A strange scoring trend has again stood out at the Africa Cup of Nations, with Egypt and Senegal adding fresh examples of a pattern that has followed the tournament since Algeria’s goal earlier in the competition.
The latest matches confirmed that goals have often arrived from rare sources and at unexpected moments, with teams finding it hard to score and several games being decided by fine margins rather than open, high-scoring football.
Egypt were the latest side to underline the point, as their game once again followed the same script seen repeatedly at AFCON: tight play, few clear chances, and a goal that did not come from the usual attacking flow many expected.
Senegal’s match told a similar story. Despite their quality and experience, the defending champions also found themselves in another contest where the decisive moments were limited, reinforcing how difficult it has been for even the strongest teams to produce goals freely in this tournament.
This unusual trend has been developing since Algeria’s earlier goal, and the games that followed have continued to support the same picture: low-scoring encounters, heavy tactical battles, and goals that feel more like isolated incidents than sustained pressure.
As AFCON progresses, the tournament keeps offering the same message — scoring has become a challenge, and the competition is being shaped by small details rather than a wave of attacking football.
