Augustine Mukoka
CAF RULES: Understanding Zambia Under-17 Dilemma
… Why Young Chipolopolo Is Heading Home Despite Sweet Victory Over Morocco
There’s clear confusion ensuing from the understanding of Confederation of African Football (CAF) revised rules at the Africa Cup of Nations under-17 tournament following Zambia’s 2-1 win over Morocco in Algeria last night.
Even people respected as credible voices in Zambian football appear to be on sixes and sevens. Put simply, they’re as lost as many a soccer fan.
Get me clearly, I don’t claim the sum total of wisdom or knowledge. And therefore I stand to be corrected.
In this case, CAF will ultimately clarify but before they do, here is my understanding of the revised rules.
Based on the CAF circular, it is not the head-to-head or goal difference after three matches that has caused Zambia’s elimination from the competition.
Instead, it is Zambia’s status after round two matches that has cost the team one of the two slots available for best third finishers.
Look at the letter carefully and see the paragraph stating, “the two matches taken into consideration to determine the 2 best thirds will be their matches against the first and the second of the group. This shall be applied in group A & B (in group C, there will not be a fourth team anyway).
Following the elimination of South Sudan due to MRI eligibility, group C was reduced to three team’s meaning they could only play two matches.
Note that at the time the rules are revised, no one knows the standings. So, CAF doesn’t suggest that these rules apply to the first, second, third or fourth PLACED team.
In determining the 2 best finishers overall from three groups, CAF considers the results at the time all the teams would have played EQUAL matches.
Teams in Group C play two matches only, so for those teams to compete at par with Group A & B for the two best thirds, matches as at round two in all three groups will be factored in rendering match 3 (which was against Morocco last night) a formality.
At round two of matches in all the groups Congo Brazzaville had one point (they finish with two points after three match), South Africa had three points and Zambia had zero point.
That means therefore that Senegal and Algeria were through from Group A as first and second, Morocco and Nigeria were through from Group B while Mali had qualified from Group C with the winner between Burkina Faso or Cameroon expected to join them.
If the match between Burkina Faso and Cameroon ends in a draw, both teams will have a point which will now make them compete for the second best third with Congo Brazzaville.
In essence, it would be unfair for CAF to determine the two best thirds by factoring in match 3 played in Group A & B because teams in Group C are deprived of it since team 4 (South Sudan) was eliminated.
To level the playing field for teams in all three groups, match two standings is what has determined who the best two thirds of the tournament are.
This, colleagues, would be the interpretation of the revised rules before we get to the technicality of head to head & goal difference. I still think CAF would have done a lot better with the clarity of the revised rules.
Otherwise, there are a lot of positives to get from our lads giving hope for the future.
I submit.