It has been postponed twice and almost failed to take place at all, but a continent’s finest players have at last gathered in Cameroon to contest the 33rd running of the Africa Cup of Nations.
Algeria go in as defending champions but it’s Senegal who head the betting at 9/2.
You can throw a blanket over the first seven in the betting and would be taking a huge risk overlooking some of those at double-figure odds as well, which, when you throw in the inevitable curveballs that Covid is going to throw us, adds up to a competition that looks wide open and incredibly difficult to call.
Twenty-four nations line up in Cameroon with the top two from each of six groups and the four best third-placed teams going into the knockout stage. The final is scheduled for February 6.
Elephants Set to Challenge Mane’s Senegal
It’s easy to see why Senegal are favourites yet it’s another West African giant, Ivory Coast, who should also be on anyone’s shortlist at 8/1.
From back to front, from Edouard Mendy to Sadio Mane, Senegal are packed full of class acts, most of whom ply their trade in Europe’s big five leagues.
Yet they were all there three years ago when the Teranga Lions came up short and the pressure is on coach Edouard Cisse.
And anyway, Ivory Coast boast a frontline as good as Senegal’s or anyone else’s in the competition with Nicolas Pepe, Wilfried Zaha and Sebastien Haller to call upon while Milan’s Franck Kessie will cement the midfield together.
The Elephants don’t boast a keeper of Mendy’s stature but defensively they’ll be more than happy to summon Serge Aurier, Eric Bailly, Ghislain Konan of Reims and Leverkusen’s young talent Odilon Kossounou.
Salah and Mahrez Looking to Shine
Defences are pivotal at the AFCON – the last competition went at under two goals per game. In seven matches the peerless Algerians shipped just two goals and you can be sure that they, Egypt, Tunisia and Morocco will be as tough to break down as ever before.
If you can combine a top defence with the magic of a world-class forward you’re in business and that’s certainly why Egypt and Algeria in particular are well-fancied.
Two-and-a-half years ago the Egyptians couldn’t cope with sky-high expectations as hosts and perished in the round of 16, Mo Salah drawing a blank in a 1-0 loss to South Africa.
The Liverpool ace is, of course, flying and on his shoulders a nation’s hopes rest again, as is the case with Riyad Mahrez at Algeria, the Manchester City ace scoring three times captaining his country to glory in 2019 and is again the leader of a super-strong group.
Mali Might Be the Pick of the Outsiders
Hosts and five-time winners Cameroon will hope home support gives them a sniff and then come a whole swathe of nations at double-figure odds who will all fancy their chances.
Among them – and adhering to the principle that defence is best – are Mali at 18/1, who night be well worth an each-way bet.
Built around a defence culled from Ligue 1 they have played six World Cup qualifiers this autumn and not conceded a single goal. Granted, they will be playing better opponents than Kenya and Uganda but even before that Mohamed Magassouba’s men were watertight.
Yves Bissouma has been recalled to add bite to a midfield also featuring Leipzig’s ace Amadou Haidara and if Champions League star, Sheriff’s Adama Traore, or Southampton’s Moussa Djenepo are on the money, Mali could go well.
*All odds correct at time of writing.