With Group F games of the ongoing African Cup of Nations (AFCON) kicking off on Tuesday, June 25, 2019, at Ismailia in Egypt, we take a look at a Group that has defending champions Cameroon and four-time winners Ghana take on Guinea-Bissau and Benin respectively, who would be gunning for their first-ever AFCON triumphant.
Benin hoping to go past Group Stages:
Nicknamed “The Squirrels”, Benin has made it to the continental showpiece on three occasions in 2004, 2008 and 2010, where they exited at group stages.
They head into this game with an intention of going past the group stage of this tournament but with history against them, where they have lost to Ghana in seven outings, drawing five and winning two in their fourteen (14) international outing in all competitions.
As West African neighbours, the squirrels know so much of the Ghana team and would seek to capitalize on the weakness of the Black Stars team to hit them hard in search of a booster in the second game of group F.
Head Coach – Michel Dussuyer:
French coach Michel Dussuyer, who is having his second stint with the Benin team after guiding them in 2008 to 2010, would certainly be aiming for a good start in Ismailia come June 25, 2019.
The former goalkeeper, having taken Guinea and Ivory Coast to continental showpiece before, has so much experience on the continent that can be of great asset heading into the all-important opener.
Dussuyer has guided Ivory Coast to the quarter-finals before and is poised at making history with Benin to go past the group stages and possibly to the semi-finals of the 32nd edition of the 2019 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) slated for Egypt from June 21 to July 19, 2019.
Player to Watch- Stéphane Sessègnon
With so much experience in the field of play, veteran playmaker Sessègnon would be hoping to get counted among the elites in Egypt for the continental showpiece.
Being the top goal scorer for the Squirrels, the former Sunderland man would have so much on his shoulders to pull the Benin team along when they face the stars of Ghana who are hoping to end their 37-year trophy drought.
Fixtures:
Ghana Vs Benin – 6/25/19 – 23:00
Benin Vs Guinea-Bissau – 6/29/19 – 23:00
Benin Vs Cameroon – 7/2/19 – 19:00
Ghana hoping to end trophy drought
The Black Stars of Ghana are heading into this tournament as four-time winners with their last trophy being won in 1982.
Having won in 1963, 1965, 1978 and 1982 the Black Stars of Ghana have been charged to win this year’s edition, which has been christened “year of trophy return”.
With so much quality for Ghana over the years, the team has flatter to deceive when it mattered most losing on several occasions in the grand finale.
Head Coach – James Kwesi Appiah:
Like Benin head coach, Ghana’s James Kwesi Appiah is also having a second stint of managing the Ghana national team, after managing the side from 2012-2014, taking them to the 2014 World Cup in Brazil in the process.
Wining three of his four qualifiers and guiding his side to score eight goals and conceding one, coach Appiah has been tasked with a huge responsibility of winning the AFCON back to Ghana for the first time since 1982.
Player to Watch – Andre Dede Ayew
The Fenerbahçe midfielder has been tasked to lead the Black Stars to victory in Egypt as the new captain heading into this tournament.
Having played across Europe, the left-footed player won his major silverware in Egypt as the captain of the Ghana U20 team that won for the first time the 2010 FIFA U20 World Cup.
Dede Ayew could be the key to Ghana’s chances of ending the trophy drought if he lives up to the expectation of leading a blend of the experienced and youthful team having played at the AFCON on four occasions.
Fixtures:
Ghana Vs Benin – 6/25/19 – 23:00
Cameroon Vs Ghana – 6/29/19 – 20:00
Guinea-Bissau Vs Ghana – 7/2/19 – 22:00
HEAD-TO-HEAD:
Having won a majority of games between both countries, Ghanaian fans would be inspired by the records of 14 meetings with Ghana winning Seven, Drawing Five and Losing two (W7, D5, L2), having scored twenty-six goals in the process and conceding ten (GF 26, GA 10).
Cameroon eyeing sixth AFCON Trophy:
The Indomitable Lions as the Cameroonian national team is popularly known, head into this year’s edition as the defending champions, having won on five occasions ahead of Group F rivals Ghana, who have won on four editions.
The Indomitable Lions, take on Guinea- Bissau in a Group F opener in a game that promises to be more of physical works as both sides play with so much energy throughout the entire duration of the game.
Having beaten the “The Wild Dogs” of Guinea-Bissau on all three outings of both teams meet, Cameroonian would have to go the extra mile to ease past their opponents, with a new coach Clarence Seedorf, who don’t know so much of the African terrain.
Head Coach – Clarence Seedorf:
Being in the helm of affairs from August 2018, Clarence Seedorf would need more than experience from his enviable playing career to help the course of a Cameroonian side that was crowned winners 1984, 1988, 2000, 2002 and 2017 editions.
Player to Watch- André Onana
Having helped guide the post for Ajax on their heroics in the just ended UEFA Champions League semi-final, goalkeeper André Onana could be the man to watch for Cameroon.
Onana,23-year is considered the long-term replacement to Carlos Kameni, who has earned the applause of many pundits as a solid shot-stopper with so much calmness organizing his backline.
This tournament presents a fine opportunity for him to prove his worth as one of the finest goalkeepers on the continent as the lions want to roar in reclaiming the AFCON crown.
Fixtures
Cameroon Vs Guinea-Bissau – 6/25/19 – 20:00
Cameroon Vs Ghana – 6/29/19 – 20:00
Benin Vs Cameroon – 7/2/19 – 19:00
“The Wild Dogs” going wild in search of maiden AFCON Trophy
Guinea-Bissau nicknamed Djurtus to mean “The Wild Dogs” exited the 2017 edition in the group stages but head into this game with hopes high, having finished strongly in the qualifiers to the 32nd biennial edition.
They head into this game as the underdog, having lost on all three games against the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon but, with so many uncertainties in football, “The Wild Dogs” are desperate to make it out of the group stages in search of their major and maiden silverware in Africa.
Head Coach – Baciro Candé:
Being led by a former national team player, who is having a second stint in the team, Cande was in charge of the team from 2003 to 2010.
Candé who enjoyed a career Portugal returned to his homeland returned in March 2016 and guided his nation to a first AFCON appearance in 2017.
Player to Watch – Juary Soares
Being the only Guinea-Bissau player to score at the continental showpiece, Juary Soares brings to his fold worth of experience with playing abroad.
A versatile defender, with so much power, energy and skill at the heart of defense, the 27 year old would hugely be relied on to organize the backline in set-pieces to avert any danger if their hopes of making it out of the group stages and possibly win the 2019 AFCON scheduled for Egypt from June 21 to July 19 is anything to go by.
Fixtures:
Cameroon Vs Guinea-Bissau – 6/25/19 – 20:00
Benin Vs Guinea-Bissau – 6/29/19 – 23:00
Guinea-Bissau Vs Ghana – 7/2/19 – 19:00
By Emmanuel Asante Attakora
that player is good. nice to see all match on TV