Countdown to AFCON 2012
Ghana opens with Ease
The 28th African Cup of Nations taking place in Equatorial Guinea and Gabon fixtures have generated hit amongst sports loving Africans especially football enthusiasts .
As the continent geared toward another Football fiesta, one of the favourites for the trophy and probably the most experience team in the competition; Black Stars of Ghana will be be opening their game against the new comer; Botswana, The match is slated for January 24 at the Franceville stadium. Ghana will also face a serious task when they take on Guinea the team that stopped Super Eagles of Nigeria from qualifying to the biannual festival.
. Ghana will face Botswana, Mali and Guinea in Group D of the 2012 African Nations Cup. The draw took place in Malabo, capital of Equatorial Guinea on Saturday night.Botswana are first-timers at the event while Mali have been in one final. Guinea were also grouped in with Ghana in the 2008 edition. Next year's tournament will see Ghana based in Franceville as the Stars seek to get a fifth title.
The other so-called big guns also got appreciable draws, with Ivory Coast getting a particularly tough set up as they face Sudan, Burkina Faso and Angola in Group B.
Hosts Gabon are in Group C with a North African combo of Niger, Morocco and Tunisia. Fellow co-hosts Equatorial Guinea are in Group A with Libya, Senegal and Gambia.
The draw took place with several dignitaries and diplomats from across the football world in attendance. Now that the draw is done, the continent awaits kickoff on January 21, 2012.
However, many sports analysts are of the opinion that 2012 AFCON will not receive maximum patronage because of the absence of so called big team in the continent; Nigeria failed to qualify due to poor performance of the Samson Siasia boys, as at press tome, Nigeria Football Federation has since sacked Samson Siasia and a replacement is being sought by the football house, Pleasures Magazine learnt that former players in the country are battling for the job; Former Mali coach, Stephen Keshi who narrowly lost the job to Siaisia is on the list, Sunday Oliseh, Emmanuel Amuneke and Daniel Amokhachi are been scrutinized by the Nigeria Football house.
Egypt the defending Champion poor outings during the qualifiers have robbed them of defending the cup they won in Angola 2010 at the mercy of the the Black Stars. Cameroun will also be missed at the biannual event as they failed to qualifiy.
Below is the full fixture for the Championship.
FIXTURES OF THE FINAL TOURNAMENT/CALENDRIER DU TOURNOI FINAL | |||||
Group matches/Matches de groupe | |||||
No. | Match | Group(e) | Date | Time/Heure | Venue/Lieu |
01. | GUINEA EQ. vs. LIBYA | A | 21/01/2012 | 19H:30 | Bata |
02. | SENEGAL vs. ZAMBIA | A | 21/01/2012 | 22H:00 | Bata |
03. | COTE D’IVOIRE vs. SUDAN | B | 22/01/2012 | 17H:00 | Malabo |
04. | BURKINA FASO vs. ANGOLA | B | 22/01/2012 | 20H:00 | Malabo |
05. | GABON vs. NIGER | C | 23/01/2012 | 17H:00 | Libreville |
06. | MOROCCO vs. TUNISIA | C | 23/01/2012 | 20H:00 | Libreville |
07. | GHANA vs. BOTSWANA | D | 24/01/2012 | 17H:00 | Franceville |
08. | MALI vs. GUINEA | D | 24/01/2012 | 20H:00 | Franceville |
09. | LIBYA vs. ZAMBIA | A | 25/01/2012 | 17H:00 | Bata |
10. | GUINEA EQ. vs. SENEGAL | A | 25/01/2012 | 20H:00 | Bata |
11. | SUDAN vs. ANGOLA | B | 26/01/2012 | 17H:00 | Malabo |
12. | COTE D’IVOIRE vs. BURKINA FASO | B | 26/01/2012 | 20H:00 | Malabo |
13. | NIGER vs. TUNISIA | C | 27/01/2012 | 17H:00 | Libreville |
14. | GABON vs. MOROCCO | C | 27/01/2012 | 20H:00 | Libreville |
15. | BOTSWANA vs. GUINEA | D | 28/01/2012 | 17H:00 | Franceville |
16. | GHANA vs. MALI | D | 28/01/2012 | 20H:00 | Franceville |
17. | GUINEA EQ. vs. ZAMBIA | A | 29/01/2012 | 19H:00 | Malabo |
18. | LIBYA vs. SENEGAL | A | 29/01/2012 | 19H:00 | Bata |
19. | SUDAN vs. BURKINA FASO | B | 30/01/2012 | 19H:00 | Bata |
20. | COTE D’IVOIRE vs. ANGOLA | B | 30/01/2012 | 19H:00 | Malabo |
21. | GABON vs. TUNISIA | C | 31/01/2012 | 19H:00 | Franceville |
22. | NIGER vs. MOROCCO | C | 31/01/2012 | 19H:00 | Libreville |
23. | BOTSWANA vs. MALI | D | 01/02/2012 | 19H:00 | Libreville |
24. | GHANA vs. GUINEA | D | 01/02/2012 | 19H:00 | Franceville |
Quarter Finals – ¼ de finale | |||||
25. | 1st A vs. 2nd B | 04/02/2012 | 17H:00 | Bata | |
26. | 1st B vs. 2nd A | 04/02/2012 | 20H:00 | Malabo | |
27. | 1st C vs. 2nd D | 05/02/2012 | 17H:00 | Libreville | |
28. | 1st D vs. 2nd C | 05/02/2012 | 20H:00 | Franceville | |
Semi-Finals - ½ Finale | |||||
29. | Win. 25 vs. Win. 28 | 08/02/2012 | 17H:00 | Bata | |
30. | Win. 27 vs. Win. 26 | 08/02/2012 | 20H:00 | Libreville | |
3rd Place match – Match de classement | |||||
31. | Loser 29 vs. loser 30 | 11/02/2012 | 20H:00 | Malabo | |
Final/Finale | |||||
32. | Win. 29 v Win. 30 | 12/02/2012 | 20H:00 | Libreville | |
Pleasures Magazine will beginning a count down to the event from this edition. You can also join us and vote for the country that will win the trophy come February 12, 2012.
By: Moses Owopade
By: Moses Owopade
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