PREVIEW: 2004 African Cup of Nations Tournament

A TOURNAMENT OF SUBSTANCE AND SURPRISES

Rades may just be a relatively unknown port city safely ensconced in the Tunisian capital, Tunis on the deserts of North Africa. On Saturday, the Cup of Nations, the flagship of African football would hurl this port city onto the radar of global attention as Tunisia rolls out a red carpet welcome to the world and the world media jostle for seats to witness one of the greatest spectacles of 2004.

At exactly 18:30 GMT, nationals of all the 16 participating countries and top football personalities and dignitaries would cram the Rades Olympic Stadium for the opening ceremony and later the opening game between host nation Tunisia and Rwanda.

The 50,000 capacity Olympic size stadium by far one of the best in the world is just one of the six hosting venues for the tournament. It was built by Philips Tunisia Eclairage and International Sales France both part of BU LIS executed the project in 2001. The others are Bizerte, El Mensah, Sfax, Monastir and Sousse.

Group A: Tunisia (Hosts), Rwanda, DR Congo, Guinea
Group B: Senegal, Burkina Faso, Kenya, Mali
Group C: Cameroon, Algeria, Egypt, Zimbabwe
Group D: Nigeria, South Africa, Morocco, Benin

Group A

As hosts in 1994 Tunisia suffered a disappointing first round elimination and would want to seize the opportunity presented by this tournament to make amends. Winning this group and going all the way to annex the cup would be the perfect gift for their diadem starved (Especially on the national level) but loyal fans. However what might prove their un-doing is the tendency to under-rate the opposition.

On a good day Rwanda and Guinea look like the teams to upset the cart in this group but it would all come down to experience and big game temperament and I honestly think Tunisia with Roger Lemerre at the helm would stay ahead of the curve. Form guide and past history would not have any bearing in determining who tops this group. I predict this group going down to the wire but with Tunisia scrapping through. Congo DR stands a better chance of picking the other ticket from Group A.

Group B

This is going to be one of the entertaining groups in the opening rounds of the tournament. Kenya playing in the tournament for the second time would find itself fending off darts from the Francophone trio of Senegal, Mali and Burkina Faso. Senegal starrs as the most accomplished team in this group. With an outstanding world cup performance and losing finalist in the 2002 tournament under its belt, the Teranga Lions would be the team to beat in Group B and it would be surprising if it doesn’t win the group.

Mali might pose some challenges I don’t see anything preventing Senegal in its strident march to the semi-final and even possibly plucking the plume prize.

Group C

Cameroon and Egypt are in this tournament with a shared ambition-and that is to win the silverware for a record fifth time. Both have won the cup four times and have joined Ghana as 4-time cup holders. Cameroon won their first two in the 80’s-It grabbed the other two in a back-to-back fashion in the 2000 and 2002 championships.

On paper, Cameroon looks like the team to beat in Group C- if not in the tournament- but the recent introduction of new faces in the team might affect its trademark cohesion and indomitable spirit which has made it the pride of Africa and a cynosure of the world.

Egypt has been out-of-sorts lately but an infusion of young blood from the effervescent league would propel the Pharaohs into a respectable quarter-final berth. The Desert Warriors of Algeria always start the cup of nations on a whirlwind fashion. This tournament wouldn’t be any different. It remains to be seen whether the Algerians can withstand the Cameroonian challenge and still have enough substance to face Egypt. I don’t expect Zimbabwe to win this group. It’s best could be a slim win over Algeria.

Group D

This is arguably the group of death. Nigeria, South Africa and Morocco have won the Cup of Nations seven times amongst them and it is very certain one of them would love to have a crack at the title again.

Although Nigeria has always run roughshod over the South Africans, they don’t seem to have that overwhelming edge over the Moroccans. The North Africans have always used their relatively better organization as an ace over countries from sub-Saharan Africa who depend more on skill, strength and brawn. Player for player Nigeria towers above the competition in Group D and would definitely start the tournament as overwhelming favourites and favourites to win the group of death.

Opposition from Benin would come more from the technical bench headed by Ghanaian, Jones Attuquayefio than from the players donning the colours of Benin. Nigeria has always considered Ghana a thorn in her flesh and Attuquayefio could buy into that to pull off an upset. Don’t forget he led a Hearts of Oak dominated Black Stars team to hold Nigeria to a goalless game in a world cup qualifier in Accra.

Nigerians would never forget that day. Don’t count Benin out.

PREDICTIONS FOR THE GROUP STAGE

Trust the patriarchs of African Football namely, Cameroon, Nigeria, Egypt, Morocco and lately Senegal and Mali to dominate this tournament but you would be wrong to count out the so-called minnows. I look forward to a good, entertaining and aesthetically thrilling tournament. I predict Tunisia and Senegal qualifying from Groups A and B for the semi-final stage and Cameroon and Nigeria making it out from Groups C and D to set up an exhilarating staging ground for the finals. Read these lines for more updates as the tournament progresses.

paakwesip@yahoo.com