JOHANNESBURG  (AFP) – Algeria, Cameroon, Nigeria and South Africa hope to start repairing the damage of 2012 Africa Cup of Nations failure when they play friendlies this weekend.

Tunisia vist Algeria, Cameroon play Sudan and hosts Morocco in Marrakech, Nigeria have home advantage over Botswana and South Africa defend an unbeaten record against top-ranked African team Ivory Coast.

There will also be the novel pairing of Niger against Belarus in Dubai and France, a home from home for so many African footballers, welcome Burkina Faso, Ghana, Guinea, Mali, Senegal and Sierra Leone.

Some sides will be starting the countdown to the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations tournament in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea, which kicks off on January 21 and continues for 22 days.

Others like the Algerian Desert Foxes, Cameroonian Indomitable Lions, Nigerian Super Eagles and South African Bafana Bafana (The Boys) failed to get past the Cup of Nations qualifiers and must gaze further ahead.

Their sights are now trained on the 2013 Cup of Nations in South Africa — there is only a 12-month gap between tournaments because of a switch from even-year to odd-year dates — and the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

Cameroon and Nigeria parade new managers and Stephen Keshi, skipper of the Super Eagles when they were last African champions 17 years ago, seems to have an easier start than Frenchman Denis Lavagne.

Nigeria may be down after a late Guinea equaliser in Abuja last month cost them a place at the 2012 African showcase, but they boast a squad that looks strong enough to defeat surprise Cup of Nations qualifiers Botswana in Benin City.

Lille goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama and Fulham midfielder Dickson Etuhu have been recalled, Wigan winger Victor Moses chosen for the first time, but recurring knee problems rule out West Bromwich Albion goal poacher Osaze Odemwingie.

Botswana were the first country to qualify for the 2012 Cup of Nations, topping a pool that included 2004 African champions Tunisia and 2010 qualifiers Malawi and Togo.

Jerome Ramatlhakwane is a proven match-winner, netting five of the seven goals that took the Zebras to the finals for the first time, and a possible clash with veteran Nigerian defender Joseph Yobo could provide a fancinating cameo.

Lavagne succeeded Spaniard Javier Clemente after Cameroon failed to go through from a Cup of Nations group won convincingly by Senegal and the Samuel Eto’o-skippered squad face Sudan Friday and Morocco two days later.

Sudan and Morocco succeeded where the Lions failed and made it to the 2012 African finals so they should provide stern tests for the Frenchman, who previously helped Cotonsport Garoua dominate Cameroon club football.

Bosnian coach Vahid Halilhodzic was encouraged when Algeria defeated Central African Republic 2-0 last month, but Cup of Nations-bound Tunisia are likely to provide tougher opposition in Algiers.

South Africa take a record of one victory and three draws against Ivory Coast to Indian Ocean city Port Elizabeth for a friendly that doubles as the annual Nelson Mandela Challenge.

Ivorian captain and striker Didier Drogba is recovering from arm surgery and misses out, but brothers Kolo and Yaya Toure, Gervinho and Salomon Kalou are just some of the stars coach Francois Zahoui can choose from.

Ghana, joint favourites with Ivory Coast for the Cup of Nations title, tackle Sierra Leone in Paris and have recalled Marseille midfielder Andrew Ayew and given a first call-up to Leicester City striker Jeffrey Schulpp.

-Vanguard

Posted by admin on Nov 9 2011. Filed under Headlines, Soccer, Sports. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry