Get Ready for African Cup of Nations Kick-Off

The African Cup of Nations (or Africa Cup of Nations, if you want to go with the rebranded moniker) kicks off this weekend, with hosts Ghana taking on Guinea in the opening game. Premier League managers may not agree, but it’s arguably the most anticipated, and hopefully the best Africa(n) Cup of Nations we’ve seen in a long long while. The likes of Didier Drogba, Samuel Eto’o and Michael Essien will be competing for honours, alongside some other fantastic players who aren’t as famous but are just as good to watch. Below is a quick preview, with the four groups and a few players to keep an eye on.

Group A

Ghana
Report: Ghana will be without injured captain Stephen Appiah, but still have plenty talent to call on. Recent good news is that Quincy Owusu Abeyie’s appeal to switch nationalities (he had played for Holland’s Under-21s) was successful and Ghana 2008 could be Michael Essien’s tournament.
Player to Watch: Has to be Michael Essien
WCB Ghana Blog – WCB Ghana Preview

Guinea
The Offside Podcast listeners will know this is Ian from Scotland Offside’s favourite team, because Celtic’s Bobo Balde is representing the Scottish Premier League. Not as fancied as the hosts, but could easily be a force in this competition. Souleymane Youla, Fodé Mansaré and Ismaël Bangoura are strikers to be scared of, and playmaker Pascal Feindouno has got the necessary skills.
Player to Watch: Pascal Feindouno of St. Etienne, who can do things like this:

WCB Guinea Preview

Morocco
The Atlas Lions have a squad full of French-based players, especially Youssef Hadji who’s been in great form for Nancy. Bordeaux’s Big skillful striker Marouane Chamakh will lead from the front.
Player to Watch: Much will depend on the form of Maroune Chamakh, and he’s capable of getting the job done with head or feet.
WCB Morocco Blog – WCB Morocco Preview

Namibia
The Brave Warriors recently lost Zambian coach Ben Bamfuchile, who passed away at home. He’s been replaced by Dutchman Arie Schans, and the team will be playing to honour Bamfuchile.
Player to Watch: Hamburg defensive midfielder Collin Benjamin is a man-mountain in the centre of the park.
WCB Namibia Preview

Group B

Benin
The Squirrels probably have the least threatening nickname at the tournament, and maybe the least impressive squad on Group B. But they do have a smattering of European based players and 37-year-old Swiss-born defender Alain Gaspoz who thought he’d retired from professional football until he was called up for duty.
Player to Watch: Le Mans midfielder Stéphane Sessegnon looks classy.

WCB Benin Preview

Cote d’Ivoire
The Elephants will be amongst the favourites and have a squad packed with talent like Arsenal’s defenive colossus Kolo toure, Chelsea striker Didier Drogba, Barcelona midfielder Yaya Toure and many many more.
Player to Watch: One man likely to catch the eye is Lyon striker/right winger Abdul Kader Keita. Look at him go!

WCB Cote d’Ivoire Blog – WCB Cote d’Ivoire Preview

Mali
If Mali make it out of Group B then the team could definitely go far with players like Fredi Kanouté and Seydou Keita of Sevilla and Real Madrid midfield engine Mahamadou Diarra. If Momo Sissoko can rediscover his Liverpool form from last season then that would help too.
Player to Watch: Has to be Fredi Kanouté, who’s pretty much at the peak of his career right now.

WCB Mali Blog – WCB Mali Preview

Nigeria
Nigeria are the highest team in FIFA’s latest World Rankings (leapfrogging the USA to take 19th place) and can boast an insane amount of dangerous strikers. There’s the pace of Obafemi Martins and John Utaka, the strength and skill of Ayegbeni Yakubu and the sheer class that is Mr. Nwankwo Kanu, a joy to watch. The midfield contains world superstar in waiting John Obi Mikel, but is otherwise a little short in quality.
Player to Watch: I’ll be looking out for Kanu. With all those strikers he may have to play a bit deeper, but he can work magic with a football.

WCB Nigeria Blog – WCB Nigeria Preview

Group C

Cameroon
The Indomitable Lions will also fancy their chances to go all the way. They have an experienced defender in Rigobert Song, a quality keeper in Carlos Kameni, a solid defensive mid in Jean Makoum and some guy named Samuel Eto’o playing up front.
Player to Watch: All eyes will be on Samuel Eto’o. The Barcelona striker recently made a goal-scoring return from injury.
WCB Cameroon Blog – WCB Cameroon Preview

Egypt
The current holders may struggle to hang on the trophy. Striker Mido is missing through injury and midfielder Hossam Ghaly chose not to attend. But there’s still the talents of Mohamed Aboutreika and Ahmed Hassan in midfield and Mohamed Zidan.
Player to Watch: Ahmed Hassan, the guy can dribble…

WCB Egypt Blog – WCB Egypt Preview

Sudan
The Desert Hawks have chosen mostly domestic players and will be looking at this tournament as great experience and an opportunity to attract European clubs.
Player to Watch: Faisal Agab, the 37-year-old talisman was left off the initial roster but then named to the 23-man squad.
WCB Sudan Preview

Zambia
Coach Patrick Phiri has ditched big names like Collins Mbesuma and drafted in promising youngsters like James Chamanga instead. The Zambians won’t be anyone’s tip to win the tournament, but could easily pull a couple of surprises.
Player to Watch: Chris Katongo scored a hat-trick against South Africa to get Zambia to the tournament and has started his European career with Brondby by scoring goals.

WCB Zambia Preview

Group D

Angola
Angola played at World Cup 2006 and will bring back a lot of the same squad and some of the younger players emerging through the blossoming domestic league, as well as players already making a name for themselves in European leagues. Probably won’t go all the way, but will be building for 2010 when they host the next African Cup of Nations.
Player to Watch: Manucho. The big striker was recently signed up be Alex Ferguson to give Manchester United’s forward line some height. He’s still waiting on a work permit though.

WCB Angola Preview

Senegal
Not always mentioned among the favourites, but with the attacking threat of El-Hadji Diouf, Henri Camara, Diomansy Kamara and Mamadou Niang they should have no trouble finding the net.
Player to Watch: Mamadou Niang has been banging in goals for Marseille. Example below.

WCB Senegal Blog – WCB Senegal Preview

South Africa
Carlos Alberto Parreira, the Brazilian coach of the 2010 World Cup hosts has controversially left Beni McCarthy out of his African Cup of Nations plans to give some younger strikers a chance.
Player to Watch: Midfielder Steven Pienaar was in the middle of a call-up controversy when Everton tried to hang on to him. But now he’s in the squad and will be the Bafana Bafana’s main creative outlet.
WCB South Africa Blog

Tunisia
The Carthage Eagles won the 2004 tournament, but coach Roger Lemerre isn’t too popular after his unsuccessful defensive approach to World Cup 2006 and his Rafa-like insistrence on chopping and changing the team. Young striker Amine Chemitri at least solves Lemerre’s selection problems for the first two games as he’s suspended.
Player to Watch: Attacking mid/striker Yassine Chikhaoui has been drawing inevitable comparisons with Zinedine Zidane after the great start he’s made at FC Zurich.

WCB Tunisia Blog – WCB Tunisia Preview

For more in-depth coverage of the tournament, don’t be scared to visit the African Cup of Nations at World Cup Blog.

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Category: Africa