Eleven months away
to the 35th Africa Cup of Nations finals, the Super Eagles
already know their group phase opponents, following a colourful draw ceremony
at the Mohamed V Theatre in Rabat on Monday evening.
The three-time
champions must negotiate a group C that also houses Tunisia’s Carthage Eagles,
the Cranes of Uganda and the Taifa Stars of Tanzania. The Eagles open their
campaign by clashing with the Taifa Stars.
Before the
ceremony, Super Eagles’ Head Coach Éric Sékou Chelle told
the world that “Nigeria have a good crop of players globally and we believe we
are up to the task.”
As hosts of the AFCON for the first time ever, in
1980, the Eagles battled the Taifa Stars in the tournament opening match,
complete with their highly-rated team captain Leodegar Tenga and the enigmatic
goalkeeper Jona Pondamali. Nigeria won 3-1 and went ahead to win their first
continental title.
Twenty years later, as co-hosts (with Ghana), Nigeria
played Tunisia in their first match of the tournament, beating the Carthage
Eagles 4-2 in Lagos. The Eagles went all the way to the Final, losing to
Cameroon only after a penalty shootout.
The Carthage Eagles pipped the Super Eagles by a lone
goal in the Round of 16 at the finals in Cameroon three years ago, ending the
sweet run of the three-time champions.
Uganda have always proved a tough nut to crack for
Nigeria, including a 2-1 win over the Eagles at the 1978 finals in Ghana that
condemned Nigeria to the third-place match. Nigeria won that third-place match
after Tunisia abandoned the match in the 42nd minute.
Nigeria legend Mutiu Adepoju, who won the AFCON trophy
in 1994 and was in the Nigeria team to three FIFA World Cup finals, told thenff.com on Monday night:
“Given the level of our players, their outing at the last AFCON where they came
close to winning the trophy, and the good and great things they’re doing with
their various clubs in Europe presently, I am confident that we have a team
that can compete favourably and perhaps win the trophy for the fourth time in
Morocco.”
Hosts and 1976 winners Morocco head group A that also
includes 2012 champions Zambia, 1972 runners-up Mali and Comoros that will be
playing in only their second championship.
Cup holders Cote d’Ivoire head group F and must
negotiate a tricky pool that also has five-time champions Cameroon, Gabon and
Mozambique, while seven-time winners Egypt are at war with 1996 hosts and
champions South Africa, Angola and Zimbabwe in group B.
2021 winners Senegal are at loggerheads with two-time
winners Democratic Republic of Congo, Benin Republic and Botswana in group D,
while 1990 and 2019 winners Algeria will confront Burkina Faso, Equatorial
Guinea and Sudan in group E.
GROUP A: Morocco, Mali, Zambia, Comoros
GROUP B: Egypt, South Africa, Angola, Zimbabwe
GROUP C: Nigeria, Tunisia, Uganda, Tanzania
GROUP D: Senegal, DR Congo, Benin Republic, Botswana
GROUP E: Algeria, Burkina Faso, Equatorial Guinea, Sudan
GROUP F: Cote d’Ivoire, Cameroon, Gabon,
Mozambique
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