Saturday marks the commencement of the 34th edition of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), the most prestigious international tournament in Africa. The tournament will be available to watch live in the UK via Sky Sports, while soccer fans around the world can also use football streams to catch up with how their favourite players are performing in AFCON 2023.
Despite being initially scheduled to take place during the Northern Hemisphere’s summer last year, the Confederation of African Football postponed the tournament to January 13 – February 11, 2024.
The reason behind the confederation’s decision to push the most heavily anticipated event in Africa was the weather conditions in Ivory Coast.
It’s been four decades since Ivory Coast last hosted the final tournament, with Cameroon, the host nation of the previous instalment, ascending to the throne in 1984 for the first time.
Unfortunately for the Indomitable Lions, Manchester United goalkeeper Andre Onana faces the risk of missing out on the entire tournament after prolonging his stay at Old Trafford to help his troubled club.
Cameroon boss Rigobert Song included the 27-year-old in his 27-man squad, yet Onana won’t be between the sticks for his country’s curtain-raising fixture against Guinea, as per iNews.
To make things worse for the Cameroonians, they encounter reigning AFCON champions Senegal in round two, with the Lions of Teranga bidding to become only the fourth nation to defend the crown.
Inspired by former Liverpool ace Sadio Mane, Senegal conquered the 2021 tournament for the first time in the nation’s history, overcoming seven-time champions Egypt in the title-deciding showdown.
History
Wilfried Zaha’s withdrawal from the national team has significantly diminished Ivory Coast’s quest to lift their third AFCON title and become the 12th host nation to win the tournament.
Record-time champions Egypt last achieved that feat, winning the fifth of their seven titles in 2006 to kick off an unprecedented run of three consecutive AFCON triumphs.
Led by Liverpool talisman Mohamed Salah, the Rui Vitoria’s men come into the tournament as fourth-favourites to win the gold medal, which has eluded them since 2010.
But despite his outrageous club form, the quicksilver forward has only netted six goals in 17 AFCON appearances, 12 fewer than the competition-high 18 set by Cameroon legend Samuel Eto’o.
Unless Ghana icon Andre Ayew can add to his 10-goal tally, the ex-Barcelona star’s record should stand the test of time, considering the Le Havre ace is the only active player to have achieved double-digits.
With Egypt and Ghana drawn in the same group with continental minnows Cape Verde and Mozambique, knockout-stage qualification is the bare minimum Salah and Ayew would expect from their sides.
But even though the Black Stars are the fourth most successful team in AFCON history with four trophies, you’d need to go back to 2010 for the last time they reached the grand final.
On the other hand, the Egyptians have featured in two showpiece events since beating Ghana in that final but lost each time to five-time winners Cameroon and Senegal, respectively.
Whoever comes out on top in Ivory Coast could take their fans through an emotional rollercoaster if the recent history of the AFCON finals is anything to go by.
Not only has each title decider in the 21st century yielded a full-time margin of under 1.5 goals, but three of the last six have required a penalty shoot-out to crown the champion.
Favourites
Senegal could become the second team in AFCON history to defend the title after winning the tournament for the first time, with Ghana the only other side to achieve this feat in 1963 and 1965.
Headline performer Sadio Mane heads into the competition in a celebratory mood after marrying his 18-year-old girlfriend Aisha Tamba in a private ceremony, according to Pulse Sports.
While bookies view the Lions of Teranga as the leading candidates to return home victorious, Ivory Coast are given the second-most chance to spoil Senegal’s plans and keep the trophy home.
Even without Zaha, the quality within the Elephants squad is bursting at the seams, with Premier League stars Simon Adingra and Ibrahim Sangare forming the backbone of Jean-Louis Gasset’s midfield.
But watch out for an experienced Algeria side.
Former Manchester City winger Riyad Mahrez and AC Milan playmaker Ismael Bennacer are the standout names, yet the Greens boast many other top-class players.
Last but not least, you can never write Salah off, especially after Egypt qualified for the grand final twice across the last three tournaments.
