Dynamic positioning rules the African Cup of Nations in the second round of the group stage
Changing positions on a football field might sound easy, but it takes flexibility and time to be able to cope in a different role. Changing your positioning depending on the state of the game and the position of the ball is another monster. The timing of the movements and the space occupied should be as practiced or else the whole system fails when the opponent regains the ball and your team lacks compactness due to overloading a certain area of the field.
In the second round of the group stage in the African Cup of Nations, dynamic positioning reigned supreme and here we tackle the teams that implemented this idea.
Zimbabwe: Front four musical chairs
After losing to Egypt Sunday Chidzambwa, the Zimbabwean coach, decided that it’s time to combine Talent and Knowledge, quite literally. Zimbabwe continued with their 4–4–2 formation against Uganda. Talent Chawapiwa started on the right wing, Knowledge Musona on the left wing, and Khama Billiat behind Ovidy Karuru up front.
Uganda started the game as the favorites after their impressive performance against DR Congo. They managed to score early through Emmanuel Okwi but after the goal it was all Zimbabwe as the musical chairs started. Zimbabwe’s front four interchanged positions dynamically causing confusion in the Ugandan defence. Players popped up suddenly in positions they shouldn’t have been in. A half chance was created when Divine Lunga found Billiat in the left channel inside the box, as that was happening Musona rushed in to become a second striker next to Karuru. Billiat’s cross found neither but it was a sign of what was coming next.
Billiat now on the left side found Musona this time with a low cross. Musona’s first touch set it up for the equalizer, but he skied it over the bar. Five minutes before the half time whistle Zimbabwe’s efforts were finally redeemed. Karuru dropped deep into the left channel to combine with Chawapiwa who was now playing on the left side. He then kept circulating the ball with Lunga. Once Chawapiwa dropped deep, Karuru saw the vacant space on the left wing and ran into it. Lunga played an excellent ball for Musona who was operating as a striker in that moment. Musona chested it for on the onrushing Karuru to complete the one-three. Now as Musona was deep, the striker space in the box was free and it was time for Billiat to shine. From the right side he attacked that space and Uganda’s left back was in a dilemma whether to defend that space or defend the far post. Billiat met Karuru’s cross and equalized for Zimbabwe.
In the second half Zimbabwe had two chances to win the game, and they should have. It was their goal however that perfectly summarized their exquisite showing of dynamic positioning in the final third.
Algeria: The Mahrez-Feghouli switch
Against Senegal Algeria kept their 4–3–3 formation albeit with a tweak. Out of possession Sofiane Feghouli pushed forward to press Alfred N’Diyae to prevent the Senegalese midfielder from building up freely. Feghouli pressed him brilliantly, and this off the ball movement could have resulted in the opener after Feghouli intercepted the ball towards the end of the first half and passed it to Baghdad Bounedjah whose poor shot went by the post.
It was another off the ball movement however that benefited the Algerians more. The simple switch in position between Riyad Mahrez and Feghouli. Showing glimpse of that in the Kenya game when Feghouli’s run towards the far post attracted Kenya’s left winger, and freed Mahrez near the penalty spot to score the second. Here it was also instrumental in dictating the scoreline. On an offensive transition in the second half, Mahrez was too deep in Algeria’s penalty box. His long ball started a sequence of passes between the Algerian players before Bounedjah played it to the right side. With Mahrez too far, it was Feghouli who was present and his left footed shot missed the target.
The switch presented unpredictability, it also enabled Mahrez to roam inside freely giving him more passing options. The decisive moment came in the following attack after Feghouli’s miss. Mahrez and Feghouli combined on the right side with Feghouli ending up far on the right wing. He pulled the ball back towards the edge of the box for Youcef Belaili who smashed it into the net to score the only goal of the game.
Feghouli’s off the ball movement was key defensively and offensively. It benefited him and Mahrez, but more importantly it benefited the Algerian team and ensured they secured top spot in group C.
Morocco: Overloading the wing area
Morocco’s unimpressive performance against Namibia pushed Herve Renard to introduce Younes Belhanda and Karim El Ahmadi in place of Youssef Ait Bennasser and Mehdi Bourabia in midfield. The main problem against Namibia was the lack of wing threat from Nordin Amrabat and the lack of width from the full backs. Renard and the players successfully corrected these faults in their second game against Côte d’Ivoire.
Hakim Ziyech’s overload in the wing area freed him against Namibia early on, but the lack of runs from his teammates nullified the idea itself. Against Côte d’Ivoire, the full backs Achraf Hakimi and Nabil Dirar pushed forward to provide passing options for the midfielders. Once Ziyech or Amrabat overloaded a wing, the full back on the opposite wing would push forward and a cross field diagonal ball would be played into his path. Another option would be an overlap from the full back residing on the wing where Ziyech and Amrabat are currently present. The first option stretched Côte d’Ivoire through out the game and gave the pacey Hakimi plenty of 1 v 1 situations. However, it was the second option which was close to opening the scoreline when Dirar overlapped on the right side and crossed the ball for Youssef En-Nesyri. The latter’s shot hit the side netting but the striker scored the only goal of the game four minutes after to provide Morocco with a much deserved win.
The ideas implemented above provided the three teams with solutions through the dynamic positioning of their players. What was more impressive though, was the timing of these movements and how they restructured back into a specific shape once they lost the ball. Dynamic positioning through out the ninety minutes would cause chaos for the team implementing it. Organized chaos on the other hand would wreck havoc through the opponent, and that is the target.
