The 2017 Africa Cup of Nations gets underway this weekend as 16 of the best countries on the continent head to Gabon for the football showpiece in that part of the world and the hype and expectancy around this renewal of the tournament is as big as I can remember for a while.
The Ivory Coast head across the borders looking to defend their title but some of Africa’s finest will be out to deny them in what should be a great tournament.
Recent Winners
2015 – Ivory Coast
2013 – Nigeria
2012 – Zambia
2010 – Egypt
2008 – Egypt
2006 – Egypt
2004 – Tunisia
2002 – Cameroon
2000 – Cameroon
1998 – Egypt
The Format
The 16 sides have been pre-drawn into four groups of four where each team plays the other three in their group once with the winners and runners up after all the matches progressing to the quarter final where the tournament becomes a knockout event. If a knockout match is drawn extra time and penalties will be played.
Group A
The host nation Gabon will be looking for a first ACON title from this group. They are joined by the former winners Cameroon who will be formidable opponents. 2013 runners up Burkina Faso are the third team in this group while the only debutants at the event Guinea-Bissau are the other team housed in Group A.
Group B
There is always a group of death in these tournaments and this one looks to be it for this event. One of the best teams in Africa head the way in the form of Algeria but Senegal head into the tournament as the second favourites and will be no pushovers. Tunisia are former winners of this title and can’t be counted out either. Zimbabwe look to be the whipping boys.
Group C
The defending champions Ivory Coast are the top seeds in this group but this one looks quite competitive. Morocco know how to win this event having done it in 1976 while DR Congo have won the tournament twice in their history. Togo make up the numbers but they can be dangerous too.
Group D
There are titles galore in this group. Ghana hold four of them including most recently in 1982 while Egypt have seven previous wins including a hattrick of dominance between 2006 and 2010. This is their first appearance since they last won it. Mali will aim to be spoilers to those two while Uganda have qualified for the tournament for the first time since 1978 when they were runners-up.
Outright
You can make a case for quite a few sides in this tournament. Algeria might take some beating while it is hard to ignore the physical strength of Senegal. Being defending champions the Ivory Coast will have something to say about things while Ghana and Egypt will feel they can mix it on the big stage.
I’m siding with the tournament hosts Gabon though. In Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang they have a class act who is a real potent threat at the top end of the field while Sunderland’s Didier N’Dong has the physical attributes to dominate the midfield. I like Gabon’s draw as I think they’ll come through their group quite comfortably and from there home advantage can be a big thing. At 9/1 they are my pick for the tournament.
Top Goalscorer
There are some really top players in this tournament and the betting is a bit of who’s who of African football at the present time. Not surprisingly Aubameyang is the favourite around the 6/1 mark while the Leicester City forward Islam Slimani is a 9/1 shot. Jonathan Kodjia and Mohamed Salah are both 12/1 shots. Wilfried Bony, Asamoah Gyan, Sadio Mane and Riyad Mahrez are all top players and you can make a case for any of them.
As ever in this market I’m going to look a little further down the field for a bit of value and there are two at decent prices I’m happy to invest in. The Lorient striker Benjamin Moukandjo heads into this tournament in good form and he is in a Cameroon side who look to be in an open section where some goals could flow. I’ve a feeling they might sneak into the semi-finals to give Moukandjo the full six matches to score in. If that happens 28/1 is a big price on a man who knows where the net is.
Hull City fans haven’t seen many goals from Dieumerci Mbokani just yet but if they watch this tournament they might see some more. He has that physical strength that can dominate defenders and if DR Congo are to do anything their need their main striker to deliver. At 66/1 I’m happy to chance him in the hope he can get going early and set a decent target.
Specials
Each group has plenty of markets priced up for it and there is one in Group C which catches my eye. I have to admit I quite liked the look of Morocco for this tournament but they suffered a couple of big injuries in the lead up to the event and I now wonder just how effective they will be.
I’m now more confident that DR Congo can deliver the goods in the group and while Ivory Coast are likely to fill one of the qualifying spots someone has to go through with them. With goals in the form of Mbokani and a decent enough supply line despite the absence of Yannick Bolasie the odds against on DR Congo qualifying looks tasty enough to me.
Tips
Back Gabon to win Africa Cup of Nations (e/w) for a 1/10 stake at 10.00 with Betfred (1/2 1-2)
Back them here:
Back B.Moukandjo Top Goalscorer (e/w) for a 1/10 stake at 29.00 with Skybet (1/4 1-3)
Back him here:
Back D.Mbokani Top Goalscorer (e/w) for a 0.5/10 stake at 67.00 with Bet365 (1/4 1-3)
Back him here:
WON – Back DR Congo to qualify from Group C for a 3/10 stake at 2.20 with BetVictor
Back them here:
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