Group A at the African Nations Cup finals in Equatorial Guinea proved to be something of a surprise with the two less fancied sides advancing to the quarter-finals.
Not many would have put their money on Congo-Brazzaville and the hosts advancing at the expense of more fancied Burkina Faso, finalists in 2013, and a Gabon team with the excellent Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang leading their line.
But it shows that in tournament football you need more than skill alone - there needs to be dressing room harmony, proper planning and a good old dollop of luck.
Leading the Congolese charge is striker Thievy Bifouma, who has the potential to become a real star of this event.
Born in France and capped at junior level for that country, he only won the right to switch to Congo on August 1 last year but was immediately brought into the side by coach Claude LeRoy.
He made an immediate impact too, netting in Congo's historic 3-2 victory in Nigeria in their opening Nations Cup qualification game and has since bagged five goals in 11 appearances for the side.
The rise of the 22-year-old should come as no real surprise - he already has experience of playing in the Spanish La Liga and English Premiership, where he spent the second half of last season on loan at West Bromwich Albion.
He has been described as the "number one asset of Congo" by the coach of the country's neighbours, Florent Ibenge from DR Congo.
On loan at La Liga side Almeria from Espanyol, he is a player used to making quite an impact - he scored after just 36 seconds of his debut for West Brom last year.
Meanwhile, an emotional LeRoy hailed the performance of both Bifouma and his side, who beat current Nations Cup champions Nigeria to qualify for the tournament and 2013 runners-up Burkina Faso while in Equatorial Guinea.
"It's incredible. I feel a lot of emotion and incredible happiness. These guys are incredible," Le Roy told Canal+. "We have come from nowhere. We knocked out Nigeria, the reigning champions, and now we have beaten Burkina Faso, who were runners-up last time.
"Anything that happens from now on is a bonus."
With Bifouma in their side, all things are possible ...
