P R E V IE W
The wait is over
Twice-delayedtournamentfinally
readytobegininCameroon
2021 AFRICA CUP OF NATIONS
A
lgeriahavebrokenrecords
withtheirconsistencysince
takingthelastAfricaCup
ofNationsfinalsinEgyptin
2019 , butitisagain an openfieldwhen
thecontinentalchampionshipfinally
kicksoffinCameroononJanuary 6.
Thecontinenthas rarelybeen
dominatedbyonecountryover an
extendedperiodoftime;Egyptwon
three AFCONtitlesina rowfrom 2006
to 2010 , whilealsofailingtoqualify
fortwoWorldCupsintheprocess.
Algeria’slongunbeatenrungoing
intothetournamentisnoguaranteeof
success.DjamelBelmadi’s sidemight
havegone 33 gameswithoutdefeat,
uptotheconclusionofNovember’s
WorldCupqualifiers, buttheirrecent
displayswerenotoverwhelmingly
convincingandthevagaries of
tournamentplay aresuchthattheywill
beamonga list of potentialwinners
ratherthanoverwhelmingfavourites.
Thereis theusualthreatfrom
North AfricancountriesEgyptand
Morocco,andfromNigeria,Ghana,
Ivory Coast andSenegalin thewest,
plushopesfor thehomenation,
finallygettingtohostthe event.
Upfor
grabs...the
AFCON
trophy