African Cup of Nations

[Slim]

Is this finished yet? Wake me up when Ivory Coast are out.

Two days, sleep tight.

[lets all have a disco]

Ideal next 48 hours.

Costa,Hazard,Fabregas and Matic to pick up knocks that keep them out of the weekend or sending offs are fine and Yaya and Wilfried to be knocked out and get them back in time for a jacuzzi and cake all day Friday.

[Original Dub]

It looks to be on itv4 at 6pm our time.

I have my cameroon jersey pressed and ready to rock.

[Ted Hughes]

It looks to be on itv4 at 6pm our time.

I have my cameroon jersey pressed and ready to rock.

Just brought my Roger Milla full head mask down from the attic.

[Wonderwall]

they are on Eurosport too, and in HD :-)

[Original Dub]

they are on Eurosport too, and in HD :-)

Don't have eurosport with my sky package.

which is a crock of shit because I'm paying through the nose for sports.

[lets all have a disco]

Come on Cameroon do us proud.

[Wonderwall]

they are on Eurosport too, and in HD :-)

Don't have eurosport with my sky package.

which is a crock of shit because I'm paying through the nose for sports.

Really, I have never not had Eurosport, I always thought it was a freebie

[london blue 2]

they are on Eurosport too, and in HD :-)

Don't have eurosport with my sky package.

which is a crock of shit because I'm paying through the nose for sports.

Really, I have never not had Eurosport, I always thought it was a freebie

£1 a month I believe

[Slim]

they are on Eurosport too, and in HD :-)

Don't have eurosport with my sky package.

which is a crock of shit because I'm paying through the nose for sports.

Really, I have never not had Eurosport, I always thought it was a freebie

We get a channel called Eurosport News for free, I figured there was a pay channel I wasn't seeing.

[Ted Hughes]

Pretty sure I'm not paying extra for Eurosport.

Part of Sky package.

[AG7]

It's LIVE on ITV as well as British Eurosport ...

ITV4 HD (Sky 120) from 5:30pm
ITV4 (Sky 268) from 5:30pm
Eurosport HD (Sky 410) from 5:45pm
Eurosport (Sky 412) from 5:45pm

[Lamps]

Lovely goal for Algeria last night from Nabil Bentaleb. I fancy them to win it.

[Wonderwall]

Lovely goal for Algeria last night from Nabil Bentaleb. I fancy them to win it.

I find that you can never tell who will what game in this competition. The goalkeepers are a law unto themselves and often have a rush of blood and find themselves 30 yards from goal trying to be like Messi

[JamieMCFC]

Four matches in and it's neck and neck. In fact, it couldn't be closer. After four 1-1 draws in the first two matchdays in Group D of the Africa Cup of Nations, Ivory Coast, Mali, Cameroon and Guinea all find themselves in the same situation.

That's the same points, same goals scored, same goals conceded. No wins, no losses -- just four draws in the opening two matchdays. At the moment the teams can't be separated: they all deserve to go through and all deserve to go out.

This, of course, means that as they prepare for the final round of group games on Wednesday, it's winner take all. However, the teams themselves may not get to decide who goes through to the knockout stages. If both matches finish 1-1 again, it will be taken out of their hands completely.

Working out the various permutations of various results in cup competitions is not a simple task in any situation, but affairs in Group D have gone beyond the rules that most people are familiar with, meaning you need to delve a little deeper into the CAF regulations to work out how things will progress.

The fact that all teams are on an equal footing makes it a particularly bizarre situation, but the rules according to CAF are as follows:

- Once points are not enough to split the teams, it comes down to head-to-head results.
- After that, it is based on goal difference and then goals scored of the teams
- If teams are still level at the end of the group stages, there is only one option: drawing of lots by the organising committee.

Incredibly, the whole group could be decided via the method of drawing of lots, if the final two group games -- Ivory Coast vs. Cameroon and Mali vs. Guinea -- end up in draws of the same scoreline. Example: if it ended Ivory Coast 2-2 Cameroon and Mali 2-2 Guinea.

However, if one match finishes in a higher draw than the other, then they will only have to endure a drawing of lots to decide who finished top. Example: if it ended Ivory Coast 2-2 Cameroon and Mali 1-1 Guinea, then Ivory Coast and Cameroon would go through on goals scored but lots would be drawn for top spot.

Alternatively, if one match ends up in a draw and the other a positive result for either team, this means that a drawing of lots would be required to decide the team who finishes second. Example: If Ivory Coast beat Cameroon 1-0, and Mali draw 1-1 with Guinea, a drawing of lots between Mali and Guinea would be needed to decide who advances in second behind Ivory Coast.

Finally, if both matches end up in the same, positive result for either team, then a drawing of lots would be required to dictate who finished first and second. Example: If Ivory Coast beat Cameroon 1-0 and Mali beat Guinea 1-0, then a drawing of lots between Ivory Coast and Mali would be needed to decide who finishes top.

This method of selection is possibly one of the most unpleasant ways of dictating the team's future in a competition, but would appear a necessity if the situation dictates it.

http://www.espnfc.us/blog/espn-fc-unite ... lots-looms

[World Toure]

ivory coast...just lose thx.

[sheblue]

Cameroon just get it sorted.

[blues2win]

Some talk that losing first phase players expected to attend a reception tomorrow. Fuck off. Get that jet revving up.

[kennyboy]

Ivory loose tonight and we will have Yaya and Bony ready for Chelsea..?
God please

[Ted Hughes]

Already struggling with this.