The 32nd edition of the Total African Cup of Nations, which will kick-off on the 21st of June has a total of six groups; A, B, C, D, E, and F. The SaharaReporters Sport team brings you group review and what to expect from each team.
The 32nd edition of the Total African Cup of Nations, which will kick-off on the 21st of June has a total of six groups; A, B, C, D, E, and F. The SaharaReporters Sport team brings you group review and what to expect from each team.
The fourth group in the tournament for the 32nd edition of the Total African Cup of Nations, Group D, have Ivory Coast, Morocco, Namibia and South Africa.
Ivory Coast
Ivory Coast won the AFCON twice winning with penalties against Ghana in 1992 and another victory was recorded in the final in 2015 against Cameroon. They were, however, eliminated at the group stage at AFCON 2017.[story_link align="left"]70866[/story_link]
Currently ranked 62 in FIFA World ranking, The Elephants will begin their action campaign against Zambia on the 26th of June 2019 in the AFCON.
Ivory Coast has produced several notable players who have played in Europe, including Didier Drogba, Yaya Touré, Emmanuel Eboué, Wilfried Bony, Seydou Doumbia, Gervinho, Eric Bailly, Serge Aurier, Nicolas Pépé, Maxwel Cornet, Wilfried Zaha, Ibrahim Sangaré, Salomon Kalou and Kolo Touré.
Ibrahim Kamara a former legend for Ivory Coast will be managing the team in the 32nd AFCON in Egypt. The team would be leaning on the brilliance of Wilfried Zaha, Gradel, Bony and Aurier to help them scale through.
Full Squad
Goalkeepers: Sylvain Gbohouo (TP Mazembe), Ali Badra (Free State Stars), Tape Ira (FC San Pedro)
Defenders: Serge Aurier (Tottenham), Wilfried Kanon (ADO The Hague), Wonlo Coulibaly (ASEC Mimosas), Ismaël Traoré (Angers), Mamadou Bagayoko (Red Star), Cheikh Comara (Wydad Casablanca), Souleyman Bamba (Rennes)
Midfielders: Jean-Philippe Gbamin (Mainz), Geoffrey Serey Dié (Neuchâtel Xamax), Jean-Michaël Seri (Fulham), Victorian Angban (Metz), Franck Kessié (Milan) , Ibrahim Sangaré (Toulouse)
Strikers: Max-Alain Gradel (Toulouse), Nicolas Pépé (Lille), Wilfried Zaha (Crystal Palace), Jonathan Kodjia (Aston Villa), Roger Assalé (Young Boys Bern), Maxwel Cornet (Lyon), Wilfried Bony (Without a club).
Morocco
The Atlas Lion, as they are nicknamed, first won the competition in 1976 and finished as Runner-up in 2004.
The Morrocan team, who could not make it past the Quarter-Finals at AFCON 2017, would be hoping to re-awaken their old glory and bring fresh memories of what the team displayed in the 80s.
The team is currently ranked 47 in the FIFA world ranking, with Herve Renard managing the team in the 32nd Total African Cup of Nations.
Full Squad
Goalkeepers: Ahmed Reda Tagnaouti(Wydad Athletic Club), Bono(Girona), Munir(Malaga), Anas Zniti(Raja Club Athletic)
Defenders: Achraf Hakimi(Borussia Dortmund), Manuel Da Costa(Al Ittihad), Noussair Mazraoui(Ajax), Medhi Benatia(Al Duhail), Abdelkarim Baadi(Hassania Agadir), Yunis Abdelhamid(Al Ittihad)
Midfilders:Romain Saïss((Wolverhampton), Mbark Boussoufa(Al-Shabab), Younès Belhanda(Galatasaray), Youssef Aït Bennasser(Saint-Etienne), Karim El Ahmadi(Al-Ittihad), Fayçal Fajr(Caen), Sofiane Boufal(Celta Vigo), Mehdi Bourabia(Sassuolo), Nabil Dirar(Fenerbahce), Hakim Ziyech(Ajax), Nordin Amrabat(Al-Nassr) [story_link align="left"]70912[/story_link]
Forwards: Khalid Boutaïb(Zamalek), Oussama Idrissi(AZ Alkmaar), Youssef En-Nesyri(CD Leganes)
Namibia
The Namibian team is currently ranked 113 on the FIFA world ranking and has never won the AFCON since the inception of this tournament.
Ricardo Mannetti is the Namibian manager leading the Namibian squad to the Pharaoh’s Arena.
Namibia is playing their next match on the 23rd of June against Morocco in Africa Cup of Nations.
Full Squad
Goalkeepers: Maximilian Mbaeva(Lamontville Golden Arrows), Lloyd Junior Kazapua(Maccabi FC Johannesburg), and Ratanda Mbazuvara (Namibia)
Defenders: Denzil Haoseb(Highlands Park), Ryan Nyambe(Blackburn Rovers), Dynamo Fredericks(No Team), Ivan Kamberipa(No team), Charles Hambira(Baroka), Riaan Hanamub(No Team), Larry Horaeb(No Team)
Midfilders: Annanias Gebhardt (Baroka), Deon Hotto(Bidvest Wits), Willy Stephanus(No Team), Manfred Starke(Carl Zeiss Jena), Marcel Papama(No Team), Ronald Ketjijere(No Team), Isaskar Gurirab(No Team)
Forwards: Benson Shilongo(Ismaily), Peter Shalulile(Highlands Park), Petrus Shitembi(No Team), Joslin Kamatuka(No Team), Absalom Limbondi(No Team), Itamunua Keimuine(No Team)
South Africa
South Africa is currently ranked 72 according to the FIFA world ranking.
The South African team has only won the AFCON once beating Tunisia with two goals to nil in 1996 at the South African soil.
In 1998, the were the runner up, losing to Egypt conceding two goals and scored non.
The South African Team is managed by Stuart Baxter, and will play against Ivory Coast on the 24th of June 2019 in the Africa Cup of Nations.[story_link align="left"]70954[/story_link]
Full Squad
Goalkeepers: Ronwen Williams (Supersport United), Darren Keet(Bidvest Wits), Bruce Bvuma(Kaizer Chiefs)
Defenders: Thulani Hlatshwayo (Bidvest Wits), Sifiso Hlanti(Bidvest Wits), Thamsanqa Mkhize(Cape Town City), Buhle Mkhwanazi(Bidvest Wits), Innocent Maela(Orlando Pirates), Daniel Cardoso(Kaizer Chiefs), Ramahlwe Mphahlele(Kaizer Chiefs)
Midfilders: Hlompho Kekana (Mamelodi Sundowns), Thembinkosi Lorch (Orlando Pirates), Thulani Serero(Vitesse), Themba Zwane(Mamelodi Sundowns), Tiyani Mabunda(Maelodi Sundowns), Kamohelo Mokotjo(Brentford), Bongani Zungu(Amiens SC), Dean Furman(Supersport United), Sibusiso Vilakazi(Mamelodi Sundowns)
Forwards: Percy Tau (Union Saint-Gilloise), Lebohang Maboe(Mamelodi Sundowns), Lebo Mothiba(RC Stasbourg Alsace), Lars Veldwijk (Sparta Rotterdam)