Calude Leroy’s Congo Red Devils gained more points in the group phase
Most points by a country
Congo topped group A with 7 points, which was the highest obtained by a country at the group stage
Total number of goals scored
The 2015 African Cup of nations has failed to produce a lot of goals as compared to previous tournaments. A total of 45 goals were scored, after 24 matches at the group stage of the competition, which is the second lowest, following the introduction of 16 countries in the competition. The lowest goals scored in the competition’s history still remains 35 goals in 2002 and the highest goals scored is 70 in 1998 and 2008. The last edition of the AFCON witnessed 49 goals at the group stage, which are four goals better than the ongoing AFCON.
First player to score a goal
Emilio Nsue of Equatorial Guinea against Congo
Leading scorers: Four players have 2 goals each to their credit
Thievy Bifouma of Republic of the Congo
André Ayew of Ghana
Ghana’s Dede Ayew is among the top scorers with two goals in three games
Max Gradel of Côte d’Ivoire
Ahmed Akaïchi of Tunisia
Own goals scored
Thulani Hlatshwayo of South Africa was the only player who scored an own goal at the group stage (playing against Algeria)
Penalties awarded
Six penalties were awarded and four were converted, while two were missed
Highest scoring group
Group C, which has Ghana, Algeria, Senegal and South Africa scored 15 goals in 6 games.
Fewest scoring group
Group B scored 9 goals, which was the fewest after the group stage games
Highest scoring country
Algeria scored 5, which was the highest number of goals by a country
Fewest scoring country
South Africa conceded the most goals – 6
Burkina Faso and Cape Verde scored 1 goal each
Most goals conceded by a country
South Africa conceded 6 goals which was the worst at the group stage
Countries that went out after the group stage despite remaining unbeaten
Cape Verde and either Mali or Guinea, they drew all their three matches.
Drawing of lots to break the tie between Mali and Guinea
Mali and Guinea drew one all in their three group games, making them finish on the same number of points, goals scored and goals conceded, hence the need to break the tie through the drawing of lots which is the last tie breaking exercise according to the competition’s rules.
This is going to be the first time since 1988 that lots will be drawn to determine which nation qualifier to the knockout stage of the Africa Cup of Nations. The luckier nation will face Ghana in the quarter finals.
Disciplinary records
Total number of yellow cards: 55
The first player to be booked
Boris Moubio of Congo in their opener against host, Equatorial Guinea
Ivory Coast jointly got the most yellow cards (7) and also recorded the only red card so far (Gervinho)
The nation with the highest number of yellow cards
Zambia and Ivory Coast, both had 7 yellow cards each
Fewest yellow cards received by a country:
Two countries received no bookable offence; DR Congo and Cameroon.
Total number of red card:
Only Kouassi Gervinho of Ivory Coast was sent off at the group stage of the ongoing AFCON.
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