Sport - Africa Cup of Nations

Draw pits Ghana against Ivory Coast

Article published on the 2009-11-20 Latest update 2010-01-09 18:18 TU

In Luanda, the draw for the 16-team 2010 Africa Nations Cup has taken place. World Cup qualifiers Ghana and Ivory Coast will clash in the first round after they were drawn in Group B with Burkina Faso and Togo.

Defending champions Egypt, seeking a record third consecutive title in the biennial continental football showpiece, are in Group C with Nigeria, Mozambique and Benin.

Angola, the former Portuguese colony which is staging a competition first held 52 years ago in Sudan, are in Group A with Mali, Malawi and Algeria and appear capable of finishing among the top two and reaching the quarter-finals.

Cameroon, who have won the Nations Cup four times, are the team to beat in Group D, which is completed by Gabon, Zambia and Tunisia.

Capital city Luanda will host the opening match on January 10 and the final on January 31 and provincial centres Benguela, Cabinda and Lubango complete the venue line-up.

This Nations Cup is expected to attract massive international attention as it falls five months before South Africa stages the first World Cup to be held in Africa.

The tournament will take place from 10 to 31 January.

Group A - Luanda

A1 - Angola (host country)

A2 - Mali

A3 - Malawi

A4 - Algeria

Group B - Cabinda

B1 - Côte d’Ivoire

B2 - Burkina Faso

B3 - Ghana

B4 - Togo

Group C - Lubango

C1 - Egypt

C2 - Nigeria

C3 - Mozambique

C4 - Benin

Group D - Benguela

D1 – Cameroon

D2 – Gabon

D3 - Zambia

D4 - Tunisia