Football: Tough test for Ivorians in AFCON

DURBAN: Title-favourites Ivory Coast got a double dose of North African opposition in Tunisia and Algeria when the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations draw was made. Emmanuel Adebayor’s Togo complete Group D, which looks the toughest of the four mini-leagues for the January 19-February 10 tournament. South Africa kick off the tournament against Cape Verde Islands and Angola and Morocco complete Group A. Defending champions Zambia come up against Nigeria, back after missing the 2012 finals, Burkina Faso and Ethiopia in Group C based in the north-eastern city of Nelspruit near the world famous Kruger National Park. Ghana and Mali, who clashed twice during the 2012 tournament in Equatorial Guinea and Gabon, renew a long rivalry in Port Elizabeth-based Group B with Niger and Democratic of Congo completing the line-up.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 26^th, 2012.