THE 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, tagged AFCON 2023, kicks off on Saturday in Cote d’Ivoire with 52 matches lined up.
It promises to be a month-long fiesta of African football played across five Ivorian cities of Abidjan, Bouake, San Pedro, Yamoussoukro and Korhogo until February 11.
Before the win-or-go-home clashes in the knockout rounds, there will be some monumental confrontations in the group stages pitting African giants against one another.
Here are five unmissable battles between former champions strewn across the groups as the big guns chase one more title…
COTE D’IVOIRE VS NIGERIA (Group A, January 18, Abijdan. 6pm Nigerian time)
The first heavyweight encounter at AFCON 2013 is between the hosts and the Super Eagles of Nigeria on the second matchday of the tournament.
Before the Elephants, 1992 and 2015 champions, and three-time winners the Eagles go to battle, they would have taken on the ‘smaller’ teams in their Group A: Cote d’Ivoire against Guinea-Bissau in the tournament’s opening match January 13 and Nigeria versus Equatorial Guinea the following day.
The most memorable AFCON encounters between the two giants were both won by Nigeria, who went on to win the trophy both times: in 1994 and 2013.
The first one took place at the 1994 AFCON when Nigeria edged out Cote d’Ivoire on penalties in a battle of two teams parading some of the finest players on the continent.
Cote d’Ivoire had the likes of Aka Kouame, Abdoulaye Traore, Joel Tiehi and Michele Bassole, while it was Nigeria’s ‘golden generation’ of Austin Jay Jay Okocha, Sunday Oliseh, Daniel Amokachi, Rashidi Yekini, Finidi George etc.
A pulsating encounter ended 2-2 in full-time and extra-time, with Nigeria equalising twice (Ben Iroha scored the first equaliser off an exquisite assist by Okocha) before going on to win on penalties.
In 2013, Cote d’Ivoire were the overwhelming favourites to beat a Nigeria side that had scraped through the group phase, but Stephen Keshi’s Super Eagles produced their best performance and won 2-1 with goals from Emmanuel Emenike and revelation of the tournament Sunday Mba.
Currently, both sides also have real quality in their fold, as the Elephants can call on captain Serge Aurier and his Nottingham Forest teammate Ibrahim Sangare as well as former Arsenal winger Nicolas Pepe, now with Besiktas, Sebastian Haller of Borussia Dortmund and Simon Adingra of Brighton.
Despite missing several key players due to injury, the Super Eagles still have one of the most talented squads at AFCON 2023 (at least on paper), with Napoli hitman Victor Osimhen leading the line, supported by Atalanta’s Ademola Lookman, AC Milan’s Samuel Chukwueze, Fulham’s Alex Iwobi and FC Porto’s Zaidu Sanusi among others.
If both Cote d’Ivoire and Nigeria win their opening matches as expected, this face-off would be touted as the fixture that could determine the winners of the group.
Head-to-head:
Cote d’Ivoire: 9 wins
Nigeria: 8 wins
Draws: 10
FIFA ranking:
Cote d’Ivoire: 49
Nigeria: 42
EGYPT VS GHANA (Group B, January 18, Abijdan. 9pm Nigerian time)
Egypt and Ghana are two of the most successful nations in AFCON history, with 11 titles between them.
Although Ghana’s last AFCON trophy was in 1982, they have won it four times, which ranks them third behind only undoubted kings of Africa Egypt — with seven — and Cameroon with five.
The Black Stars had a nightmarish outing last time out in Cameroon, where they were eliminated at the group phase, while Egypt went all the way to the final before losing to Senegal.
The Pharaohs, with Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah leading the attack, are one of the favourites to go all the way this time, but Ghana are keen to prove that 2022 in Cameroon was an anomaly.
Besides, the Black Stars will be driven by some form of revenge having lost the 2010 AFCON final to Egypt in Angola, and having not beaten the Pharaohs in their last four meetings.
Head-to-head:
Ghana: 5 wins
Egypt: 12 wins
Draws: 6
FIFA ranking:
Egypt: 33
Ghana: 61
SENEGAL VS CAMEROON (Group C, January 19, Yamoussoukro. 6pm Nigerian time)
This Group C battle in Yamoussoukro is between the current champions and stumbling giants looking to get back on their feet.
While Cameroon fell short at home at the last AFCON and finished third, Senegal claimed the trophy for the first time in their history.
Both teams were also at the Qatar 2022 World Cup months later, and Senegal outperformed Cameroon again by reaching the round of 16 when their rivals limped out in the first round.
Now, the Indomitable Lions are out to show that they are still the real kings of the jungle against the Lions of Teranga, whose roar has been getting louder and louder in recent years.
Cameroon are indeed AFCON royalty with five titles, but their last triumph was in 2017, while Senegal reached the final in the last two editions.
Senegal edged past Cameroon 1-0 in their last meeting, a friendly in October, but the Indomitable Lions will forever cherish the memories of beating the Teranga Lions in the AFCON final in Mali in 2002.
Head-to-head:
Cameroon: 5 wins
Senegal: 6 wins
Draws: 3
FIFA ranking:
Senegal: 20
Cameroon: 46
SOUTH AFRICA VS TUNISIA (Group E, January 24, Korhogo. 6pm Nigerian time)
In a repeat of the 1996 final, South Africa and Tunisia will be battling each other at AFCON 2023, this time at an early stage.
Back then, Bafana Bafana, riding on the crest of their new freedom from Apartheid and home support led by the legendary Nelson Mandela (and taking full advantage of defending champions Nigeria’s absence due to a diplomatic row), defeated Tunisia 2-0 to lift their first and so far only AFCON trophy.
South Africa reached the next final in Burkina Faso but it has been downhill from there, and they will be keen to show they can go toe-to-toe with the big boys when they face Tunisia in a Group E clash on January 24 in Korhogo.
Like South Africa, Tunisia have also won one AFCON trophy, and it was also on home soil in 2004.
Head-to-head:
South Africa: 3 wins
Tunisia: 3 wins
Draws: none
FIFA ranking:
South Africa: 66
Tunisia: 28
MOROCCO VS ZAMBIA (Group F, January 24, San Pedro. 9pm Nigerian time)
This is also a battle of one-time champions, with Zambia stunning the continent to win the AFCON title in 2012 and Morocco’s only triumph coming 48 years ago.
Competitive meetings between both sides are usually tight, as they have often draws or exchanged one-goal margin wins.
Morocco, the continent’s highest-ranked team by FIFA, are the darlings of African football at the moment after their historic semi-final feat at the Qatar 2022 World Cup, but they have not impressed at AFCON level in recent years.
The furthest the Atlas Lions have reached since losing in the final to Tunisia in 2004 has been the quarter-finals, and they might need to beat Zambia in their final group fixture in Cote d’Ivoire.
Chipolopolo have also not been impressive since their shock success in 2012, crashing out in the first round in both 2013 and 2015, and failing to qualify in 2017, 2019 and 2021.
Head-to-head
Zambia: 6 wins
Morocco: 10 wins
Draws: 2
FIFA ranking:
Morocco: 13
Zambia: 84
