Africa Cup Of Nations - Cape Verde Face South Africa In Opener
https://nigeriaafrica1.blogspot.com/2012/10/africa-cup-of-nations-cape-verde-face.html
Debutants Cape Verde, who upset Cameroon to make their first finals, will play host South Africa in 2013 Africa Cup of Nations' opening match.
Morroco, due to host the tournament in 2015, and Angola complete Group A.
Holders Zambia face two-time winners Nigeria in an intriguing Group C clash, alongside Ethiopia and Burkina Faso.
Ghana, who last won the trophy in 1982, face DR Congo, Niger, Mali in Group B with Ivory Coast, Togo, Tunisia, Algeria making up the final pool.
Cape Verde, with a population of about 500,000, shocked the Indomitable Lions 3-2 on aggregate to book their place in the tournament and there were cheers as they were drawn out by South African president Jacob Zuma to form the other half of the event's curtain-raiser.
The match crowns a steep rise through the Fifa world rankings for Cape Verde who were ranked 182nd - 131 places below their current standing - in 2000.
The tournament will be held between 19 January and 10 February.
Group A: South Africa, Cape Verde, Morocco, Angola
Group B: Ghana, DR Congo, Niger, Mali
Group C: Zambia, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Burkina Faso
Group D: Ivory Coast, Togo, Tunisia, Algeria
Holders Zambia face two-time winners Nigeria in an intriguing Group C clash, alongside Ethiopia and Burkina Faso.
Ghana, who last won the trophy in 1982, face DR Congo, Niger, Mali in Group B with Ivory Coast, Togo, Tunisia, Algeria making up the final pool.
Cape Verde, with a population of about 500,000, shocked the Indomitable Lions 3-2 on aggregate to book their place in the tournament and there were cheers as they were drawn out by South African president Jacob Zuma to form the other half of the event's curtain-raiser.
The match crowns a steep rise through the Fifa world rankings for Cape Verde who were ranked 182nd - 131 places below their current standing - in 2000.
The tournament will be held between 19 January and 10 February.
Group A: South Africa, Cape Verde, Morocco, Angola
Group B: Ghana, DR Congo, Niger, Mali
Group C: Zambia, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Burkina Faso
Group D: Ivory Coast, Togo, Tunisia, Algeria
