Cameroon the favourites to claim honours

Whereas Group C, comprising 2013 semi-finalists Ghana, a resurgent South Africa and Senegal and the highest ranked team on the continent Algeria easily passes as the Group of Death, at least on paper, one may also want to keep an eye on an equally tough Group D where Ivory Coast, Cameroon, Mali and Guinea will battle it out for the top two places.

The odds are hugely in favour of the Elephants and the Indomitable Lions to secure second round places but as history has repeatedly proven, surprises are the hallmark of the Africa Cup of Nations and the two soccer power-houses better watch out for the two other teams in the group, Mali and Guinea.

It will be a reunion of sorts for the Elephants and the Indomitable Lions, who were pooled together in Group D during the qualifying rounds that saw Cameroon bounce back from a disastrous 2014 World Cup outing to qualify unbeaten, a run that included a resounding 4-1 win over Ivory Coast in Yaounde.

Cameroon goes to the continental festival as one of the red-hot favorites to clinch the trophy following a major overhaul of the team that has seen the emergence of a new generation of youthful, highly motivated lads ready to take the continent by storm.

Long serving skipper Samuel Eto’o has since retired while former Barcelona star Alex Song and former Tottenham wingback Bennoit Assou Ekotto have been overlooked for their highly divisive tendencies and a new team built around midfielders Stephanie Mbia, Eric Choupo Moting, Joel Matip and Benjamin Moukandjo, defender Nicolas Nkoulou, youthful strikers Vincent Abubakar and Clinton Njie and Barcelona B goalkeeper Fabrice Ondoua.

DEFENSIVE ROCK Ivory Coast’s recent form has been far from impressive. Clearly a star-studded side boasting the midfield colossus Yaya Toure, his elder brother Kolo, Roma striker Gervinho, Newcastle midfielder Cheikh Tiote and defensive rock Siaka Tiene, age appears to be taking its toll on the Elephants.

The age factor in the Ivory Coast team is best illustrated by the defensive frailties witnessed during the qualifiers which saw Kolo and co. concede an embarrassing 1l goals including a 3-4 home defeat to DR Congo.

The Elephants will however draw solace in the fine form of their striking force led by Gervinho, Swansea City hitman Wilfred Bony and CSKA Moscow’s Seydou Doumbia.

Mali may be a pale shadow of the team which finished third during the last edition behind Nigeria and Burkina Faso but in inspirational 34-year old skipper Seydou Keita, the West Africans remain a potent force. Guinea remains the group’s dark horses, but one underrates them at their own peril.

Despite playing all their home matches in Casablanca, Morocco, due to the outbreak of Ebola at home, the Syli Nationale pulled off some impressive results enroute to the finals, including a 4-1 hammering of Emmanuel Adebayor’s Togo in Lome and a 2-0 thrashing of Uganda on the final day to book their place in Equatorial Guinea.