Foster to Aubameyang: A look at stars being sorely missed at the 2023 Afcon

With the 34th Afcon edition in motion, SuperSport.com looks at notable stars whose services are being sorely missed at the ongoing Ivory Coast tournament.

The continental football showpiece will run from January 14 to February 13, 2024, in Ivory Coast.

However, this Afcon is being deprived of stars such as Bafana Bafana’s Lyle Foster, Gabadinho Mhango of Malawi and Gabon skipper Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

Bafana Bafana have finally returned to the Afcon finals. However, hopes of watching Foster replicating his Burnley FC form on the continental stage have been dealt a blow.

The ex-Orlando Pirates forward Foster is still recovering from mental health issues. Burnley. FC boss Vincent Kompany told his Bafana Bafana counterpart Hugo Broos that Foster needs close monitoring. It is for this reason that the 23-year-old will miss the Ivory Coast Afcon edition.

Another face out of the Bafana Bafana's Afcon party is that of striker Lebo Mothiba. The towering Strasbourg player is injured. You just never know what Foster and Mothiba's partnership could have done for Bafana Bafana at Afcon. South Africa started the campaign with a 2-0 loss to Mali.

Surely, Foster could have converted the many scoring chances, which the likes of Percy Tau fluffed in the first half of the Group E match.

Away from Foster, an ever-smiling figure of former Arsenal striker Aubameyang will be sorely missed from this Afcon platform.

Now doing duty with Marseille in the French Ligue 1, Aubameyang's absence from this Afcon is due to Gabon's failure to qualify for the continental competition.

However, even if Gabon had made it to Abidjan, it is unlikely that the former Borussia Dortmund forward would have earned selection. This is largely due to the ex-Arsenal skipper's off-the-field issues that cost him a place at the last Afcon edition.

Closer home, Zambia have returned to Afcon for the first time in nine years. Unfortunately, Chipolopolo will miss the services of Enock Mwepu. The Computer, as Mwepu is known affectionately, was forced to call it time on his career last year due to a heart complication. Mwepu was a peer for the likes of Foster having launched their international careers at Cosafa Youth Championship around 2015.

Across the borders of South Africa, Zimbabwe have a growing number of top footballers.

However, the Warriors were not able to compete in the Afcon qualifiers as they were serving a Fifa ban. The world football governing body banned Zimbabwe from international football due to the government's interference in the FA's affairs.

Consequently, the Warriors won't be able to display their talents such as Luton FC's Marvelous Nakamba at the Ivory Coast showpiece.

Staying in Southern Africa, Malawi rarely makes it to the Afcon finals. But when the Flames made it to the 2021 edition in Cameroon, they reached the round-of- 16 for the first time. Furthermore, their forward Gabadinho Mhango impressed the neutrals.

The Moroka Swallows striker was among the 2021 Afcon top scorers with three goals from three games. He netted the CAF Goal-of- the -Year contender in Malawi's 2-1 loss to Morocco. Just like Foster, Gabadinho also played for Pirates years ago.

Elsewhere, it is becoming a norm that East Africa is rarely represented at the Afcon finals.

Even with such a scenario, it was always a joy watching either Ethiopia or Uganda displaying their athleticism. Both teams did not qualify for this Afcon version.

Of course, Ghana are being denied the services of their midfield powerhouse Thomas Partey of Arsenal due to injury.

Wilfred Ndidi is also in the same shoes having withdrawn from Nigeria's Super Eagles squad.

Cameroon entered this year's Afcon while seeking to build on the promise shown in the last edition. However, their one-all draw with 10-man Guinea suggested that the Indomitable Lions missed the finishing of Eric-Choupo Moting.

However, the Indomitable Lions' coach Rigobert Song decided to drop from his squad the Bayern Munich striker Moting.