Avram Grant’s Ghana learned the identity of their three opening Africa Cup of Nations opponents on Wednesday when the 16 competing teams were drawn into four groups. The Black Stars found themselves pitted alongside familiar foe Egypt and Uganda, while Mali complete a first-round pool that boasts no shortage of potential banana skins for […]

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Avram Grant’s Ghana learned the identity of their three opening Africa Cup of Nations opponents on Wednesday when the 16 competing teams were drawn into four groups. The Black Stars found themselves pitted alongside familiar foe Egypt and Uganda, while Mali complete a first-round pool that boasts no shortage of potential banana skins for the west Africans as they look to reach the knock-out round for the sixth consecutive Afcon.

In this feature, we profile a quintet of ominous first-round opponents for Grant & co.

Mohamed Salah

Mohamed Salah is the obvious name that Grant and his team will be highlighting as they plan ahead for the obstacles that they’ll face in Gabon. The AS Roma forward is one of Africa’s best attackers—he’s bagged four in eight in Serie A this season and is spearheading Egypt’s return to prominence in the continental context—and will be a headache for the Black Stars backline. It will be fascinating to see how Grant silences Salah when the two sides meet in World Cup qualifying in November.

Bakary Sako

The Crystal Palace wideman is one of the Premier League’s unsung heroes, but he’s steadily established himself as one of Mali’s key men and offers a goal threat that the Black Stars must be very wary of. He scored a late equaliser against Ghana in March 2015—cancelling out an Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu opener—and his work out wide creates openings and opportunities for the likes of Abdoulay Diaby, the Yatabare brothers and Moussa Doumbia.

Tonny Mawejje

A real hipsters’ favourite in African football circles, Mawejje is one of the most talented East African players in the world today, even if he’s perhaps not quite enjoyed the career trajectory that his talent deserved. Perhaps at his best when bursting into the box and troubling keepers with efforts from just outside the area, Mawejje will bring bite to the Ugandan midfield and won’t shrink on the continent’s grandest stage.

Bassem Morsy

A whole clutch of Egyptian players have stepped up to replace the departed stalwarts of the Golden Generation, although as many of them still play their football in their homeland, they’re yet to become household names across the continent. SC Zamalek forward Morsy has the quality to boost his profile significantly in Gabon, and will provide a heady mix of physicality and finesse in attack.

Moussa Marega

Admittedly, the 25-year-old is yet to truly impress for Mali since making his international debut in 2015, however, his recent form at club level means that he has to be taken seriously by Grant and his defenders. The Portugal-based hitman has scored a whopping seven goals in six starts in the Liga NOS so far this season—where he is on loan at Guimaraes—and is showing the kind of form that prompted FC Porto to snare him from Maritimo earlier this year.

 

 

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