"You possess talent, you are preparing impressively, now believe and you will conquer Africa," was his message ahead of the January 9 tournament kick-off in Cameroon. Senegal have topped the African rankings for three years, but the star-stacked side have no trophies or medals to show off. As if rookie national coach Kaba Diawara did not have enough problems trying to fix a dysfunctional squad, junta leader Mamady Doumbouya has thrown a spanner in the works. That is highly unlikely as Guinea fared dismally in recent 2022 World Cup qualifying, failing to win in six matches against Morocco, Guinea-Bissau and Sudan. Zimbabwe could be barred on Monday from competing at the Cup of Nations unless a state umbrella sports body reinstates the board of the national football association.

Source: The Star January 02, 2022 01:18 UTC