adminJOHANNESBURG. — Bafana Bafana coach Shakes Mashaba believes they have been handed a tough draw in the African Cup of Nations soccer finals but, added that with good planning they have a good chance to get through the group stages.
South Africa was drawn in Group C of the Caf Orange Africa Cup of Nations 2015 Equatorial Guinea alongside Ghana, Senegal and Algeria in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea on Wednesday night.
The tournament runs from January 17 to February 8, 2015.
In three meetings, Bafana Bafana have won once against Algeria with two draws and have played Ghana on nine occasions, winning five of those clashes.
Against Senegal, South Africa has only managed two draws, losing the rest.
“A tough group that we find ourselves in with all four teams coming from different regions so it needs a lot of spying, planning because all three teams are very good — Ghana, Algeria and Senegal,” said Mashaba from Malabo, Equatorial Guinea after the draw.
“What we can say to South Africans is that even though it is a tough draw, we are going to there to compete. I suppose also in any group we could have been in it would have been difficult, we must just plan thoroughly and do our best.”
Algeria is ranked number one on the continent, while Senegal and Ghana are 4th and 5th respectively.
Group C will play their matches in Mongomo.
Mashaba was one of those who assisted with the draw along with African football legends like Egyptian icon, Mohamed Aboutreika (three-time winner of the Africa Cup of Nations and also won Caf Champions League titles with Al Ahly), who doubles as a Caf Ambassador; former Cameroon striker Alphonse Tchami (who participated at the 1994 and 1998 FIFA World Cups and several Africa Cup of Nations) now team manager of the Indomitable Lions.
The tournament will be held from January 17 to February 8 2015 in four cities namely Bata, Malabo, Mongomo and Ebibeyin.
The Draw
Group A (Bata): Equatorial Guinea, Burkina Faso, Gabon, Congo (Brazzaville)
Group B (Ebebiyini): Zambia, Tunisia, Cape Verde Islands, RD Congo
Group C (Mongomo): Ghana, Algeria, South Africa, Senegal
Group D (Malabo): Cote d’Ivoire, Mali, Cameroon, Guinea. — Supersport.com.
Peter Tanyanyiwa
Online Reporter