2017 African Cup Of Nations Preview
What’s going on?
FIFA’s first international tournament of 2017 is kicking off this weekend. The African Cup of Nations, otherwise known as AFCON, is a tournament full of eclectic and passionate fans, not to mention the promising football talents and world superstars. Best believe that your favorite club or clubs from your favorite league have scouts watching players at this tournament.
History
In February of 1957, the first African Cup of Nations took place. Three teams, Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan participated (South Africa was disqualified because of apartheid). Since 1968, the African Cup of Nations or AFCON has been held every two years and in 2013 the tournament switched to odd years so there is not a clash with the World Cup. The 2017 African Nations Cup will be the tournament’s 31st edition and will also mark CAF’s (Confederation of African Football) 60th anniversary.
Don’t let them lie to you, African football is entertaining.
Why should you be watching this tournament? Well, besides the fact that it’s more football? The entertainment. This tournament has some of the best stories. For example, given what was happening in South Africa in 1996, South Africa won the tournament with a 2–0 win over Tunisia (South Africa and the rest of the playing field were very lucky that the 1994 AFCON defending champions, Nigeria, protested and did not attend the 1996 AFCON). Egypt became the most storied nation in AFCON with their 1–0 win over Ghana in 2010, winning their fifth title. This match still hurts me, but Cameroon 2–2 Nigeria (Cameroon won on penalties) in 2000 was one of the best matches I have ever seen, two of the strongest and most talented African sides at the time went all the way to penalties. Depending on your side, the refs messed up the match. Finally, Nigeria 2–1 Zambia, 1994, what a final this was. Nigeria won the AFCON, but with Zambia’s entire squad minus their captain perishing in a plane crash a year before, making it to the final a year a later was nothing short of extraordinary.
Club teams and fans complain because the tournament is held in January, but weather conditions are the reason as to why January is the month for AFCON. Hosted during any other month, it would be too hot or too rainy to play football. Moreover, the tournament has been hosted during this time way before Europeans thought Africans were good enough to play in Europe. There were no complaints when they thought Africans were too dumb to understand tactics and play in their leagues.
WHERE
The 2017 African Nations Cup will kick off on January 14th in Gabon. The tournament will take place across four different venues including Libreville, Franceville, Oyem and Port Gentil. The tournament was originally supposed to be hosted in Libya but was shifted to Gabon due to ongoing conflict in the country.
The winner of the AFCON 2017 will also qualify for the 2017 FIFA Confederation Cup in Russia later this year. This tournament also marks the 60th anniversary of the African Cup of Nations.
WHO
Group A
Group B
Group C
Group D
WHEN
If you’re in the United States, all first group matches start at 11 am (EST) and the second group matches start at 2pm (EST).
The quarterfinals are also at 11 am (EST) and 2pm (EST).
The semifinals will be at 2 pm (EST).
Third place match will be at 2 pm (EST).
The final will be at 2 pm (EST).
GROUP A:
Gabon, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Guinea-Bissau
Jan 14: Gabon vs Guinea-Bissau, Burkina Faso vs Cameroon
Jan 18: Gabon vs Burkina Faso, Cameroon vs Guniea-Bissau
Jan 22: Cameroon vs Gabon, Gunieau-Bissau vs Burkina Faso.
Group B:
Algeria, Tunisia, Senegal, Zimbabwe
Jan 15: Algeria vs Zimbabwe, Tunisia vs Senegal
Jan 19: Algeria vs Tunisia, Senegal vs Zimbabwe
Jan 23: Senegal vs Algeria, Zimbabwe vs Tunisia
Group C:
Ivory Coast, DR Congo, Morocco, Togo
Jan 16: Ivory Coast vs Togo, DR Congo vs Morocco
Jan 20: Ivory Coast vs DR Congo, Morocco vs Togo
Jan 24: Morocco vs Ivory Coast, Togo vs DR Congo
Group D:
Ghana, Mali, Egypt, Uganda
Jan 17: Ghana vs Uganda, Mali vs Egypt
Jan 21: Ghana vs Mali, Egypt vs Uganda
Jan 25: Egypt vs Ghana, Uganda vs Mali
Quarter-finals: January 28, 29.
Semi-finals: February 1, 2.
Third place play-off: February 4
Final: February 5.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Scams
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Gabon
Riyad Mahrez, Algeria
Sadio Mane, Senegal
Mohamad Salah, Egypt
Andre Ayew, Ghana
Khama Billiat, Zimbabwe
Kalidou Koulibaly, Senegal
Franck Kessié, Ivory Coast
Wilfried Zaha, Ivory Coast
Vincent Aboubakar, Cameroon
Ramadan Sobhi, Egypt
Yacine Brahimi, Algeria
Hamza Mendyl, Morroco
Mario Lemina, Gabon
Khama Billiat, Zimbabwe
Tendai Ndoro, Zimbabwe
Serge Aurier, Ivory Coast
Eric Bailly, Ivory Coast
Bertrand Traoré, Burkina Faso
Adama Traoré, Mali
Chris
Mario Lemina, Gabon
Clinton N’Jie, Cameroon
Bertrand Traore, Burkina Faso
Mamadu Candé, Guinea-Bissau
Yacine Brahimi, Algeria
Aymen Abdennour, Tunisia
Keita Diao, Senegal
Knowledge Musona, Zimbabwe
Franck Kessié, Ivory Coast
Cédric Bakambu, Congo
Mehdi Carcela-González, Morocco
Serge Gakpe, Togo
Thomas Partey, Ghana
Moussa Marega, Mali
Ahmed Hassan ‘Koka’, Egypt
Luwagga Kizito , Uganda
Favorites
Algeria
Ivory Coast
Senegal
Egypt
Sleeper teams
Gabon
Mali
Morocco
Cameroon
Ghana
Where To Watch
In the UK — ITV4 Eurosport
In the US — beIN Sports (English) Univision Deportes (Spanish)
In Canada — beIN Sports (English) Univision Canada (Spanish) RDS (French)
