TOUGH TEST FOR IVORY COAST TO DEFEND TITLE
All eyes will be on defending champions to see if they can retain the Afcon title they won two years ago, but Tiyani wa ka Mabasa believes that DR Congo cannot be taken lightly in Group C.
IVORY COAST (Fifa ranking 34/CAF Ranking 2)
The Ivorians weren’t convincing during the qualifiers as they needed a win, plus three draws, to edge Sierra Leone in a three-team group that included Sudan. They will be without captain Gervinho (knee injury) but coach Michel Dussuyer is breathing easy considering he has a fearsome attack.
Newcomer Wilfried Zaha’s pace and trickery could make a difference, while Italy-based midfielder Franck Kessie could use the tournament to justify why English sides Chelsea and Liverpool are after his signature. Prediction: Group winners
DR CONGO (48/6)
Very few will remember that the Leopards finished third in 2015 because history remembers winners. DR Congo, though, continue to improve. Youssouff Mulumbu and Cedric Bakambu, who scored three goals during the qualifiers, are tipped to play a key role.
Head coach Florent Ibenge has been hailed for his influence since taking over in 2014 having led them to the African Nations Championship (Chan) title last year. The 2016 Caf Coach of the Year nominee will be looking to make his mark at a major tournament. Prediction: Runners-up
MOROCCO (57/10)
The north Africans are back after refusing to host the last tournament due to fears over the Ebola virus. Coach Herve Renard is the only mentor to win the Afcon with two different countries (Zambia and Ivory Coast). But he is already on the backfoot in his bid to win a third after the withdrawal of influential midfielders such as Sofiane Boufal and Younes Belhanda due to injuries.
Morocco have been knocked out in the group stage in the last four Afcon editions, in (2006, 2008, 2012 and 2013). Prediction: Third place
TOGO (91/23)
They are one of the biggest underachievers at the tournament and only made it past the group stage in 2013 when they reached the quarterfinals.
Now guided by the experienced Claude Le Roy, the Sparrow Hawks will be hoping to soar. But that Emmanuel Adebayor is part of the squad despite being without a club since June, says a lot about their chances. Prediction: Fourth place