Gift of the Gabon
Our Man in Africa Mike Bruford Reports!
When he's not been collecting potomasher poo (it's a type of pig) for its DNA in Equatorial Africa (long story!) our man in Gabon zoologist and avid City fan Mike Bruford has been taking a keen interest in the affairs of his local side FC 105 who, according to one fan, are named after a gun. They are also the Gabonese military side and field at least one international, who plays for World Cup wannabes Togo. Gabon, a nation of 1.5million, are somewhat in the footballing shadow of neighbours Cameroon but, who knows, maybe success is just around the corner...
In a highly charged match that could not have been more dramatic, Gabon's FC105 progressed to the last eight of the African Confederation Cup by controversially beating Angola's AS Aviacao 2 - 1 at the Stade de Renovation, Franceville.
In a generous election-year gesture, the country's splendidly-named President, El Hadj Omar Bongo had earlier declared the match - played in effectively his home town - as a free entry event, which guaranteed a full house and a frenzied atmosphere as the teams emerged in sweltering 35C heat and 100% humidity.
A week before the omens had not looked good as I witnessed 105's warm-up match against fellow first division rivals Mangasport from just down the road in the manganese mining town of Moanda. They deservedly lost an entertaining game 1-0.
A 1-1 draw in the first leg in Luanda had ensured that the home side only needed to keep a clean sheet to progress, but the situation changed dramatically after just four minutes when the FC105 defence was guilty of ball watching for the first corner of the game and Aviacao's Joao Pereira was given a free header to put the Angolans one-up, ensuring the home side would need to score twice.
Indeed, during the first 15 minutes, the bigger, stronger and better organised Aviacao controlled the game, playing a well-drilled 4-4-2 and gaining space and possession against a largely ineffective FC105. Gradually, however, the frenetic atmosphere generated by the crowd's many bands coupled with the instinctive skills of the Gabonese players (especially forward Tamboulas and midfielder Edou Zu*, who were impressive throughout) brought the Gabonese back into the game and it was no surprise when, on 23 minutes, Bertrand Bouity shot accurately through a crowded penalty area from 20 yards to equalise and send the crowd into raptures.
105's ascendancy grew and their entertaining brand of one-touch football, including some excellent sweeping moves continued until the last 10 minutes of the first half when the Angolans finally regained a measure of control.
This control was to be the dominant feature of the second half, with the home side's poor organisation and defensive inadequacies obvious to all present, and the crowd's frustration grew. A few flashes of brilliance by Tamboulas aside, Aviacao were in total command and had several efforts to put the tie beyond doubt, culminating in a header onto the bar in front of an open goal after 70 minutes by Cabungula, Aviacao's muscular centre forward - a miss that would be rued later.
The now error-strewn game was slipping towards extra-time and a likely Angolan win as the home side visibly tired when, with 5 minutes to go, a dramatic finale to this intriguing encounter was played out.
Totally against the run of play, 105's Tamboulas's visionary pass from the left again found Bouity in right midfield and his excellently weighted through ball into the penalty area put Saturnin Nguoani through on goal with just the keeper to beat. However he was denied the opportunity to score and was sent sprawling by a seemingly well-timed last ditch tackle from Aviacao's Jacinto Pereira who appeared to take the ball cleanly, only for the referee, now 35 yards behind the action, to point unhesitatingly to the penalty spot.
The crowd's ecstatic reaction and the curiously muted response by the Angolan players hinted that such decisions are to be expected in this competition away from home.
Juste Otomo duly dispatched the spot-kick with aplomb and FC105 now only had to hold on for five minutes to guarantee the first quarter-final spot for a Gabonese side since 2001. In a final twist the referee proceeded to play only one minute of the five remaining before blowing up for full-time, to the fury of the Angolan players.
A potentially angry confrontation was, however, prevented by the hordes of now delirious Gabonese fans, who had invaded the pitch, scaling the 10 foot high fences and evading the batons of the police who, hopelessly outnumbered, surrounded the Angolan team before escorting them off the pitch. A mass party-cum-political rally then ensued, both on the pitch and in the town of Franceville well into the early hours.
The President had given his people a night of celebration, and with the elections coming up later this year, they are unlikely to forget it.
** FC 105 were drawn to play Nigerian side Dolphin and Egyptian sides Ismaily and Arab Contractors in the last eight group stage of the Confederation Cup from July 2005 onwards.
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