Hit me, Bebé, one more time.

The Hand of God (ordered on wish)

Watching Gambia's Muhammed Sanneh punch the ball into the net against Cameroon in the 93rd minute to equalise brings back memories of Diego Maradona's Hand of God.

It's unclear whether the defender from the Czech side Banik Ostrava really took the football legend as a role model. What he perhaps should have considered: there is VAR. The cheating was quickly exposed, the goal rightfully disallowed, and Gambia lost the game 2-3.

Neblú the Superman

The difference between Henry Cavill and Neblú? One is a Superman actor and is allowed to fly like Superman. The other is a goalkeeper for the Angolan national team and shouldn't do that—or at least not outside the penalty area and then touch the ball.

However, that's exactly what the 30-year-old did in the game versus Burkina Faso. Although he committed an intentional handball outside the penalty area, potentially preventing a clear goal-scoring opportunity, he only got a yellow card. Lucky for him, but as the commentator correctly says in the clip: "No, you can't do that."

Subscribe to receive daily news updates.

Next Article