Nigeria’s Super Eagles have been drawn against Egypt, Sudan and Guinea Bissau in the opening preliminary round Group D of 2021 TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) to be held in Cameroon between January 19 and February 6, 2022.
The draw for the 33rd edition of the continent’s foremost competition was conducted by the Nigerian, Samson Adamu, who is CAF Director of Competitions, last night at the Palais des Congrès (Conférence Centre) in Yaoundé.
Adamu was assisted by African football legends including Algerian Raber Madjer, Ivorian Didier Drogba, Ghanaian Asamoah Gyan and Cameroonian Samuel Eto’o who incidentally picked Nigeria into pool D.
Hosts Cameroon will have the honour of playing the opening match of the tournament billed for the newly constructed Olembe Stadium in Yaounde against Burkina Faso and they are drawn in Group A alongside Ethiopia and Cape Verde.
AFCON 2019 runners’ up Senegal are housed in Group B with Zimbabwe, Guinea, and Malawi. Group C looks so tricky with Morocco, Ghana, debutant Comoros and Pierre Aubameyang’s Gabon.
Defending champions Algeria are the top team in Group E and will square up against Sierra Leone, Equatorial Guinea and Cote d’Ivoire.
Group F has Tunisia, Mali, Mauritania, and The Gambia.
The colourful draw ceremony had in attendance the crème-de-la-crème of African football including CAF President Dr. Patrice Motsepe, 1st Vice President Augustine Senghor as well as other Executive Committee members. Also in attendance were NFF President Amaju Pinnick and other
African football legends such as Lucas Radebe of South Africa and El Hadji Diouf of Senegal.
Credit: thenationonlineng.net
