Senegal, Algeria, Kenya and Tanzania fight to advance in this group
With only its second participation, Tanzania looks like the underdog in a group with three teams fighting for the top 2 spots: Senegal, Algeria and Kenya. Check our preview of each of these nations below, it might give you some ideas for your Africa Fantasy team!
Senegal
Coming from Pot 1 we have Senegal, who have reached the final in 2002, losing to Cameroon. This is their 15th time reaching the Group Stage and they are one of the most experienced African football outlets. Senegal is one of the serious contenders to win the competition.
Qualification
Senegal breezed through their qualification group, with five wins and a draw, against Madagascar. The group wasn’t too complicated though: besides the second placed Madagascar there were Equatorial Guinea and Sudan. Senegal scored 12 goals and conceded only two! M’Baye Niang was the top scorer, with 3 goals.
Key players
The main star in the Senegal National Team is Liverpool’s Sadio Mané, but he didn’t score a single goal in the qualification stage. He is in good company, with great players like centre-back Kalidou Koulibaly and talented Keita Baldé, Ismaïla Sarr, Mbaye Diagne and M’Baye Niang.
Squad
Goalkeepers: A. Gomis, E. Mendy, A. Diallo;
Defenders: Koulibaly, Salif Sané, M. Wagué, P. A. Cissé, Y. Sabaly, L. Gassama, Saliou Ciss;
Midfielders: Sadio Mané, Keita Baldé, I. Sarr, S. Thioub, H. Saivet, Badou Ndiaye, C. Kouyaté, I. Gueye, A. N’Diaye, K. Diatta;
Attackers: M. Niang, M. Diagne, M. Konaté.
Algeria
From Pot 2 comes Algeria, who won the tile in 1990. This is their 18th time playing the AFCON and they arrive with legitimate aspirations to advance in this group.
Qualification
The Algerians won group D of the qualification, ahead of Benin, Gambia and Togo, with three victories, two draws and a defeat, agains Benin. They scored 9 goals and conceded 4, with Bounedjah being the top scorer, with 3 goals.
Key players
The English champion Riyad Mahrez, from Manchester City, is the Algerian big star. The midfield has other talented players like Brahimi, Feghouli and the youngster Bennacer.
Squad
Goalkeepers: M’Bolhi, Oukidja, Doukha;
Defenders: Mandi, Benlamri, Atal, Zeffane, Halliche, Bensebaini, Tahrat;
Midfielders: Mahrez, Brahimi, Feghouli, Ounas, Belaïli, Abeid, Boudaoui, Bennacer, Fares, Guédioura;
Attackers: Bounedjah, Slimani, Delort.
Kenya
Having never advanced beyond the Group Stage, Kenya will try again this year, on their 6th participation. The task isn’t easy, but if one of the two top contenders fails, Kenya is ready to take advantage.
Qualification
Kenya was in Group F of the qualification, which had Sierra Leone disqualified, so each team played only four matches. They won two, and had a draw and a defeat, finishing second place, behind Ghana and above Ethiopia. With four goals scored and one conceded, no one scored more than once for the Kenyans.
Key players
The main star in the team is Victor Wanyama, who plays for Tottenham in the Premier League. Michael Olunga is the expected goal scorer, with 15 goals in 32 games for the national team.
Squad
Goalkeepers: J. Oyemba, P. Matasi, F. Shikalo;
Defenders: Aboud Omar, Eric Ouma, J. Onyango, M. Mohammed, P. Otieno, B. Ochieng, D. Owino, J. Okumu;
Midfielders: E. Johana, Ayub Timbe, F. Kahata, J. Omolo, O. Ochieng, V. Wanyama, D. Odhiambo, I. González, Paul Were;
Attackers: M. Olunga, John Avire, M. Juma.
Tanzania
Almost 40 years after their first participation, in 1980, Tanzania are back at the AFCON. They’re chances of advancing in this group are very low, so they will play without pressure.
Qualification
Tanzania qualified through Group L, finishing second place behind Uganda and ahead of Lesotho and Cape Verde. Two victories, two draws and two defeats granted a spotted at AFCON. With a goal difference of 6–5, Samatta and Msuva were the highlights, with two goals each and three assists together.
Key players
Without a big name in their squad, and lots of players who haven’t left their home country, Mbwana Samatta and Simon Msuva are really you’re best bets, if you’re going to pick someone from Tanzania.
Squad
Goalkeepers: A. Manula, A. Kalambo, A. Mnata;
Defenders: A. Morris, E. Nyoni, K. Yondani, M. Hussein, Ally Mtoni, G. Michael, H. Ramadhan, V. Philipo;
Midfielders: S. Msuva, F. Mussa, Himid Mao, H. Yahya, F. Salum, F. Domayo, Yahya Zayd;
Attackers: M. Samatta, A. Mussa, John Bocco, R. Mandawa, Ulimwengu.
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