AFCON 2015: Let The Coundown Begin...

AFCON 2015 is almost upon us and as the clock keeps ticking, soccer loving fans across the world can wait to have a feel of the biggest sporting event in the continent of Africa.

Whilst preparations for the kick-off gets heated up, teams are already in camp preparing vigorously for the 16-nation competition.

The tournament which runs from January 17 – February 8, 2015 will see 16 teams slog it out for the ultimate prize and just as we continue to build up to the big one, it will be nice to let you know what to expect when the AFCON 2015 kicks off in January 17.

When the Confederation of African Football (CAF) released the groupings of the AFCON 2015, the major attention had to be the showdown to expect in Group C (regarded as the ‘’Group Of Death”).

Few tournaments have thrown up such a tough section as Group C at the African Nations Cup 2015 with favorite – Algeria, battling it out with Ghana, Senegal and South Africa for a place in the quarterfinal. Group C has continued to raise so much anticipation and major eyes are on the“Desert Foxes” of Algeria who are currently the number one African team on the FIFA rankings.

Let’s take a proper look at what to expect when the AFCON 2015 kicksoff;

Group A

Group A is made up of the host Equatorial Guinea, Burkina Faso, Gabon and Congo. Two of the teams will need to battle their way to the quarterfinals and unfortunately the other two will be packing their bags and baggage and heading home after the first round.

But the question is which two teams will be standing at the end of the group stages?

Equatorial Guinea

Equatorial Guinea qualified as host of the competition on 14 November 2014 when Morocco (the previous host) decided they were no longer interested in hosting the tournament due to fears surrounding the Ebola virus in West Africa.

The “Nzalang Nacional”, as they are popularly called will be making only their second appearance in the competition. Their first appearance was in 2012 when they co-hosted it with Gabon.

Football in Equitorial Guinea has tremendously improved over the years as the female team of the country won its first women AFCON trophy at the expense of South Africa in 2012 defeating the super falcons on the road to success.

In AFCON 2015, Equitorial Guinea will have the added advantage as host as their fans will be in their numbers to support them.

Can they pull a surprise again like they did in 2012? Time will tell.

Burkina Faso

The Stallions of Burkina Faso will be making their 10th appearance in the African Cup. Their best showing was in 2013 in South Africa when they lost the finals to the Super Eagles of Nigeria.

Burkina Faso qualified as Group C runners up with 11 points. They have the men to do the job for them. With the 2013 Most Valuable Player, Jonathan Pitroipa, in spectacular form, they will be hoping for at least a repeat of their 2013 feat by making a second successive appearance in the finals.

Gabon

This is Gabon’s sixth appearance in the AFCON. Their best showings were in 1996 and 2012 when they made it to the quarterfinals.

They qualified as Group C winners with 12 points, one ahead of Burkina Faso.

Their talisman is CAF 2014 African Player of the year finalist and Borussia Dortmund’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang . He is a game changer, and his ability to play as a striker and a winger is a boost for the Gabonese team.

Gabonese International, Pierre Aubemenyang

But can he carry the team alone on his shoulders?

Congo

Congo qualified as Group A runners up in expense of the Super Eagles of Nigeria. They qualified two points behind group winners South Africa. Congo, one time African Champions in 1972 and fourth in 1974, has not been a formidable force in the continental game since.

They also have the experience of their coach, Claude Le Roy to bank on. The Frenchman is well vexed in African football and the African terrain. Perhaps he can conjure some magic to help his side go far in the competition.

Group B

Group B is made up of the Chipolopolo of Zambia, the Carthage Eagles of Tunisia, the Blue Sharks of Cape Verde and the Leopards of DR Congo.

So what are their chances?

Zambia

Zambia has a rich AFCON history behind them coming into this competition. They will be making their 17th appearance in the continental game — they won it once, were twice runners up, three time Bronze winners and made two quarterfinal appearances.

They were unlucky again in 1994 in Tunisia when they missed out on the trophy by losing 2-1 to Nigeria in the finals but broke the jinx in 2012 in Equatorial Guinea and Gabon when they defeated favourite Côte d’Ivoire after a dramatic penalty shootout in the final. They dedicated their win to members of the national team and coaches who died in a plane crash near Libreville, Gabon, the final’s venue of the 2013 AFCON.

Tunisia

One time African Champions as host in 2004, Tunisia will be making their 17th appearance. Tunisia has made consistent appearances in the AFCON since 1994.

Tunisia qualified as Group G winners with 14 points. They beat Egypt, their rivals and six time African champions, 2-1 in their final qualifiers.

Cape Verde
Many will say Cape Verde are the underdogs in this group because they are only making their second appearance in the competition. But with a very impressive outing the last time, the little team from South Africa region will be fancying their chances to make it to the next round.

In their first appearance in 2013, they wowed football fans with their speed and power to qualify to the quarterfinals.

They were surprisingly one of the two teams to qualify to Equatorial Guinea with two qualifying games to spare. They finished Group F, made up of Mozambique, Niger and Zambia, with 12 points.

DR Congo
Two-time African Champions DR Congo, like Zambia and Tunisia, will be appearing at the AFCON for the 17th time. They won the competition in 1968 and ’74.

They only managed to qualify for this year’s AFCON with nine points as the third best qualifying team to secure a bonus spot after a 3-1 win over Sierra Leone in their last qualifying match.

Their last appearance was at the 2013 AFCON in South Africa. Unfortunately for them, they were knocked out in the first round after drawing all their three matches.

It’s all to fight for in Group B with all teams standing equal chances to make it to the next round

Group C

Last month’s draw in Malabo brought together four of the continent’s top teams, who all showed tournament-winning potential during the September to November qualifying campaign.

Algeria

Africa’s top-ranked team Algeria picked up where they left off from their World Cup exploits, where they went past the group phase for the first time and took eventual champions Germany to extra time in the second round before going out.

Algeria won five matches in the Nations Cup qualifiers in a seamless leadership transition as Christian Gourcuff took over as coach from Vahid Halilhodzic without missing a beat. Algeria will be counting on their talisman, Yacine Brahimi (current BBC footballer of the year) to lead them to success.

New BBC African footballer of the Year, Yacine Brahimi.

Senegal

Senegal were equally impressive even though they did not win the group as they beat Egypt twice and were unlucky to lose to a stoppage time goal in Tunisia as they claimed a qualifying spot.

They will be banking on players like Sadio Mane (Southampton), Papiss Cisse (Newcastle), Diafra Sakho (Westham) and Mame Birame Diouf (Stoke City) to do the magic for them.

Coach Alain Giresse however dropped the experienced Demba Ba from the squad to the surprise of many fans back home.

Ghana

With former Chelsea boss, Avram Grant now in charge of Black Stars of Ghana squad, many expect the team to do very well at the AFCON 2015.

Ghana topped their qualifying group, albeit with a little less conviction by changing coaches halfway through the campaign but with a new manager, many expects the west African team to go far at the tournament.

South Africa
South Africa have shown a lot of improvement since missing out on last year’s World Cup and were responsible for eliminating Nations Cup holders Nigeria in the qualifiers.

Bafana Bafana finished their six-match programme unbeaten, conceding three goals with a refreshed team that is younger than before but chosen to build towards the next World Cup in Russia.

The side has come on a lot quicker than expected.

Group C is based in Mongomo where a new pitch has been laid at the recently built municipal stadium. So many football pundits have refused to make any predictions as they have automatically regarded this group as the ‘’Group of death’’.

Group D

Cote’d’Ivoire

Cote’d’ivoire open their AFCON 2015 account with a Group D fixture against Guinea in Malabo on 20 January.

With its recent crop of players made up of players like Yaya Toure, Winfred Bony, Gervinho and the rest, many expect the Les Elephants to get it right this time.

Ivory coast will be banking on the services of their skipper,Yaya Toure,who last week won the CAF 2014 African Player Of The Year.

Mali

Mali, semifinalist at the AFCON 2013 open their account with a fixture against the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon.

Mali finished second in Group B, six points behind runaway leaders Algeria in a relatively easy group.

Guinea

Guinea finishing second, a point behind Ghana in Group E. Maybe regarded as the underdogs in the group, it will be at your own peril to write this team off.

Cameroon

Cameroon without the experience Samuel Eto’o will be looking to bounce back from a dismal outing at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil when they face Mali on January 20.

The Indomitable Lions and Les Elephants will be confident of putting aside Mali and Guinea, before battling it out for what could potentially decide who tops Group D, with Herve Renard’s side managing a single point against Cameroon in qualification.

Now the big question is, who will win emerge winners of the AFCON 2015 come February 8?

Africa Cup of Nations is currently the 3rd most watched football competition in the world in terms of its cumulative TV audience, coming after the FIFA World Cup and the European Nations Championship (Euro)