Johannesburg- Often the phrase “fortune favours the brave” is dismissed as a cliché, however, it holds true for Cote d’Ivoire goal-keeper Badra Ali Sangare at the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) finals tournament.
Sangare, a goalminder who stood between the Elephants sharing the spoils or losing their first-round match against Equatorial Guinea on Wednesday as they emerged 1-0 winners, is a little-known keeper plying his trade with promotion-chasing JDR Stars in South Africa’s national first division Glad-Africa Championship.
Sangare’s chance to shine at Afcon, since being called up for 2013, 2017, and 2019 finals, comes at a time when the first choice and Ethiopia-based Sylvain Gbohouo is facing doping charges for which he had previously received a provisionally suspended sentence.
Until recently, little was known of Sangare but now the scouts are ready to open their cheque books to lure the Ivorian to the higher echelons of football, probably in Europe.
But at 35, Sangare is no longer a spring chicken, although for keepers he is at a ripe age to still earn a lucrative contract in the PSL’s Premiership or abroad, depending on whether he has an agent who can worm his way into the pockets of top clubs.
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