Source: Daily_Mail
Africa Cup of Nations: It's cold here, but the temperature is rising in Angola
To the people of Africa, it is a source of immense pride, a tournament every bit as prestigious as our own European Championship. To many Premier League managers, it is a pain in the neck.[LNB]As Britain shivers, the Africa Cup of Nations kicks off in Angola this weekend in temperatures reaching 30 degrees amid the usual debate over African stars disappearing at a critical point in the English season and five months before the World Cup in South Africa.[LNB]Although the argument has worn thin, concerns over safety and security are more than justified this year considering the troubled history of the host nation. Most of the 16 teams competing in Angola will be unable to travel by land in a country riddled with landmines, the legacy of a civil war that lasted 27 years and cost an estimated half a million lives.[LNB] Star of Africa: Chelsea's Ivory Coast striker Didier Drogba will be looking to lead his side to glory[LNB]Nowhere is more unstable than Cabinda, an enclave to the north of thecountry where rebels are still fighting for independence. It is thevenue for all but one of the games in Group B, which features thehighest concentration of Premier League players including DidierDrogba, Emmanuel Adebayor, Kolo Toure and Michael Essien.[LNB]Manchester City and Togo striker Adebayor said: 'We were born in Africa so we know what it's about. Some people might be afraid, which is normal. I can understand that. But I have come back to Africa, to one of the countries on my continent, and I'm prepared for Cabinda.[LNB] HAVE YOUR SAY... Who will win the Africa Cup of Nations? Egypt are aiming for a hat-trick of wins in Angola, while favourites Ivory Coast and Ghana are strongly tipped to feature at the business end. Don't rule out World Cup powerhouses Cameroon and Nigeria, or could England's Group C rivals Algeria cause an upset? TELL US WHAT YOU THINK 'We can't be like France, England or America. Angola had a big, big warbut today everybody is getting along better. We hope everyone willenjoy it and come back safely.'[LNB]Adebayor will be up against his City team-mate Toure for the first time when Togo face favourites Ivory Coast on Tuesday week. The match is being billed as a shootout between him and Drogba but Adebayor knows his side will be huge underdogs, having failed to qualify from the group stages in seven attempts.[LNB]He said: 'In Africa people try to make it Adebayor v Drogba, which I can understand. Drogba is massive in Ivory Coast and it's the same for me in Togo. I know my country will be asking a lot. It was difficult at the beginning of my career. I'm used to it now but I'd like to have some players beside me to make a difference.[LNB]'We don't have much of a chance because our group is the toughest one. But for years my country has been waiting to have an opportunity to play against Ivory Coast and now we have it. The pressure is on them, not us. We come to the Africa Cup of Nations just to enjoy our football, but Ivory Coast have massive pressure on them. They have to win it.'[LNB] Familiar opponents: Toure and Adebayor will line up against each other [LNB]Toure knows there will only be so many opportunities for Ivory Coast's so-called golden generation that also includes his brother Yaya, Chelsea duo Drogba and Salomon Kalou, Arsenal defender Emmanuel Eboue and Aruna Dindane of Portsmouth.[LNB]The Elephants lost the 2006 final on penalties to Egypt, who then shocked them 4-1 in the semi-final two years later after Ivory Coast had breezed through the earlier stages.[LNB]'There is pressure, I can tell you,' said Toure. 'We have a great team and I'm surprised we haven't won anything yet. If you look at the team, we are all the same age. The generation is really good.[LNB]'We know that we come here with a lot of people expecting us to do well, which is going to be difficult. It can be a a big problem for us if we don't go through and win this cup.'[LNB]Toe to toe: Samuel Eto'o's Cameroon edged out Michael Essien's Ghana in 2008's semi-final[LNB]Ivory Coast will once again be wary of the threat from an Egyptian side aiming for a hat-trick of wins. Ghana are the other favourites despite failing to win this tournament for 28 years, while Algeria have raised expectations after beating Egypt to a place at the World Cup, where they will face England.[LNB]Playing in a tournament so close to the main event in South Africawill undoubtedly be of benefit but that is little consolation to theclubs who pay their wages.[LNB]Chelsea and Portsmouth have beenhardest hit, which could have repercussions at both ends of the tablewith eight of the 20 Premier League players on duty in Angola comingfrom those two clubs.[LNB]Avram Grant recalls how Chelsea went ona record nine-game winning run without their African contingent when hewas in charge at Stamford Bridge two years ago but it could be adifferent story for him with a smaller and weaker squad at Portsmouth,where a transfer embargo has further limited his options.[LNB]'It'snot just the tournament,' said Grant. 'You have a problem afterwardsbecause players come back and take one or two weeks to get used to theconditions again. Africa is very hot in January, England very cold.'[LNB] Toure is in favour of moving it to the summer so players can see out the season with their clubs, while another proposal is to stage it every four years like the World Cup and European Championship.[LNB]'If something can happen, it would be fantastic for us because we're caught between two really important things in our lives,' Toure said. 'But you're going to play for your country, for your father, for your family, for your pride.'[LNB] YOUR ULTIMATE GUIDE TO THE ANGOLA ACTIONWHO'S THERE: The cream of African football talent Ivory Coast's Didier Drogba, Michael Essien of Ghana and Emmanuel Adebayor of Togo to name three. But World Cup hosts South Africa failed to make it. England's World Cup opponents Algeria are seeded fifth and Fabio Capello will be keen to see how star midfielders Karim Ziani of Wolfsburg and Lazio's Mourad Meghni perform in tournament conditions.[LNB]HOW IT WORKS: The top two from each group qualify for the quarter-finals, which take place on January 24 and 25. The semi-finals are on January 28 with the final in Luanda three days later.[LNB]WHERE TO WATCH: British Eurosport and later on the BBC. The first game kicks-off on Eurosport at 7pm on Sunday, with matches broadcast daily throughout the group stages at 4pm and 6.30pm. The BBC will show the semi-finals (BBC3 and red button) and the final (BBC2).[LNB]TWO TO WATCH[LNB]Stephane Sessegnon[LNB]Age: 25.[LNB]Country: Benin.[LNB]Club: Paris Saint-Germain.[LNB][LNB]Dazzling attacking midfielder who has more tricks than a magician. [LNB]Sessegnon is an exiting,creative playmaker and has been linked with a move to London rivals Chelsea and Arsenal.[LNB]Seydou Keita[LNB]Age: 29.[LNB]Country: Mali.[LNB]Club: Barcelona.[LNB][LNB]Driving force in a Mali team blessed with a strong midfield. Was aperipheral figure for Barcelona last year but has kept Yaya Toure outthis season, also scoring more goals than Thierry Henry. Good left footand strong in the air.[LNB] [LNB]GROUP AAlgeria (world ranking 26)[LNB]Angola (95)[LNB]Malawi (99)[LNB]Mali (47)[LNB]FIXTURES Sunday: Angola v Mali. Monday: Malawi v Algeria. Thursday: Mali v Algeria; Angola v Malawi. Jan 18: Angola v Algeria; Malawi v Mali.[LNB]Must See Sunday: Angola v Mali (7pm).[LNB]The hosts will be backed by 50,000 fanatical supporters for the opener in Luanda. [LNB]British interest is provided by former Manchester United flop Manucho for Angola and former Tottenham striker Fredi Kanoute for Mali, who will be out to spoil the carnival atmosphere.[LNB]GROUP BBurkina Faso (49)[LNB]Ghana (34)[LNB]Ivory Coast (16)[LNB]Togo (71)[LNB]FIXTURES Monday: Ivory Coast v Burkina Faso; Ghana v Togo. Jan 15: Burkina Faso v Togo; Ivory Coast v Ghana. Jan 19: Burkina Faso v Ghana; Ivory Coast v Togo.[LNB]Must See January 15: Ivory Coast v Ghana (6.30pm).[LNB]To many this is the clash of the titans as Ivory Coast striker Didier Drogba lines up against his Chelsea team-mate Michael Essien. The Ivorians are marginal favourites to top the group but Ghana are well organised and will not make it easy for Drogba's men.[LNB] GROUP CBenin (59)[LNB]Egypt (24)[LNB]Mozambique (72)[LNB]Nigeria (22)[LNB]FIXTURES Tuesday: Egypt v Nigeria; Mozambique v Benin. Jan 16: Nigeria v Benin; Egypt v Mozambique. Jan 20: Egypt v Benin; Nigeria v Mozambique.[LNB]Must See January 16: Egypt v Mozambique (6.30pm).[LNB]This game promises to be a battle of the veterans as Egypt's Ahmed Hassan, 34, voted player of the 2006 tournament, and Mozambique striker Tico-Tico, who is 36, lead their sides out. Egypt narrowly missed out on World Cup qualification after a fractious play-off defeat to Algeria in Sudan.[LNB]GROUP DCameroon (11)[LNB]Gabon (48)[LNB]Tunisia (53)[LNB]Zambia (84)[LNB]FIXTURES Wednesday: Cameroon v Gabon; Zambia v Tunisia. Jan 17: Gabon v Tunisia; Cameroon v Zambia. Jan 21: Gabon v Zambia; Cameroon v Tunisia.[LNB]Must See Wednesday: Cameroon v Gabon (4pm).[LNB]Cameroon beat Gabon twice last year to prevent them from making the World Cup, so they will be looking for revenge. Samuel Eto'o is the tournament's all-time top scorer and his Cameroon side are the highest-ranked team, but watch out for Hull striker Daniel Cousin for Gabon.[LNB] Big boost for Chelsea and Ghana as engine Essien returns to trainingIvory Coast accuse Chelsea of treating striker Drogba like a 'machine'Arsenal eye swoop for Ivory Coast giant Traore - the 'new Adebayor'[LNB]
