adminWHILE South Africans this morning consider the tough group they have been drawn into, their 2015 Afcon opponents will be having similar thoughts.Algeria are Africa’s top-ranked side in the Fifa rankings at the moment, but they may well feel last night’s African Nations Cup draw has been harsh on them. They are in Group C with fellow World Cup finalists Ghana as well as form teams Senegal and South Africa.
To most South African fans, Algeria are the least-known of Bafana Bafana’s opening round opponents, but having reached the second round of the World Cup in Brazil earlier this year and won five of their six Nations Cup qualifiers they are among the tournament’s favourites.
But their Group C opponents have reason for feeling confident too: Bafana Bafana eliminated holders Nigeria while Senegal accounted for the record-winners Egypt. Ghana, always a tough proposition, go into the tournament with Avram Grant as their new coach after he was appointed to the job last week. Hosts Equatorial Guinea, who stepped in to replace Morocco with just two months to prepare for the 16-team event, will open the tournament in Bata against Congo. The two countries are paired in Group A with Gabon and Burkina Faso, surprise runners-up at the last finals in South Africa in 2013. — Star Africa.
Online Reporter