Photo credit skysports
By Chima Azu,
The 33rd African Cup of Nations which is being hosted by Cameroon will kick start tomorrow Sunday 9th of January 2022 and the final will take place 6th of February 2022. Cameroon vs Burkina Faso will be the curtain raiser at Olembe Stadium in Yaounde 5pm Nigerian time. Later same day at 7pm in the same venue, Ethiopia will take on Cape Verde.
A lot of top African players will be gracing the occasion, players like Salah, Mane, Mahrez, Aubameyang and many more will all be representing their respective countries and will be hoping to lift the prestigious African title come February 6th. There are also several talented players that one should lookout for, players like : Naby Keita (Liverpool & Guinea), Frank Kessie (AC Milan & Ivory Coast), Zambo Anguissa (Napoli & Cameroon), Wilfred Zaha (Crystal Palace & Ivory Coast), Kalidou Koulibaly (Napoli & Senegal) Maxwell Cornet (Burnley & Ivory Coast), Samuel Chukwueza (Villarreal & Nigeria) etc.
Last edition finalist Senegal and Algeria are still favorites for the competition, while Nigeria, Egypt, Morocco and host Cameroon are outside favorites looking at their antecedents in previous AFCON competitions. Defending champions Algeria are unbeaten in 27 matches and with their blistering form they look like they will be going all the way if they carry such momentum into the competition proper. Senegal will also want to get one step better after losing by a goal to nil to Mahrez and co in 2019. Nigeria will be missing target man Osimhen, veteran Odion Ighalo and Emmanuel Dennis of Watford, but still strong contenders with the crop of players available.
Matchday 1 will be having some mouth watering fixtures e.g Nigeria vs Egypt and also Morocco vs Ghana. Below are groups and matchday one fixtures.
GROUP A : Cameroon vs Burkina Faso and Ethiopia vs Cape Verde
GROUP B : Senegal vs Zimbabwe and Guinea vs Malawi
GROUP C : Morocco vs Ghana and Gabon vs Comoros
GROUP D : Nigeria vs Egypt and Sudan vs Guinea-Bissau
GROUP E : Algeria vs Sierra Leone and Equitorial Guinea vs Ivory Coast
GROUP F : Tunisia vs Mali and Mauritania vs Gambia
