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With the African Nations Cup kicking off on the 19th of January in South Africa, here is an analysis of the four teams in Group B an a prediction as to where they will finish in the group.
Group B consists of Ghana, Mali, Congo DR and Niger.
Team Analysis: Ghana
Ghana represent the recent rise of African Football on the world’s stage on the whole.
Success for Ghana has never been a problem at continental level. Along with Cameroon, Ghana are the second-most successful African team in the competition, behind seven-time winners Egypt.
The Black Stars have won four African Nations Championships, finished second another four times, third once and fourth thrice.
They have also reached the quarter-finals of the championships another three times.
With one of the best teams in the tournament, Ghana will look to add to their four title triumphs.
Key men:
Three of Ghana’s most influential holding midfielders, Stephen Appiah, Kevin-Prince Boateng and Michael Essien – the last, albeit, temporarily – have called time on their international careers.
But of late, African nations appear to have specialised in physical, tough tackling holding midfielders, including Juventus’ Kwadwo Asamoah and Anthony Annan of Osasuna.
The team is littered with physically gifted yet technical players, such as defenders John Paintsil, who formerly played for Fulham, and Isaac Vorsah of Red Bull Salzburg.
Up front, Richmond Boakye of Sassuolo in Italy, and former Sunderland striker Asamoah Gyan of Al Ain in the UAE, will look to lead the line for the 2010 World Cup semi-finalists.
On the wing, Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu and Albert Adomah will offer much creativity.
Predicted Finish: Finals
Team Analysis: Mali
Although not in the same league as Ghana, Cameroon and Cote d’Ivoire, Mali are regarded as one of Africa’s formidable sides, and their African Cup of Nations record is rather respectable.
Although they have never won the continental tournament, Mali finished runners-up in 1972, reached fourth place in 1992, 2002 and 2004 and third in the previous edition in 2012.
With the talent at their disposal, the Eagles will be looking to get to the latter stages of the tournament and cause a few problems.
Spurring them on will be the internal strife that has wrecked their country of late, with several European nations now getting actively involved in the conflict.
Key Men:
Frederick Kanoute has been one of Mali’s most famed names in the last few years, but another in the form of Seydou Keita now captains the team.
Mali boast great wealth in the middle of the park, in the form of former Liverpool midfielder Mohamed ‘Momo’ Sissoko, currently at Paris Saint-Germain, Samba Diakite of Queens Park Rangers, and Fulham’s Mahamadou Diarra.
Up front, Mali will be hoping West Ham’s Modibo Maiga and Chievo Verona’s Mamadou Samassa will deliver the goods when necessary.
Predicted Finish: Quarter finals
Team Analysis: DR Congo
Congo’s glory days in Africa came in the 1960s and 70s, when they won the African Cup of Nations twice in 1968 and 1974.
They’ve finished fourth once, third once, and have reached the quarter-finals on three separate occasions.
Congo also qualified for the World Cup in 1970, but that tournament will be remembered for more infamous reasons, and will be looking to get stuck in among the more reputed teams in the tournament if they get their Cinderella run going.
Key Men:
The most conspicuous name on the Congolese team sheet is surely West Bromwich Albion‘s Youssuf Mulumbu, and supporting him in midfield will be Freiburg man Cedric Makiadi.
Lomana LuaLua and Diemerci Mbokani are both hard working, skilled players, and will look to get themselves on the score sheet in South Africa.
At the back, Evian’s Cedric Mongongou and Peterborough’s Gabriel Zakuani will be the bedrock on which the Congolese defence is built, with Charleroi’s Parfait Mandanda, brother of France international goalkeeper Steve, between the sticks for the Leopards.
Predicted Finish: Quarter finals
Team Analysis: Niger
Niger took the place of South Africa in a somewhat miraculous and controversial qualification into last year’s AFCON when the Bafana-Bafana failed to make it, despite thinking that they had and winning their last game.
That was their first appearance in Africa’s continental competition, and although it will live long in the memory of the Nigerians, they will be hoping to build on that this time around.
Key Men:
Moussa Maazou, the man who orchestrated Niger’s route to last season’s AFCON, will be Niger’s first-choice attacking option up front.
There are few others who have European experience for Niger, but experience is present in the form of Issoufou Alhassane and goalkeeper Saminou Rabo.
Predicted Finish: Round 1
