Eleven months away to the 35th Africa Cup of Nations finals, the Super Eagles already know their group phase opponents, following a colourful draw ceremony at the Mohamed V Theatre in Rabat on Monday evening. The three-time champions must negotiate a group C that also houses Tunisia’s Carthage Eagles, the Cranes of Uganda and the Taifa Stars of Tanzania. The Eagles open their campaign by clashing with the Taifa Stars. Before the ceremony, Super Eagles’ Head Coach Éric Sékou Chelle told the world that “Nigeria have a good crop of players globally and we believe we are up to the task.”
As hosts of the AFCON for the first time ever, in 1980, the Eagles battled the Taifa Stars in the tournament opening match, complete with their highly-rated team captain Leodegar Tenga and the enigmatic goalkeeper Jona Pondamali. Nigeria won 3-1 and went ahead to win their first continental title. Twenty years later, as cohosts (with Ghana), Nigeria played Tunisia in their first match of the tournament, beating the Carthage Eagles 4-2 in Lagos. The Eagles went all the way to the Final, losing to Cameroon only after a penalty shootout. The Carthage Eagles pipped the Super Eagles by a lone goal in the Round of 16 at the finals in Cameroon three years ago, ending the sweet run of the three-time champions. Uganda have always proved a tough nut to crack for Nigeria, including a 2-1 win over the Eagles at the 1978 finals in Ghana that condemned Nigeria to the third-place match.
Nigeria won that third-place match after Tunisia abandoned the match in the 42ndminute. Nigeria legend Mutiu Adepoju, who won the AFCON trophy in 1994 and was in the Nigeria team to three FIFA World Cup finals, told thenff.com on Monday night: “Given the level of our players, their outing at the last AFCON where they came close to winning the trophy, and the good and great things they’re doing with their various clubs in Europe presently, I am confident that we have a team that can compete favourably and perhaps win the trophy for the fourth time in Morocco.”
Hosts and 1976 winners Morocco head group A that also includes 2012 champions Zambia, 1972 runners-up Mali and Comoros that will be playing in only their second championship. Cup holders Cote d’Ivoire head group F and must negotiate a tricky pool that also has five-time champions Cameroon, Gabon and Mozambique, while seven-time winners Egypt are at war with 1996 hosts and champions South Africa, Angola and Zimbabwe in group B. 2021 winners Senegal are at loggerheads with two-time winners Democratic Republic of Congo, Benin Republic and Botswana in group D, while 1990 and 2019 winners Algeria will confront Burkina Faso, Equatorial Guinea and Sudan in group E.
GROUP A: Morocco, Mali, Zambia, Comoros
GROUP B: Egypt, South Africa, Angola, Zimbabwe
GROUP C: Nigeria, Tunisia, Uganda, Tanzania
GROUP D: Senegal, DR Congo, Benin Republic, Botswana
GROUP E: Algeria, Burkina Faso, Equatorial Guinea, Sudan
GROUP F: Cote d’Ivoire, Cameroon, Gabon, Mozambique
