AFCON Preview: Group D, “Group of Death”

By Ngome Michael

@NgomeMichael (tweeter)

Obstacles have been trampled upon, problems partially if not completely solved and arrivals are expected to pour in. AFCON 2021 kicks off in less than four days. sportsgiltz.net takes a deeper look at the 17 August parings.

Group D play host to all time successful Egypt, three time winners Nigeria, a founding member and one time holder, Sudan plus the Djurtus of Guinea Bissau.

Hostilities set in on January 11 with the fiercest group game between new managers, Carlos Queiroz and Austin Eguavoen alongside Jose Peeiro, “the observer”.

Nigeria may have caused their own problems by letting Rhor leave but, Eguavoen who once led the Eagles to a third place finish in 2006 is charged with the task of making the knockout stages for “peace” to reign.

Qualifying for Cameroon 2021 and the play offs for Qatar 2022, Kelechi Iheanacho, returning Samuel Chukweze and Wilfred Ndidi will serve the Super Eagles without Emmanuel Denise held by Watford and Napoli star man Victor Osimhen. Nigeria may look vulnerable but experience will be at the forefront for the 2013 winers.

Most appearances and most victorious, the Pharaohs of Egypt after a blissful 2006, 2008, 2010 treble returned to top spot 2017 but missed out and the quest for an eighth title was shattered at home in 2019.

Resuisitated in the FIFA Arab Cup by Carlos Queiroz where they reached the semi finals, Mohamed Salah arguably the best player in the world will merge forces with Mohamed Elneny and Mostafa Mohamed to write their names in gold.

On paper Egypt join Senegal, Tunisia and host Cameroon as favorite for February 06 Champions.

Defeats to Cameroon and Ghana in 2019 stripped Guinea a place at the knockout stages. Featuring for a third time, the team has come under heavy criticisms for failing to score in its last four world cup qualifiers. Baciro Cande leads a Djurtus squad full of players in second tier across Portugal and France hopping to cause an upset in such cloudy group.

Sudan returns to the AFCON final after nearly a decade. Snatching second place in qualifiers from South Africa, for Sudan to go through the group stages seem Improbable.

Hubet Velud’s abysmal performances in the Arab Cup made him give way for Burhan Tia who prefers youngsters to veterans that lost 4-3 to group opponents, Guinea Bissau in WCQ.

A founding member of CAF and 1970 Champions, the Falcons of Jedianes are quickly wiped off on paper. They face Guinea Bissau in the opener followed by Nigeria and Egypt respectively.

Ever since the publication of pairings, pundits across the continent have described the Group D as on the trickiest with others clearly stating qualification format; “Win Two Draw One”.