Africa’s Flagship football competition, the Africa Cup of Nations kicks off on Sunday, 9th January 2022 in Cameroon.
As part of our coverage of the latest edition of the biennial tournament, FootballMadeInGhana takes readers through a perfunctory journey across the various.
The focus of this piece in on Group C which features Morocco, Ghana, Comoros and Gabon.
Fixtures:
Monday, 10 January
- Morocco v Ghana
- Comoros v Gabon
- Morocco v Comoros
- Gabon v Ghana
- Gabon v Morocco
- Ghana v Comoros
Favorites to qualify: Ghana and Morocco
TEAM PROFILE: MOROCCO
NICKNAME: Atlas Lions
HEAD COACH: Vahid Halilhodzic
CAPTAIN: Roman Sais
AFCON Apperances: 18
BEST PERFORMANCE AT AFCON: Winners in 1976
Fifa ranking: 28
PLAYER TO WATCH: Youssef En-Nesyri
Morocco are the second ranked team in Africa and will be aiming to put behind their abysmal performance in the last AFCON in 2019.
The Atlas Lions exited the competition at the hands of Benin in last 16 stage and have since gone through a revival period.
The North African nation appointed coach Vahid Halilhodzic right after the set back in Egypt.
The Bosnian manager has been able to steady the ship with his no-nonsense approach. However, his ongoing rift with star man Hakim Ziyech has raised some concerns over his management style.
The decision to exclude the Chelsea winger in his squad for the AFCON over supposed disciplinary breaches is one that Morocco manager will hope doesn’t come back to bite him.
Even without Ziyech, the Morocco team is still a formidable force with PSG’s Achraf Hakimi, Barcelona teen star Abde Ezzalzouli and Sevilla marksman Youssef En-Nesyri.
SQUAD:
Goalkeepers: Yassine Bounou (Sevilla, Spain), Monir El Kajoui, (Hatayspor, Turkey), Ahmed Reda Tagnaouti (Wydad, Morocco).
Defenders: Achraf Hakimi (Paris Saint-Germain, France), Sofiane Alakouch (Metz, France), Souffian El Karouani (NEC Nijmegen, Netherlands), Adam Masina (Watford, England), Sofian Chakla (OH Leuven, Belgium), Samy Mmaee (Ferencvaros, Hungary), Romain Saiss (Wolves, England), Nayef Aguerd (Rennes, France), Badr Benoun (Al Ahly, Egypt), Mohamed Chibi (AS Far, Morocco).
Midfielders: Aymen Barkok (Eintracht Frankfurt, Germany), Sofyan Amrabat (Fiorentina, Italy), Faycal Fajr (Sivaspor, Turkey), Azzedine Ounahi (Angers, France), Ilias Chair (QPR, England), Imran Louza (Watford, England), Selim Amallah (Standard Liege, Belgium).
Forwards: Munir El Haddadi (Sevilla, Spain), Zakaria Aboukhlal (AZ Alkmaar, Netherlands), Abde Ezzalzouli (Barcelona, Spain), Sofiane Boufal (Angers, France), Ryan Mmaee (Ferencvaros, Hungary), Youssef En-Nesyri (Sevilla, Spain), Ayoub El Kaabi (Hatayspor, Turkey), Soufiane Rahimi (Al Ain, UAE).
NICKNAME: Black Stars
HEAD COACH: Milovan Rajevac
CAPTAIN: Andre Ayew
AFCON Apperances: 23
BEST PERFORMANCE AT AFCON: Winners in 1963, 1965, 1978 and 1982
Fifa ranking: 52
PLAYER TO WATCH: Thomas Partey
Ghana will begin their quest for an elusive fifth AFCON trophy in Cameroon.
But first, the Black Stars must make it out of a tricky group which also includes former champions Morocco, Gabon and debutants Comoros.
Since their last win in 1982, the Black Stars have gone close to winning the Afcon title on three different occasions in recent times, the latest being a penalty-shootout loss to Ivory Coast in 2015.
Ghana’s performance in the last edition of the tournament in Egypt was a disappointment after they crashed out to Tunisia in the one-eight stage.
But this year could be different. The Black Stars have reappointed Milovan Rajevac – the coach who led them to the AFCON in 2010 where they lost 1-0 to Egypt.
SQUAD:
Goalkeepers: Jojo Wolacott (Swindon Town, England), Abdul Manaf Nurudeen (Eupen, Belgium), Richard Attah (Hearts of Oak, Ghana), Lawrence Ati Zigi (St Gallen, Switzerland).
Defenders: Andy Yiadom and Baba Rahman (both Reading, England), Philemon Baffuor (Dreams FC, Ghana), Gideon Mensah (Bordeaux, France), Daniel Amartey (Leicester City, England), Alexander Djiku (Strasbourg, France), Jonathan Mensah (Columbus Crew, USA), Khalid Abdul Mumin (Vitoria Guimaraes, Portugal).
Midfielders: Baba Iddrissu (Real Mallorca, Spain), Edmund Addo (Sheriff Tiraspol, Moldova), Thomas Partey (Arsenal, England), Mubarak Wakaso (Shenzhen, China), Mohammed Kudus (Ajax, Netherlands), Daniel Kofi Kyere (St. Pauli, Germany), David Abagna (Real Tamale United, Ghana).
Forwards: Abdul Fatawu Issahaku (Dreams FC, Ghana), Samuel Owusu (Al Fayha, Saudi Arabia), Kamaldeen Suleymana (Rennes, France), Andre Ayew (Al Sadd SC. Qatar), Joseph Paintsil (Genk, Belgium), Jordan Ayew (Crystal Palace, England), Richmond Boakye Yiadom (Beitar Jerusalem, Israel), Maxwell Abbey Quaye (Great Olympics, Ghana), Benjamin Tetteh (Malatyaspor, Turkey).
TEAM PROFILE: COMOROS
NICKNAME:The Coelacanths
HEAD COACH: Amir Abdou
CAPTAIN: Jimmy Abdou
AFCON Apperances: Debutants
BEST PERFORMANCE AT AFCON: N/A
Fifa ranking: 132
PLAYER TO WATCH: Mohammed El Fardou Ben Nabouhane
Comoros are set to make their first ever appearance at the continental showpiece in Cameroon.
With all eyes set on their more fancied Group C opponents, Comoros head to the tournament with less pressure but their impressive performance in the qualifiers have certainly raised a certain level of expectation in what promises to be an exciting debut for them.
Much of the country’s hopes will ride on the shoulders of El Fardou Ben who is their top scorer and plies his trade in Serbia with Red Star Belgrade.
The 31 year old forward has a total of 15 goals 28 appearances for his national team.
SQUAD:
Goalkeepers: Salim Ben Boina (Endoume, France) Ali Ahamada (Unattached), Moyadh Ousseni (Frejus, France).
Defenders: Nadjim Abdou (FC Martigues, France), Bendjaloud Youssouf (Chateauroux, France), Abdallah Ali Mohamed (Stade Lausanne, Switzerland) Kassim Mdahoma (US Avranches, France), Younn Zahary (SO Cholet, France), Chaker Alhadhur (Ajaccio, France), Mohamed Youssouf (Ajaccio, France), Kassim Abdallah (Marignane Gignac, France).
Midfielders: Fouad Bachirou (Omonia Nicosia, Cyprus), Youssouf M’Changama (Guingamp, France), Yacine Bourhane (Go Ahead Eagles, Netherlands), Nakibou Aboubakari (FC Sete 34, France), Iyad Mohamed (Auxerre, France), Rafidine Abdullah (Stade Lausanne, Switzerland).
Forwards: Faiz Selemani (KV Kortrijk, Belgium), Mohamed El Fardou (Red Star Belgrade, Serbia), Nasser Chamed (Gaz Metan Medias, Romania), Ahmed Mogni (FC Annecy, France), Faiz Mattoir (SO Cholet, France), Ali M’Madi (SAS Epinal, France), Said Bakari (RKC Waalwijk, Netherlands), Moussa Djoumoi (AS Saint-Priest, France), Mohamed M’Changama (FC Nouadhibou, Mauritania).
NICKNAME: The Panthers
HEAD COACH: Patrice Neveu
CAPTAIN: Pierre-Emerick Aubemayang
AFCON Apperances: 8
BEST PERFORMANCE AT AFCON: Quarter-finals in 1996 and 2012
Fifa ranking: 89
PLAYER TO WATCH: Pierre-Emerick Aubemayang
Gabon return to the continental showpiece after missing out on the 2019 edition in Egypt.
The Central Africans will open their Group C campaign against debutants Comoros at the Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium on January 10.
Gabon will then confront four-time champions Ghana, before capping off on January 18 against 1976 Champions Morocco.
The Panthers are led by Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang who has a point to prove after being stripped of the Arsenal captaincy and dropped by the Premier League club in December.
Their best record in the competition was in the 1996 and 2012 editions when they reached the quarter-final stage.
SQUAD:
Goalkeepers: Anthony Mfa Mezui (Rodange 91, Luxembourg), Donald Nze (Maniema Union, DR Congo), Jean-Noel Amonome (Uthongathi, South Africa), Junior Fortson Noubi (Vannes, France).
Defenders: Lloyd Palun (Bastia, France), Johann Obiang (Rodez, France), Bruno Ecuele Manga (Dijon, France), Gilchrist Nguema (Maccabi Ahi Nazareth, Israel), Anthony Oyono (Boulogne, France), Sidney Obissa (Olympic Charleroi, Belgium), David Sambissa (Cambuur, Netherlands), Wilfrid Ebane (Vannes, France), Junior Assoumou (Bourges, France), Yannis N’Gakoutou (Lyon-La Duchere, France).
Midfielders: Yrondu Musavu-King (Bengaluru, India), Andre Biyogo Poko (Altay, Turkey), Mario Lemina (Nice, France), Louis Ameka Autchanga (MAS Fes, Morocco), Guelor Kanga (Red Star Belgrade, Serbia), Alex Moucketou-Moussounda (Aris Limassol, Gabon), Serge-Junior Martinsson Ngouali (Gorica, Croatia), Medwin Biteghe (Al Hilal Benghazi, Libya).
Forwards: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Arsenal, England), Denis Bouanga (St Etienne, France), Ulrick Eneme-Ella (Brighton, England), Jim Allevinah (Clermont Foot, France), Aaron Boupendza (Al Arabi, Qatar), Fahd Ndzengue (Tabor Sezana, Slovenia), Kevin Mayi (Denizlispor, Turkey), Axel Meye (Ittihad Tanger, Morocco).
