2015 AFRICA CUP OF NATIONS AFRICAN FOOT BALL Who will soar in the absence of the Super Eagles? NA0115.indb 81 13/12/2014 08:32 Edited and compiled by Colin Udoh Fears, tears and cheers n previous years, club versus country disputes have Ebebiyín might be even more troubling. It is even tended to dominate the headlines in the run-up to more remote than Mongomo, and does not seem to Africa Cup of Nations tournaments. The stories are have an airport nearby. The venue meanwhile can hold typically of European clubs, unhappy about losing just 5,000 spectators, a fraction of the 35,000 that the their African talent for two to three weeks in the national stadium in Bata can accommodate. middle of the season, pulling out all the stops in a Teams hoping to win the AFCON title will have to Ibid to hold on to their players. negotiate far more than just some transport problems. This time, however, the controversy centred on a much After all, although Nigeria and Egypt surprisingly failed more serious issue: Ebola. Whether rightly or wrongly, the to qualify, there is no shortage of dangerous-looking designated hosts Morocco were so concerned that they teams in the competition. The embarrassment of talent requested a postponement, then withdrew outright when enjoyed by the likes of Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana and Algeria the Confederation of African Football (CAF) turned will fill their opponents with fear, while so many of the down their request. teams once considered Africa’s minnows have grown in That is the reason Equatorial Guinea, who had been stature and quality in recent years. ruled out of the qualification play-offs for fielding an More and more players who were born, raised and ineligible player, ended up with the hosting role. The trained in European academies are choosing to represent central African country does not seem particularly their African homelands, while more and more players worried about the possibilities of Ebola spreading, but who grew up on the continent are forging successful it still has to contend with its historical infrastructural careers in Africa and across the world. Furthermore, difficulties. with the level of domestic competition improving and In 2012, Equatorial Guinea struggled when they cohesion among players growing, the so-called “lesser co-hosted the tournament in Malabo and Bata, two of sides” are finding that their talent as a team can far their biggest cities. But for this edition, Mongomo and outweigh the influence of even the biggest individual Ebebiyín have been added, both of which could provide superstars. the organisers with a serious headache. In any case, there probably isn’t the same plethora of The Malabo Stadium, Mongomo is a small town deep in the jungle in eastern game-changing icons as in past tournaments, though one of Equatorial Equatorial Guinea, with a stadium that is barely expected that’s not to say AFCON 2015 won’t be all the more Guinea’s four venues to pass muster. A stadium inspection ahead of the draws entertaining, dramatic and unpredictable for it. for this edition of the in December hardly inspired confidence. Let the games begin! Africa Cup of Nations 82 New African January 2015 NA_FootPreview_0115 Publisher Proof Reader NA0115.indb 82 13/12/2014 08:32 Creation date 11/09/11 Editor Production Manager Modification date December 13, 2014 8:31 AM Art Director Advertising Manager Output date 12/13/14 Subeditor Picture Editor 2015 AFRICA CUP OF NATIONS GROUP A EQUATORIAL GUINEA, BURKINA FASO, GABON, REPUBLIC OF CONGO EQUATORIAL GUINEA GABON REPUBLIC OF CONGO Best Finish: Quarter-final, 2012. Best Finish: Quarter-finals, 1996, 2012. Best Finish: Champions, 1972. If not for Morocco's late Gabon was one of four Not many people will withdrawal as hosts over fears countries, along with South remember that Congo's about Ebola, Equatorial Guinea Africa, Cameroon and Tunisia, Diables Rouges (“Red Devils”) would be nowhere near this who went through qualifying are past African champions, tournament. But now that they unbeaten, finishing top of their winning the title in 1972 at only are in as the new hosts, they will be hoping to group. This was especially noteworthy given that their second appearance in the competition. But repeat their heroics of three years ago when, they did so partly without the services of it has been mostly downhill since that moment buoyed by partisan home support, they made temperamental star striker Pierre-Emerick of glory, with the country qualifying only every the quarter-finals after beating Senegal and Aubameyang, who often was not made available other tournament. Libya. by his club Borussia Dortmund. The squad's That was an imbalance that needed ad- There is only so much the fans can do, showing without him demonstrated that they dressing and the national football association however, and on the field, Spanish coach Andoni are much more than a one-man team under picked Frenchman Claude Leroy to do so. The Goikoetxea will need his troops to go at full Portuguese coach Jorge Costa, who has been in experienced campaigner set about overhauling throttle. the job less than a year. the squad, mixing players who ply their trade on In 2012, the Nzalang Nacional (“National When they were co-hosts with neighbour- the continent with those who play in Europe. Thunder”) were significantly helped by a con- ing Equatorial Guinea in 2012, Les Panthères Spirits were boosted when they stunned de- troversial policy whereby the government gave (“The Panthers”) got as far as the quarter-finals. fending champions Nigeria 3-2 away from home foreigner players national citizenship in order to On current form, they stand a great chance of in qualifying, laying the foundations for their appear for the team. It could well do the same equalling if not surpassing that record. heroic return to AFCON in 15 long years. this time round too. POSSIBLE LINE-UP: Didier Ovono, Henri POSSIBLE LINE-UP: Chancel Massa, Fran- POSSIBLE LINE-UP: Felipe Ovono, Kily, Dios- Ndong, Johann Obiang, Randal Oto’o, Levy cis N’ganga, Arnold Motou, Dimitri Bissiki, dado Mbele, Jimmy Bermúdez, Sipo, Juvenal, Clement, Lloyd Palun, Ibrahim N’dong, André Sagesse Babélé, Césaire Gandzé, Prince Viera Ellong, César Rivas, Dio, Mauricio Mina, Poko; Malick Evouna, Frédéric Bulot, Pierre- Oniangue, Boris Ngounga, Férébory Doré, Jônatas Obina. Emerick Aubameyang. Thievy Bifouma, Francis Litsingi. Burkina Faso’s Alain Traoré (l) playing for his club BURKINA FASO Lorient in a French League 1 game against Ajaccio Best Finish: Runners-up, 2013. Up until 1996, Burkina Faso had only made one appear- ance at the Finals, but it is testament to their growing quality that they have qualified on every occasion but two since then and came within 90 minutes of winning in 2013. Inspired by the effervescent Jonathan Pitroipa and Aristide Bancé, Les Étalons (“The Stallions”) will be hoping to go one better this time round, but in reality, they may do well to get out of the group stage. Burkina Faso lost recently to both Congo and Gabon, while Alain Traoré, whose 3 goals helped propel them to the final in 2013, has been plagued by injury this season and may be lacking in form. POSSIBLE LINE-UP: Germain Sanou, Bakary Koné, Mohamed Koffi, Paul Koulibaly, Nar- cisse Bambara, Charles Kaboré, Jonathan Zongo, Djakaridja Koné, Bertrand Traoré, Aristide Bancé, Jonathan Pitroipa. January 2013 New African 83 NA_FootPreview_0115 Publisher Proof Reader NA0115.indb 83 13/12/2014 08:32 Creation date 11/09/11 Editor Production Manager Modification date December 13, 2014 8:31 AM Art Director Advertising Manager Output date 12/13/14 Subeditor Picture Editor GROUP B ZAMBIA, TUNISIA, CAPE VERDE, DRCONGO TUNISIA CAPE VERDE Best Finish: Champions, 2004. Best Finish: Quarter-finals, 2013. It will perhaps come as a Over the last four years, Cape surprise that in 16 appear- Verde, one of Africa’s smallest ances at the Africa Cup of nations, have made stunning Nations Finals, Tunisia have progress on the football pitch. only won the tournament Helped by the conscription of once. The Carthage Eagles will be trying to players from Europe, mostly from the Portu- address this shortcoming once again this year, guese league, the country qualified for their first and after failing to qualify for the 2014 World African Nations Cup in 2013 by shocking giants Cup, their impressive showing in AFCON Cameroon 3-2 on aggregate. Then, at the qualifying suggests they have a good chance. tournament proper, draws with hosts South Tunisia did not lose a single game and are Africa and Morocco were followed by a 2-1 win considered by many as one of the strongest over Angola, taking them to the quarter-finals, teams in the tournament. where they lost despite outplaying Ghana. Belgium’s Georges Leekens has built a side The Tubarões Azuis (‘Blue Sharks’) also that is not only solid in defence, but has more came within a hair’s breadth of reaching the than a healthy dose of creative talent in the likes play-offs to get into the 2014 World Cup Finals of Yassine Chikhaoui, Youssef Msakni and Wahbi but lost out on a technicality after fielding an Khazri. Furthermore, the skills of Sami Allagui, ineligible player. This disappointment did not Issam Jemaa and Fakhreddine Ben Youssef up slow them down for long, however, and they front mean the Carthage Eagles have arguably comfortably qualified for AFCON 2015 with a Zambia’s Stoppila Sunzu (L) challenges for the ball the most balanced squad in the tournament. game to spare. They are certainly one to watch. POSSIBLE LINE-UP POSSIBLE LINE-UP ZAMBIA Aymen Mathlouthi, Rami Bedoui, Ali Maâloul, Vozinha, Nivaldo, Fernando Varela, Jeffrey Aymen Abdennour, Syam Ben Youssef, Mo- Fortes, Josimar Lima, Calú, Babanco, Nuno Best Finish: Champions, 2012.