EP SPECIAL: Not expected to be full of entertainment like Groups C or D, but there are two teams that everyone must have a close eye on. The first will be Senegal, who have performed well lately, and made themselves first seeds in African groups. And the other will be the highly promising Mali. The other two nations are Kenya and Burkina Faso, and they may surprise. EP looks into the group which many say Senegal are lucky to have.

GROUP B

Senegal
Burkina Faso
Kenya
Mali


SENEGAL

Info:

In 2002 the whole of the world knew that a new lion was born in Africa, and this lion was called Senegal. 2002 will always be remembered in every Senegal's memory as they achieved what they had never dreamed of. Firstly, a place for the first time in the World Cup, and they even managed to reach the CAN final for their first ever time. They will look this time to win the African Cup, especially that the team still have the same players. But they will miss the jewel of the crown Bruno Metsu, the coach who made their name massive on the African stage.

Qualified ahead of:

Gambia
Lesotho

Odds:

Group winners: 4/9
Champions: 3/1

Star player:

Papa Diop. Many expect Diouf or Camara to be the star player, but it is not to be. They have failed to impress in the Premier League, unlike Diop who has been consistent with his club, and will be a big asset to his team. Should the more famous strikers score, Diop will be to thank alongside Salif Diao.

Squad:

1 Tony Mario Sylva
17.10.1975
AS Monaco

2 Omar Daf
12.02.1977
FC Sochaux

3 Faye Ibrahima
22.10.1979
La Gantoise

4 Diop Papa Malick
29.12.1974
Lorient

5 Souleymane Diwara
24.12.1978
FC Sochaux

6 Aliou Cisse
24.03.1976
Birmingham City

7 Camara Henri
10.05.1977
Wolves

8 Ndiaye Sylvain
25.06.1976
Marseille

9 Diomansy Kamara
08.11.1980
Modène

10 Lamine Sakho
28.09.1977
Leeds United

11 El Hadji Diouf
15.01.1981
Liverpool

12 Frederic Mendy
06.11.1981
St. Etienne

13 Lamine Diatta
02.07.1975
Rennes

14 Ndoye Ousmane
21.03.1978
Toulouse

15 Salif Alassane Diao
10.02.1977
Liverpool

16 Omar Diallo
28.09.1972
Jaraaf

17 Ferdinand Coly
10.09.1973
Pérouse

18 Mamadou Niang
13.10.1979
Strasbourg

19 Diop Papa Bouba
28.01.1978
Lens

20 Faye Abdoulaye D.
26.02.1978
Lens

21 Habib Beye
19.10.1977
Marseille

22 Kalidou Cissokho
14.12.1972
Jeanne d'Arc

BURKINA FASO

Info:

Before 1998, Burkina Faso managed to go to the CAN only once and they went out in the 1st round. In 1998 they were the hosts and they went far, but were stopped by Egypt in the semi-final. Some predicted that this will be the beginning of a new African force but nothing after that was shown form them. They only managed to qualify for the last two CAN's and they produced nothing
but failures, so will there be anything new this time? We will have to wait and see.

Qualified ahead of:

Congo
Mozambique
Central African Republic

Odds:

Group winners: 11/2
Champions: 50/1

Star player:

Abdoulaye Cisse. Impressing in Europe, he will be their star especially that he and his team-mates will look to gain experience from this competition as most of the squad is about 24 years old. (Note: Cisse must overcome injury).

Squad:

1 Kabore Mohamed
31.12.1980

2 Moussa Ouattara
31.12.1981

3 Patrick Zoundi
19.07.1982

4 Gnonka Jean Liade
20.07.1980

5 Lamine
10.06.1982

6 Rahim M. Assane
08.10.1980

7 Amadou Coulibaly
31.12.1984

8 Mahamoudou Kere
02.01.1982

9 Beli Moumouni Dagano
03.01.1981

10 Abdoulaye Cisse
24.12.1983

11 Barro Sie Hermane Tanguy
13.09.1982

12 Panandetiguiri Saidou Madi
22.03.1984

13 Bebe Kambou
31.12.1982

14 Dieudonne Minoungou
25.06.1981

15 Ousmane Traore
07.03.1977

16 Abdoulaye Traore Soulama
29.11.1974

17 Tall Ahmadou Tidiani
22.06.1975

18 Amadou Toure
27.09.1982

19 Mahamed Ali Diallo
05.05.1978

20 Ouattara Ahmed Amara
21.10.1983

21 Toussaint Natama
31.12.1982

22 Daouda Compaore
06.01.1973

KENYA

Info:

After a very long time we will be able to see a country from eastern Africa in the competition. Kenya have got a number of players playing in Belgium but they are short in quality and they will need something very special if they are going to go past this group. What they can produce is not known yet.

Qualified ahead of:

Togo
Cape Verde
Mauritania

Odds:

Group winners: 16/1
Champions: 66/1

Star player:

John Muiruri. The star of Kenya will be the centre of attention from their perspective. The midfielder will hope to provide Walter Odede Amimo so they can get past the hurdles they face.

Squad:

1 Antony Mathengue Gitau
23.10.1978

2 Titus Brian Maluma
06.08.1980

3 George Waweru Kaduvi
12.10.1978

4 Willis Ochieng Oganyo
10.10.1981

5 Philip Opiyo Wire
27.02.1979

6 Musa Otieno Ongao
29.12.1973

7 Adam Shaban Wesa
28.02.1983

8 Andrew Oyombe Opiyo
24.02.1985

9 John Wamalwa Barasa
03.06.1974

10 Francis Onyiso Okoth
16.11.1972

11 Walter Odede Amimo
11.11.1974

12 Thomas Juma Oundo
23.09.1976

13 John Muiruri
10.10.1979

14 Khassim Issa Juma
21.12.1975

15 Moses Nyandusi Gikenyi
19.11.1972

16 James Omondi Oduor
30.12.1980

17 Maurice Sunguti Ngoka
06.10.1977

18 Duncan Aketch Ochieng
31.08.1978

19 Robert Mambabo Randu
25.10.1978

20 Denis Oliech
02.02.1985

21 Immanuel Ake

22 Mike Okoth Origi
16.11.1967

MALI

Info:

Many predict that Mali have all what it takes to be the true shock of this tournament. They have just managed to get Frederik Kanoute to play with them which is a great boost for all Mali fans. The squad has a lot of good players and the team is getting better and better every time they play. They were first recognised when they managed to shock the whole of Africa as they beat Tunisia in the opening game of the 1994 CAN. They went on to the reach the semi-final and were 4th in that tournament. Many of the players went to play soccer across Europe any the young stars looked to have a bright future. With their great soccer played in the last CAN which they hosted, they will look to complete what they are working for.

Qualified ahead of:

Eritrea
Seychelles

Odds:

Group winners: 7/2
Champions: 20/1

Star player: Freddie Kanoute. Just a couple of months ago, not many would have predicted that Kanoute will one day play for Mali as he has played for France U-21's before FIFA's system made him able to play for Mali. He will show why he is one of the best strikers in the FA Premier League and he is expected to have many cameras on him in Tunisia. Despite this, he may turn out to be the anticlimax of it all as Ismaily's Traore may surprisingly catch the spotlight. In their last friendly, he scored but Kanoute didn't!

Squad:

1 Sidibé Mahamadou
04.10.1978
Aigalo (Greece)

2 Diamoutèné Souleymane
30.01.1983
Peronse (Italy)

3 Diwara Fousseyni
28.08.1980
Laval (France)

4 Coulibaly Adama
09.10.1980
Lens (France)

5 Brahim Thiam
24.02.1974
Isteres (France)

6 Diarra Mahamadou
18.05.1981
Lyon (France)

7 Mamady Sidibé
18.12.1979
Gillingham

8 Bassala Touré.
21.02.1976
Kerkya (Greece)

9 Sedonoune Jamrir Abouta
01.01.1981
Djoliba AC

10 Coulibaly Soumaila
15.04.1978
Freiburg (Germany)

11 Sidibé Djibril
23.03.1982
Châteauroux (France)

12 Keita Seydou
13.12.1981
Lens (France)

13 Kone Ibrahima
06.10.1977
JA de Dakar

14 Coulibaly David
21.01.1978
Châteauroux (FR)

15 Demba Abdoulaye
02.11.1976
Alost FC

16 Cheikh Oumar Bathily
10.10.1982
Djoliba AC

17 Traoré Sammy
25.02.1976
Nice (France)

18 Mohamed Lamine Sissoko
22.01.1985
Valencia (Spain)

19 Frédéric Oumar Kanouté
02.09.1977
Tottenham (England)

20 Traoré Dramane
17.06.1982
Ismailia (Egypt)

21 Traoré Mamary
29.04.1980
Grenoble (France)

22 Tangara Fousseymi
12.06.1978
FC Nantes (France)

More ACN coverage on EgyptianPlayers.com shortly...

• Discuss the latest about Egyptian soccer in EP forums