Congrats, gallant Stars!

The ongoing 30th Africa Cup of Nations in Equatorial Guinea has been a great revelation and, on hindsight, it appears insightful that the tournament is taking place after all.

We have been impressed to date about the standard and quality display by the teams and the players, which speak volumes for African football’s improvement.

For a tournament which suffered a stark lack of preparation by its new hosts and uncertainty that surrounding its patronage and even participation by the qualified nations, the steam that it has gathered now must be amazing.

We are fascinated by the competitive spirit of all the teams such that it has not been an easy run in any of the four groups in the preliminaries. 

But the surprise packet must have come from Equatorial Guinea, who have qualified from Group A for the quarter-finals along with Congo, leaving the fancied Gabon and Burkina Faso in the doldrums.

For Group B, the qualification of Tunisia and Dr Congo must have followed the script, except for Zambia, the 2012 champions, who were expected to repeat the form they displayed barely three years ago.

Group D has even been an amazing quantity with all four on two points apiece and the two to emerge for the next round can be known only after today’s ties.

Cameroun, Cote d’ Ivoire, Guinea and Mali in that group have all lived up to their billing in this apparent West African football summit.

It is the prediction of many that this group and the Ghana group will produce the eventual winner of the tournament.

And for the Black Stars, the hunger for the trophy since 1982 when they last won it was evident last night when they came from a goal down in the first half to beat South Africa 2-1 to top the group.

We must praise the Stars for their efforts and the desire to die for their nation when it mattered most.

Last night’s performance was also a test of their character not to lose again to the Bafana Bafana, who had previously beaten them twice at this level.

We doff our hats for the gallant Stars for the honour done to themselves, their admirers and their entire country.

We hope they do not dim the light but hold aloft the torch till the grand finale. Up, up, glittering Stars!