adminJOHANNESBURG. — Hosts Rwanda were placed with formidable opponents Morocco and Cote d’lvoire when the 2016 African Nations Championship (CHAN) draw was made in Kigali on Sunday. While the Rwandans were exempt from qualifying for a tournament restricted to home-based footballers, the Moroccans and Ivorians impressed in securing places among the 16 title challengers. Morocco beat title-holders Libya twice and won a thriller away to Tunisia en-route to securing one of two North African places in the region-based eliminators.
It will be a second successive CHAN appearance by Morocco, who surrendered a three-goal lead when beaten 4-3 by Nigeria in a 2014 quarter-final in Cape Town.
Cote d’lvoire booked one of five West African slots at the expense of 2009 and 2014 runners-up Ghana, winning 1-0 at home to go through on away goals after a 2-1 first-leg loss. Gabon, who complete Kigali-based Group A for the January 16-February 7 tournament, took an unusual route to the championship, winning away and losing at home against Chad.
Groups draw
A: Rwanda, Gabon, Morocco, Ivory Coast
B: Democratic Republic of Congo, Angola, Cameroon, Ethiopia
C: Tunisia, Nigeria, Niger, Guinea
D: Zimbabwe, Mali, Uganda, Zambia
Note: group winners and runners-up qualify for quarter-finals
Online Reporter