Afcon Sets Africa Alight In Gabon

The 31^st edition of the African Cup of Nations, that kicked off on Saturday in Libreville, Gabon has so far seen only two wins from the opening eight games, with only Senegal and Ghana enjoying victories.

Defending champions Ivory Coast, Algeria,Egypt, Morocco, hosts Gabon, dark-horses Cameroon, Burkina Faso registered draws while African Footballer of the Year, Riyad Mahrez leads the scoring charts with two goals.

Senegal and Algeria, the top-ranked sides on the continent are front-runners to succeed Ivory Coast as the new African champions.

There are suspects who lead the charge to succeed Ivory Coast as Africa’s finest, while some limping giants of yester-years are also in with a shout, not forgetting the likelihood of an outsider springing a surprise. 

Senegal

The Lions of Teranga are ranked number one in Africa by the Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA).

They are led by their mercurial Liverpool attacker, Sadio Mane, who is the club’s leading goal-scorer this season.

Mane will be ably supported by the industrious Cheikh Kouyatte of West Ham United, Mame Diouf of Stoke City, the tough-tackling Idrissa Gueye of Everton, Mohamed Diame of Newcastle and Kalidou Koulibaly, the highly-rated defender at Italian giants SSC Napoli.

A place in the final is not far-fetched for the resurgent team, coached by Aliou Cisse, who was part of a formidable side that defeated defending champions, France before losing in the quarter finals of the 2002 World Cup in South Korea and Japan.

Algeria

The Desert Foxes, another of Africa’s rising power is seen by many as a key contender in Gabon.

Algeria has the fleet-footed Riyad Mahrez, Africa’s Player of the Year whose exploits gifted Leicester its first-ever Premier League title last season.

He currently leads the scorers chart with two goals against Zimbabwe on Sunday.

Mahrez is backed by club-mate Islam Slimane, Yacine Brahimi of Portuguese giants, Porto, Nabil Bentaleb of Schalke 04 in Germany, Adlene Guedioura of English club, Watford and Faouzi Ghoulam of Italian giants, SSC Napoli.

Algeria will bank their recent success to add a second title to the 1990 triumph on home-soil.

The Desert Foxes salvaged a late equalizer to draw two-all against a determined Zimbabwe side that had threatened to upset the odds!

The Pharaohs

Africa’s most successful national side, Egypt won three titles in 2006, 2008 and 2010 before the Arab Spring threw the nation into turmoil in 2011.

After missing the past three editions, Egypt led by Arsenal’s combative midfielder, Mohamed Elneny and Muhammed Salah of Italian giants, AS Roma, the team is set to challenge for the honors once again.

Egypt defeated Nigeria, another of Africa’s giants to the sole ticket to this year’s edition.

Veteran shot-stopper, Essam El Hadary, who stood in the post for the victories in 2006, 08 and 2010 is in the squad alongside Ahmed Elmohamady of Hull City, Ramada Sobhi of Stoke City and key players from the high-profile Al Ahly and Zamalek sides.

Egypt held Mali to a goalless draw in the opening match last night.

Black Stars

One of Africa’s best sides not to win the tournament I since their last triumph in 1982.

Twice runners-up in 2010 and 2015, the team is led by prolific goal-scorer, Asamoah Gyan of Al Ahli in the United Arab Emirates, Daniel Amartey of English champions Leicester, Thomas Partey of Spanish giants, Atletico Madrid, Christian Atsu of Newcastle and the Ayew brothers, Andre of West Ham and Jordan of Aston Villa.

Avram Grant, who led English giants, Chelsea to the UEFA Champions League and League Cup final in the 2007-08 season, is the man tasked with leading Ghana to the 2017 diadem. He also coached West Ham United.

Black needed an Andrew Ayew penalty in the first half, to beat Uganda in a match the East Africans were unlucky not to score in the second half.

Atlas Lions

Morocco’s only triumph was in 1976.

The team is making a return to the competition after its suspension by Confederation of African Football (CAF) from the 2015 edition for refusal to host the tournament due to the Ebola virus that hit West Africa.

Atlas Lions are led by Herve Renard, the French tactician who led Zambia to glory in 2012 and Ivory Coast in 2015.

Mehdi Benatia of Italian champions, Juventus, Sofiane Boufal of Southampton and Nordin Amrabat of Watford are the key men in Renard’s team.

Renard’s impressive showing at the helm of Zambia and Ivory Coast makes Morocco a side capable of springing a surprise in Gabon.

They lost by a solitary goal to Democratic Republic of Congo in the opening match, in a match they should have won.

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Three others go into the tournament, with little expectations, either due to international retirement by their stars and others opting to stay with their clubs in the European leagues.

Cameroon

Giants of yester-years best describes the West African nation.

Indomitable Lions as they are fondly called won a trio of titles in 2000, 2002 and 2004, but have since relinquished the fear factor to the likes of Cote D’Ivoire, Senegal and Algeria.

The unavailability of key players such as Liverpool defender, Joel Matip, Eric Moting of Schalke 04, Allan Nyom of English side West Bromwich Albion and Andre Anguissa of Olympic Marseille in France left coach Hugo Broos with a team deprived of power and experience.

They drew one-all in the opening match against a physical Burkina Faso side.

Ivory Coast

The Elephants are the defending champions. Without the their golden boys, Didier Drogba, Yaya Toure, Kolo Toure who retired and the injured Gervinho, the nation stands slim chances of defending the title won two years ago.

Eric Bailly, a defender with English powerhouse, Manchester United, Wilfred Zaha of Crystal Palace, Wilfred Bony of Stoke City and Serge Aurier of Paris Saint Germain in France are the notable men in Coach Michel Dussuyer’s line-up.

Progressing from a tough group that includes a resurgent Atlas Lions of Morocco under the man who led them to glory in 2015, a potentially tricky Democratic Republic of Congo team and Togo is no easy task.

A semi-final berth perhaps represents the defending champion’s realistic chance in Gabon.

The Elephants fired blanks in the opening match against Togo, in a drub match that ended goalless. 

Democratic Republic of Congo

The Red Devils won third place in the 2015 edition held in Equatorial Guinea.

Cedrick Bakambu of Villareal will lead the line in the absence of Benik Afobe of Bournemouth, who opted out of the competition.

Mbemba Chancel of Newcastle, Youssuf Mulumbu of Norwich and Dieumerci Mbokani, the hard-working striker at English club, Hull City are the other high-profile names in The Leopards team, that seeks to go one better than the third place in Equatorial Guinea in 2015. 

The team has an array of talent from the TP Mazembe, one of Africa’s most dominant club sides that who won CAF Confederations Cup last year. 

They are Matampi Ley, Issama Djo, Bope Merveille and Bolingi Jonathan.

In Florent Ibenge, the team has one of Africa’s most successful local coaches in recent times.

After a lucky win against Morocco in the opening match, The Leopards are set to fight for the top two slots from a tough group, in a tough pool that also includes Ivory Coast and Togo.