Senegal will have a difficult time defending their AFCON crown because they’re in the proverbial “Group of Death” in Group C.
The Teranga Lions, who waited for a long time to finally win one in 2021, are bunched alongside fellow powerhouses Cameroon, Guinea, and Senegal, and minnows Gambia.
Meanwhile, Egypt, who finished second, are set to take on Mozambique, while previous winners Ghana, Nigeria, and Cameroon have Cape Verde, Equatorial Guinea, and Guinea on the menu as some of the top games to look out for in the first matchday.
Senegal vs Gambia
Senegal are in superb form heading into AFCON since they have only lost once in 2023, and they started 2024 on a winning note after they defeated Niger 1-0 in an international friendly on Tuesday.
Leading the way for the Teranga Lions is their striker, Sadio Mane, who is happy to be back with the national team after missing out on the 2022 World Cup due to injuries.
After a disastrous stint with Bayern Munich last term, Mane – who scored the winning penalty in the 2021 final – took his talents to the Saudi Pro League, and he is now third in the Golden Boot race with eight goals.
Overall, Senegal would fancy their SBOTOP AFCON 2024 odds since they have a unique mix of bright youngsters and reliable veterans, as besides Mane, they have the likes of captain Kalidou Koulibaly, Edouard Mendy, Fode Ballo-Toure, Idrissa Gueye, Pape Sarr, and Nicolas Jackson.
As for Gambia, their main threats up front are the Saudi Pro League combo of Musa Barrow (Al-Taawoun) and Assan Ceesay (Damac), while 19-year-old Adama Bojang is a wildcard at best.
Egypt vs Mozambique
Egypt haven’t won the AFCON in 13 years now, so they are hellbent on extending their record seven titles when they commence their new campaign this weekend.
For all his 55 goals for the Pharaohs, Mohamed Salah has yet to win a trophy with them. In the last AFCON, Egypt scored four goals in seven games, and the Liverpool hitman contributed to three (two goals and one assist).
Look for him to do something similar, but he has a stronger supporting cast this time with the likes of Omar Marmoush and Mostafa Mohamed joining him up front.
Mozambique, on the other hand, have yet to win a single AFCON match, and that will be their main target.
Elias Pelembe, better known as “Domingues,” is still going strong for the Mambas. The UD Songo midfielder just turned 40, meaning that he’ll enter this weekend as the oldest player in the tournament.
Ghana vs Cape Verde
The 2021 AFCON was statistically Ghana’s worst performance at a big tournament. With one draw and two losses in three games, the Black Stars finished at the bottom of Group C.
Starting this weekend, Ghana will likely rely on the brilliance of Mohammed Kudus, Inaki Williams, and Antoine Semenyo up front, while the Ayew siblings will provide invaluable veteran leadership.
All eyes are on Kudus since he showed the world what he’s capable of in Qatar when he became the first Ghanian to score a brace in a World Cup game, and he has been a solid addition for West Ham United this season.
Ghana’s opponents, Cape Verde, are participating in the AFCON for the second straight time. Ryan Mendes is the Blue Sharks’ most experienced player, with a record 15 goals in 69 caps.
Nigeria vs Equatorial Guinea
The Super Eagles arguably boast the best attacking corps in this tournament because they have players capable of creating AFCON 2024 highlights, such as Victor Osimhen, Ademola Lookman, Umar Sadiq, Terem Moffi, Kelechi Iheanacho, Alex Iwobi, and Samuel Chukwueze.
Nigeria are determined to shed their underachievers tag after their Round of 16 exit in the 2021 AFCON and the failure to qualify for the 2022 World Cup.
Senegal were the team that eliminated Equatorial Guinea in the 2021 AFCON quarter-finals, so the latter is out for revenge.
The Elephants will look to live up to their giant-killers reputation, and spearheading the charge is their captain, Emilio Nsue, who has notched 17 goals in 40 caps.
Cameroon vs Guinea
The opening match between Cameroon and Guinea is easily the pick of the litter because of the oozing talent between these two nations.
Despite controversies surrounding their squad, including Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting’s surprise omission, Cameroon still have enough to win it all, with European talents like Andre Onana, Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa, and captain Vincent Aboubakar in tow.
But Guinea can go toe-to-toe with Cameroon because they have Serhou Guirassy, Ilaix Moriba, and Naby Keita. Whoever wins this match will likely join Senegal in the knockout stages.
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