|
|
|
|
All-star cast seek glory at intriguing African Nations Cup (18.01.2006)
Cafonline.com
The African Nations Cup begins this week with an all-star cast promising to produce a compelling three-week football feast. All the top national teams are in Egypt and all the top players bar injured Ghana midfielder Michael Essien as Tunisia defend a title won on home soil two years ago.
Former African Footballer of the Year Kalusha Bwalya from Zambia says any one of 10 countries could win a 16-nation tournament that has grown immensely from humble roots 49 years ago.
Egypt were the first winners with hosts Sudan and Ethiopia the only other contenders after South Africa were barred for refusing to field a multiracial team.
This week, 16 teams packed with Europe-based professionals led by striker Samuel Eto`o of Barcelona and Didier Drogba of Chelsea challenge for a trophy that symbolises continental supremacy.
And while Bwalya may be a trifle optimistic with his number of potential champions, there is no doubt Egypt, Cameroon, Cote d`Ivoire, Ghana, Morocco, Nigeria, Senegal and Tunisia can go all the way.
Shock 2006 World Cup qualifiers Angola and Togo are not good enough to reach the summit, but can cause upsets, while DR Congo, Guinea, South Africa and Zambia have been so bad they are overdue a change of fortune.
That leaves Libya, the only qualifiers not in the top 16 of the African rankings, and Zimbabwe as the only no-hopers in a competition that begins Friday at Cairo Stadium and ends on February 10 at the same venue.
And as Egypt prepared to host the strongest field assembled for the African showcase came further proof of the growth of the game on a continent where sport serves as an antidote to the daily grind for social survival.
A decade ago one could count the number of Africans performing in England on a hand. Now Monaco striker Emmanuel Adebayor, whose 11 goals were crucial to the qualification of Togo, has swelled a mini-army by joining Arsenal.
In Cairo-based Group A four-time winners Egypt and former champions Cote d`Ivoire and Morocco must battle for two places in the knockout phase while hyper-cautious Libya are dangerous because they have nothing to lose.
Egypt can parade star striker Ahmed `Mido` Hossam, Cote d`Ivoire boast the deadliest attack on the continent in Drogba and Aruna
|
Dindane and will there be a more polished defender on view than veteran Moroccan Noureddine Naybet?
Eto`o-inspired Cameroon are the obvious choice to top Cairo-based Group B, but who finishes second? Amazing Angola led by Fabrice `Akwa` Maieco, tigerish Togo led by Adebayor or troubled DR Congo led by Lomana LuaLua.
Apart from possessing proven matchwinners, Angola and Togo boast mean defences and that will always provide hope in a tournament where calculators may be needed to separate some contenders. DR Congo are dark horses. Everyone outside the vast central Africa country expects them to fare poorly and the last time they were dismissed as whipping boys, the Lions came third in 1998 by scoring three goals in four minutes.
Tunisia, finely tuned and settled under meticulous French coach Roger Lemerre, are favoured to win Alexandria-based Group C, leaving skilful Guinea, struggling South Africa and unpredictable Zambia fighting for second spot.
And what a scrap it promises to be with the opening-round showdown between former champions South Africa and 2004 quarter-finalists Guinea potentially critical to the final outcome.
Bwalya-coached Zambia must be concerned by the form of talisman Collins Mbesuma, who has been a flop at English Premiership strugglers Portsmouth after scoring bags of goals for Kaizer Chiefs in South Africa.
Every football tournament has a Group of Death, but this Nations Cup has two with Group D rivalling Group A as four-time champions Ghana, twice winners Nigeria and talented Senegal lock horns in Port Said.
Spirited but limited Zimbabwe must fear the worst after 5-1 and 3-0 hidings from Nigeria during the 10-round qualifying process while the southern Africa champions can expect no mercy from World Cup qualifiers Ghana, or 2002 World Cup quarter-finalists Senegal.
A glance at the 23-man Nigeria squad with midfielder Jay-Jay Okocha making his international swansong suggests they can not only top the table, but lift the trophy, and the Ghana-Senegal clash should decide who finishes runners-up.
Egypt and Libya launch the 32-game programme with group matches daily until the end of January, followed by quarter-finals, semi-finals, the third-place play-off and a final poised to match the best in Nations Cup history.
AFP
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Hits: 7003 | AFP
|  |  | Toutes les ( 0 ) Réactions
|
|
|
Pour réagir, vous devez être connecté. Enregistrez vous et connectez vous.
|
Première page
Toute l' actualité
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
