AFCON qualifiers get underway

Posted by admin Headlines, Soccer, Sports Friday, June 12th, 2015

Plenty of goals but few upsets are likely outcomes when the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying competition kicks off Friday.

All the first and second seeds in the 12 four-team groups enjoy home advantage, giving them a distinct early edge as they compete for 15 places at the tournament in Gabon.

Recently appointed Senegal coach and former captain Aliou Cisse said “favourites” in football matches are a figment of journalists’ imaginations.

“Favourites belong in newspapers,” he said, scornfully dismissing the popular term as he announced a squad to play Burundi in Dakar.

But what other tag could be stuck on former African champions Tunisia when the country host tiny Djibouti, the third lowest ranked national football team in the world and 178 places behind the North Africans?

Damage limitation will surely be the loftiest ambition for Djibouti, a nation that has conceded nine goals in Kenya and eight in Malawi in past qualifiers, supersport.com says.

Algeria at home to the Seychelles is another fixture that has a home victory and a glut of goals written all over it.

166 places divide them on the world rankings and while Algeria is a regular AFCON participant, Seychelles has never come close to qualifying.

Seychelles coach Ulrich Mathiot admitted his team will likely defend with 10 men for most of the match in Blida, south of Algiers.

“We have no choice,” he conceded. “All-out attack would be suicidal against Algeria, a great team with great individual footballers.” Seychelles has been a little more successful than Djibouti when it comes to containing powerful opponents with five-goal losses in Zimbabwe and Tunisia the worst defeats.

Ghana, runners-up to the Ivory Coast in the 2015 Cup of Nations last February, and three-time champions Nigeria are other countries facing countries ranked far lower. Mauritius goes to Accra with goalkeeper Kevin Jean-Louis in excellent form, but there is no evidence to suggest the team can bridge a 142-place gap in the rankings. Arch-predator Asamoah Gyan has recovered from injury to lead the Ghana attack, although injured creator Andre Ayew misses out.

There is considerable excitement among Ghanaians over Bernard Mensah, a 20-year-old midfielder with a venomous shot who plays in Portugal and is reportedly being watched by Manchester United.

Nigeria has been on a Cup of Nations roller-coaster, eliminating favourites Ivory Coast en route to lifting the trophy in 2013, but failing to qualify for the tournament this year.

Stephen Keshi is back in charge of the team and respects Chad, who lies 129 places lower in the world. “Football in Africa today is dynamic and we have to respect all teams and prepare well,” stressed the coach affectionately called “Big Boss.”

Keshi has dismissed reports that he axed John Obi Mikel, insisting the Chelsea midfielder is being “rested.”
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