Some call this the group of death. Nigeria, Morocco and South Africa are all in this group which means that all the eyes will be on this group. Unlucky Benin will also be here. Let's hope that this group will live up to the expectations.

GROUP D

Nigeria
South Africa
Morocco
Benin


NIGERIA

Info:

You can't mention an African soccer force without mentioning Nigeria. A well know country across Africa (for its high population) and for its soccer team. Nigeria have won the CAN 2 times before, the first at home in 1980, and the second in 1994. But 1994 was the year where Nigeria was well known across the whole world. Their great performance in that World Cup was just the beginning which was followed with the Olympics gold medal in 1996. They were the first African country ever to win it. They now have a lot of players playing across Europe and one of the are one of the favourites to win the cup.

Qualified ahead of:

Angola
Malawi

Odds:

Champions: 5/1

Star player:

Jay Jay Ockocha is a true genius player. No one will ever forget his brilliant dribbling in the 1998 World Cup or his magnificent goal while playing for Eintracht Frankfurt against Oliver Khan. Playing his football now at Bolton in England, he will try to lead his country to the winning formula the fans would like to see. Announced his international retirement after the last World Cup but he is now back.

Squad:
1 Enyeama Vincent
29.09.1982
Enyimba

2 Yobo Joseph
06.09.1980
Everton

3 Babayaro Celestine
29.08.1978
Chelsea

4 Kanu Nwankwo
01.08.1976
Arsenal

5 Okoronkwo Isaac
01.05.1978
Wolverhampton

6 Enakahire Joseph
06.11.1982
Standard Liege

7 Utaka John
08.01.1982
Lens

8 Aiyegbeni Yakubu
22.11.1982
Portsmouth

9 Agali Victor
29.12.1978
Schalke 04

10 Okocha Augustine
14.08.1973
Bolton

11 Lawal Garba
22.05.1974
Colombus

12 Etafia Greg
30.09.1982
M. Swallows

13 Ikedia Pius
11.07.1980
Rosendal

14 Olofintana Oluwaseyi
12.06.1980
Braun

15 Abbey George
20.10.1978
Maccesfield

16 Udeze Ifenayi
21.07.1980
PAOK

17 Aghahowa Julius
12.02.1982
Shaktar

18 Orjinta Romanus
12.08.1981
Enyimba

19 Ekong Ikpe
05.10.1978
Shenyang

20 Odemwingie Osaze
15.07.1981
La Louvière

21 Ekwueme
Ifeanyi
22.11.1979
Wisla

SOUTH AFRICA

Info:

South Africa hosted the 1996 ACN and won it. After this, their soccer team was able to reach the World Cup, and although they were not that good they showed that they can get better as time goes on. But ever since then they were nothing too special. They still are one of the best sides in Africa but they some predict that this group may be a bigger challenge for them. They are also missing some great players, namely Fortune, McCarthy and Bartlett. So will we see any knew talents or will their loss of the main players affect them?

Qualified ahead of:

Ivory Coast
Burundi

Odds:

Champions: 14/1

Star player:

Zuma. He is expected to catch the eyes once more. He is brilliant at ball control and passing and that has been shown for years and years in the Danish League where he plays. Still, he has never shown his true ability on the international stage. So will this
be the time?

Squad:

1 Andre Arendse
27.06.1967
Sundowns

2 Emille Baron
17.06.1979
Lillestrom

3 Wayne Roberts
14.08.1977
Wits

4 Sibusiso Zuma
23.06.1975
FC Copenhagen

5 Patrick Mayo
15.05.1973
Kaizer Chiefs

6 Stanton Fredericks
13.06.1977
Kaizer Chiefs

7 Jacob Lekgetho
24.03.1974
Lokomotiv

8 Benson Mhlongo
09.11.1980
Wits

9 Jabu Pule
11.07.1980
Kaizer Chiefs

10 Macbeth Sibaya
25.11.1977
Rubin

11 Bernard Mnguni
18.03.1974
Rostov

12 Tomy Coyle
29.10.1976
Rostov

13 Teboho Mokoena
10.07.1974
Jomo Cosmos

14 John Moshoeu
18.12.1968
Kaizer Chiefs

15 Neil Winstanley
25.08.1976
Wits

16 Delron Buckley
07.12.1977
Bochum

17 Siyabonga Nomvethe
02.12.1977
Udinese

18 Aaron Mokoena
25.11.1980
Genk

19 Mbulelo Mabizela
16.09.1980
Tottenham

20 Nkosinathi Nhleko
24.07.1979
Dallas Bum

21 David Kannemeyer
08.07.1977
Kaizer Chiefs

22 Thabang Molefe
11.04.1979
Le Mans

MOROCCO

Info:

It will be hard to find words do describe Morocco. Although they managed to win the CAN only once, their performances in the World Cups 1986 and 1998 showed that they have a very highly rated team. People say that the last 3 years have been the worst
possible ones for them, but they have lots of players playing in Europe (mainly France). Most people don't predict that they will go so far but the CAN has always shown us that surprises can always happen. It should be noted that they were third seeds because of their dissapointing first round exits the last two times.

Qualified ahead of:

Sierra Leone
Gabon
Equatorial Guinea

Odds:

Champions: 14/1

Star player:

Naybet. He will be the main leader of the team. Playing brilliantly for years and in one of the best leagues in the world, Naybet has won the La Liga before and he will enter the century club in this tournament (has played 97 international games). This is expected to be his last CAN, so he will play as best as he can and inspire the team as is his job

Squad:

1 Khalid Fouhami
25.12.1972
Academica

2 Hoalid Regragui
23.09.1975
Ajaccio

3 Akram Roumani
01.04.1978
Genk

4 Abdeslam Ouaddou
01.11.1978
Rennes

5 Talal El Karkouri
08.07.1976
PSG

6 Naybet Noureddine
10.02.1970
D.Coruna

7 Zairi Jaouao
17.04.1982
Sochaux

8 Kissi Abdelkrim
05.05.1980
Rubin Kazan

9 Baha Nabil
12.08.1981
Ass. Naval

10 Hdiouad Mourad
10.09.1976
Utex Lovech

11 El Yaagoubi Mohammed
29.09.1977
Osasuna

12 El Jarmouni Tarik
30.12.1977
FAR

13 Kharja Houssine
09.11.1982
Ternana

14 Bidodane Mustapha
18.06.1976
RCA

15 Safri Youssef
13.01.1977
Coventry

16 Mokhtari Youssef
05.03.1979
Brughauzehn

17 Chamakh Marouane
10.01.1984
Bordeaux

18 Alla Hassane
24.11.1980
MCO

19 Alioui Jamal
02.06.1982
Perugia

20 Hadji Youssef
25.02.1980
Bastia

21 Masloub Nabil
01.05.1979
RCA

22 Lamyaghri Nadir
13.02.1976
WAC

BENIN

It must be a nightmare for their coach to be in such a group, especially that it's their first time to play at such a big stage. But still they have what the others don't which is nothing to lose. It looks like they will try like Rwanda to gain the experience in hope of a better name and future.

Qualified ahead of:

Zambia
Sudan Tanzania

Odds:

Champions: 150/1

Star player:

Djafoo. He will be Benin's main player whom they will build the team around. Played for several English clubs before, and said that his team will play in a similar way to those small English clubs he used to play for

Squad:

1 Chitou Rachad
1980
Dragons FC

2 Latoundji Moussa B.
13.08.1978
E. Cosbus

3 Adigo Dinalo
25.07.1972
FC Schion Berg 95

4 Emmanuil Sammuel
10.09.1983
Liberty-FC

5 Chrysostome Koffi A. Damien
24.05.1982
Citadella Dadova

6 Oketolakpo Jonas F.
27.08.1983
Dragons FC

7 Boco Romuald
08.07.1985
Niort

8 Toclomiti Stanislas C.
08.03.1984
Macca-Natanya

9 Djaffo Laurent T.M.
05.11.70
Aberdine

10 Tchomogo Oumar
07.01.1978
Guingamp

11 Ogounbiyi Mouriola
1983
Enyimba

12 Singbo Felicien
25.10.1980
Airdie United FC

13 Moustapha Agnide I.
1981
FC. Lorient

14 Gaspoz Alain S.
16.05.1970
AARAU (Suisse)

15 Adjamossi Anicet
15.03.1984
Bordeaux
16 Agueh C. Maximes
01.04.1978
Asoa Valence
17 Sylvain Remi
15.11.1980
Clemont-Foot
18 Konabe Tchomogo Seidah S.
13.08.1985
Lions-Ataoora
19 Ahoueya Jocelyn
19.12.1985
Mogas - 90
20 Oladkpikpo Wassiou O.
17.12.1983
JS Pobe
21 Akpakoun Rodrigue HV
16.12.1974
La Roche Suiyon
22 Moussoro Kabirou
01.09.1983
PAU

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