If you’re an American viewer that can’t get enough of watching soccer on TV, you’ve probably quickly realized this summer that you actually can get enough of it.
The Women’s World Cup has dominated our mornings and early afternoons with the competition now reaching a crescendo in the quarterfinals. Meanwhile, our evenings have been populated with what’s turning into a truly excellent Gold Cup, leaving little time for a Copa América that now demands our attention as the quarterfinal stage begins as well.
And with the World Cup and Gold Cup on FOX and the Copa América on ESPN+, we’ve already had 84 totally accessible matches played across the three competitions over the course of only 20 days. Let us know if you’ve watched them all and how you’re feeling.
With all this going on, the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations on beIN Sports has struggled for coverage in the U.S. By the end of Wednesday, 15 matches will have been completed in Egypt, but the tournament has turned into something of a slow burn following an expansion from 16 to 24 teams (just like the Women’s World Cup, the four best third-placed teams will advance to the Round of 16).
But there’s already a lot to captivate: the performance of the host nation and talisman Mohamed Salah; Cameroon’s defense of its crown; the direction of Senegal and Nigeria, which both suffered heartbreaking group stage exits at last summer’s men’s World Cup.
Here are six incredible moments from the start of AFCON 2019 that you might've missed.
#1. Opening ceremony looking like Daft Punk playing from inside the Great Pyramid of Giza.
But but Africa lacks creativity....
Egypt: hold my beer#AFCON2019 pic.twitter.com/r8lwQVaDbD— GOdDY (@FredYawKyei) June 21, 2019
#2. The first goal of the tournament in Cairo, scored by Egypt’s Trézéguet.
What a goal from Trezeguet!
Salah and Trezeguet need more backup.. and Marwan wake up plz! pic.twitter.com/fnat0FV5g4— Nees (@NesreenMoussa) June 21, 2019
#3. This preposterous backheel assist from Nigeria's Ola Aina to setup Odion Ighalo’s winner against Burundi. This is one of the greatest passes of all time.
#4. A bit of hyper violence from Senegal’s Krepin Diatta. What a hit.
#5. Mali’s Abdoulay Diaby goes top shelf, where momma keeps the cookies.
#6. This incredible miss from Zimbabwe’s Knowledge Musona.
What a miss!! Knowledge Musona eish... 51min Uganda 1-1 Zimbabwe #TotalAFCON2019 #UGAZIM pic.twitter.com/jeGVAABRNe
— Ash Tikiwa (@ashtikiwa) June 26, 2019
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