AFCON 2021: Eagles Draw Seven-time Champions, Egypt, Sudan, G’Bissau

Femi Solaja

As rightly anticipated, Nigeria’s Super Eagles will have a herculean task to cope with at next year’s 33rd Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Cameroon as they were drawn against seven-time winners, Pharaohs of Egypt, Sudan and Guinea Bissau in Group D last night.

Interestingly, the last time both teams met at the tournament held in Angola in 2010, Egypt as defending champion, defeated Nigeria 3-1 after Chinedu Obasi-Ogbuke had put Eagles in front in the opening group match.

But on January 11th, 2022 at the 38,000 capacity Roumde Adja Stadium in Garoua, Cameroon, both teams will have settle to score as Nigeria will be looking to exact a pound of flesh from the Pharaohs with their talisman Mohamed Salah in action.

The game will also be the 11th anniversary of their last AFCON 2010 clash in Benguela, Angola.

Aside the Pharaohs of Egypt, Super Eagles also have Sudan and Guinea Bissau to contend with as teams in the group battle for the two automatic tickets to the knock out phase.

In the other groups drawn at the ceremony which held in Yaounde, host Cameroon will play Stallions of Burkina Faso in opening Group A match just as Comoros Island, who are making their first appearance at the tournament, will have their hands full when they take on Senegal, Ghana and Gabon in Group C.

Defending champions, Algeria, must navigate their way past Sierra Leone, Equatorial Guinea and Cote d’Ivoire in Group E in the quest for second round phase.

Elsewhere, Tunisia have been zoned alongside Mali, Mauritania, and Gambia in Group F.

The 33rd edition of the biennial African football showpiece was due to begin on January 9, 2021, however, it was pushed back to January 2022 due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic that crippled football-related activities.

Before the advent of Covid-19, the competition was moved from June-July 2021 dates to January 2022 due to the unfavourable climate in the West African country during the summer months.

Nigeria last won the championship in 2013 when Super Eagles defeated Burkina Faso 1-0 in South Africa courtesy of Sunday Mba’s first-half strike.

THE GROUPS

Group A: Cameroon, Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Cape Verde

Group B: Senegal, Zimbabwe, Guinea, Malawi,

Group C: Morocco, Ghana, Comoros Islands, Gabon

Group D: Nigeria, Egypt, Sudan, Guinea-Bissau

Group E: Algeria, Sierra Leone, E’Guinea, Côte d’Ivoire

Group F: Tunisia, Mali, Mauritania, The Gambia