The African sun is setting, the dust is settling, and there is silence....but only for a minute. The national anthems of Equatorial Guinea and the Republic of Congo are on full blast. A little while later, a referee blows the whistle....and so it begins! The singing, the chants and the beating of drums. This is the African Cup of Nations 2015!
The continental showpiece is being held in Equatorial Guinea from the 17th January until the 8th February, when the champions of Africa will be crowned. Initially billed to be held in Morocco, the competition was moved after Morocco pulled out of hosting due to the Ebola outbreak (however, they were still able to host the FIFA Club World Cup in December 2014 - go figure!).
The teams which will be participating have been split into four groups, where the top two teams will advance to the knockout stages.
GROUPS:
Teams to look out for:
Group A: Gabon
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is without a doubt Gabon's golden boy. Plying his trade in the German Bundasliga, the 25 year old has 11 goals in 25 games this season for Borussia Dortmund. All eyes will be on him to push his team into the next round.
Group B: Tunisia
The 2004 winners will be kicking off the competition against an inexperienced Cape Verde (who are participating in only their second AFCON), Tunisia looks to be the outright favourites in the group, scooping 3 points in their first game. However, their group will not be easy, with the 2012 winners Zambia as well as 1968 winners DR Congo.
Group C: Algeria
What is termed the group of death, Group C boasts of the team ranking number 1 in Africa, Algeria. Following their successful run in the 2014 World Cup, they are expected to ease through the group. However, they face stiff competition from former AFCON winners Ghana and South Africa, as well as Senegal who are their highest ranked opponent in the group at 4th.
Group D: Cote d'Ivoire
The Ivory Coast is expected to march out of this group with a tally of goals to their record. Boasting African Footballer of the Year Yaya Toure, and new Manchester City signee Wilfred Bony, the team is expected to be free scoring. Most bets are on Ivory Coast going as far as snatching the competition.
I'm not yet ready to place money on any team as yet - maybe after watching the first round of games, I can then make a more informed decision.
For now, it's time to sit back, relax, and enjoy the beat of the African drum!
Your predictions?
