Africa Cup of Nations 2021: Groups C preview and squads - Clash of favourites as Morocco face Ghana

ByIbrahim Mustapha

Updated 06/01/2022 at 11:31 GMT

Group C kicks off with a huge battle between two sides hoping to go far in the tournament as Morocco face Ghana in a group that also features Gabon with Arsenal striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang desperate to but his club troubles and debutants Comoros hoping not just to make up the numbers on their competition debut.

Group C

Morocco, Ghana, Comoros, Gabon

Monday, 10 January

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• Morocco v Ghana
• Comoros v Gabon

Friday, 14 January

• Morocco v Comoros
• Gabon v Ghana

Tuesday, 18 January

• Gabon v Morocco
• Ghana v Comoros

The decision to exclude Chelsea winger Hakim Ziyech over supposed disciplinary breaches is one that Morocco manager Vahid Halilhodzic will hope doesn’t come back to bite him.

The Bosnian’s experience of managing in Africa has seen him previously successfully help Ivory Coast and Algeria qualify for the World Cup – albeit before being fired by the former ahead the 2010 tournament – but his poor record in the continental competition is something he will hope to improve on with The Atlas Lions.

While perhaps not among the frontrunners, a strong Morocco side who have not lost a game in 90 minutes since 2019 can also boast the talents of Paris Saint-Germain's Achraf Hakimi, Wolves' Romain Saiss and Barcelona's Ez Abde, and are a good bet to go deep in the competition.

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They kick off in what is expected to be the first blockbuster game of the tournament when they face Ghana. The Black Stars’ squad includes Arsenal’s Thomas Partey, Crystal Palace forward Jordan Ayew and Leicester defender Daniel Amartey as they look hunt down the trophy that has eluded them since 1982, despite a number of close calls since.

Partey will also be up against Gunners teammate Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in the group with the out-of-sorts star hoping to put his current Arsenal woes behind him when he lines up for Gabon.

The Panthers are very much outsiders but in Aubameyang, they possess one of the best strikers on the continent as his 29 goals so far for his country will attest. However, following a positive Covid-19 test on the eve of the tournament along with teammate Mario Lemina of Nice, Gabon will have to wait before deploying their star man.

Completing the group will be the Comoros who will feature in the tournament for the very first time following a qualifying campaign that included a famous 0-0 draw with record seven-time former winners Egypt.

Although the second-lowest ranked team in the competition aren’t expected to trouble their vastly superior opponents, qualification is still a monumental achievement for the small island nation.

Squads

Morocco

Goalkeepers: Yassine Bounou (Sevilla, Spain), Monir El Kajoui, (Hatayspor, Turkey), Ahmed Reda Tagnaouti (Wydad, Morocco).

Defenders: Achraf Hakimi (Paris Saint-Germain, France), Sofiane Alakouch (Metz, France), Souffian El Karouani (NEC Nijmegen, Netherlands), Adam Masina (Watford, England), Sofian Chakla (OH Leuven, Belgium), Samy Mmaee (Ferencvaros, Hungary), Romain Saiss (Wolves, England), Nayef Aguerd (Rennes, France), Badr Benoun (Al Ahly, Egypt), Mohamed Chibi (AS Far, Morocco).

Midfielders: Aymen Barkok (Eintracht Frankfurt, Germany), Sofyan Amrabat (Fiorentina, Italy), Faycal Fajr (Sivaspor, Turkey), Azzedine Ounahi (Angers, France), Ilias Chair (QPR, England), Imran Louza (Watford, England), Selim Amallah (Standard Liege, Belgium).

Forwards: Munir El Haddadi (Sevilla, Spain), Zakaria Aboukhlal (AZ Alkmaar, Netherlands), Abde Ezzalzouli (Barcelona, Spain), Sofiane Boufal (Angers, France), Ryan Mmaee (Ferencvaros, Hungary), Youssef En-Nesyri (Sevilla, Spain), Ayoub El Kaabi (Hatayspor, Turkey), Soufiane Rahimi (Al Ain, UAE).

Ghana

Goalkeepers: Jojo Wolacott (Swindon Town, England), Abdul Manaf Nurudeen (Eupen, Belgium), Richard Attah (Hearts of Oak, Ghana), Lawrence Ati Zigi (St Gallen, Switzerland).

Defenders: Andy Yiadom and Baba Rahman (both Reading, England), Philemon Baffuor (Dreams FC, Ghana), Gideon Mensah (Bordeaux, France), Daniel Amartey (Leicester City, England), Alexander Djiku (Strasbourg, France), Jonathan Mensah (Columbus Crew, USA), Khalid Abdul Mumin (Vitoria Guimaraes, Portugal).

Midfielders: Baba Iddrissu (Real Mallorca, Spain), Edmund Addo (Sheriff Tiraspol, Moldova), Thomas Partey (Arsenal, England), Mubarak Wakaso (Shenzhen, China), Mohammed Kudus (Ajax, Netherlands), Daniel Kofi Kyere (St. Pauli, Germany), David Abagna (Real Tamale United, Ghana).

Forwards: Abdul Fatawu Issahaku (Dreams FC, Ghana), Samuel Owusu (Al Fayha, Saudi Arabia), Kamaldeen Suleymana (Rennes, France), Andre Ayew (Al Sadd SC. Qatar), Joseph Paintsil (Genk, Belgium), Jordan Ayew (Crystal Palace, England), Richmond Boakye Yiadom (Beitar Jerusalem, Israel), Maxwell Abbey Quaye (Great Olympics, Ghana), Benjamin Tetteh (Malatyaspor, Turkey).

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Comoros

Goalkeepers: Salim Ben Boina (Endoume, France) Ali Ahamada (Unattached), Moyadh Ousseni (Frejus, France).

Defenders: Nadjim Abdou (FC Martigues, France), Bendjaloud Youssouf (Chateauroux, France), Abdallah Ali Mohamed (Stade Lausanne, Switzerland) Kassim Mdahoma (US Avranches, France), Younn Zahary (SO Cholet, France), Chaker Alhadhur (Ajaccio, France), Mohamed Youssouf (Ajaccio, France), Kassim Abdallah (Marignane Gignac, France).

Midfielders: Fouad Bachirou (Omonia Nicosia, Cyprus), Youssouf M'Changama (Guingamp, France), Yacine Bourhane (Go Ahead Eagles, Netherlands), Nakibou Aboubakari (FC Sete 34, France), Iyad Mohamed (Auxerre, France), Rafidine Abdullah (Stade Lausanne, Switzerland).

Forwards: Faiz Selemani (KV Kortrijk, Belgium), Mohamed El Fardou (Red Star Belgrade, Serbia), Nasser Chamed (Gaz Metan Medias, Romania), Ahmed Mogni (FC Annecy, France), Faiz Mattoir (SO Cholet, France), Ali M'Madi (SAS Epinal, France), Said Bakari (RKC Waalwijk, Netherlands), Moussa Djoumoi (AS Saint-Priest, France), Mohamed M'Changama (FC Nouadhibou, Mauritania).

Gabon

Goalkeepers: Anthony Mfa Mezui (Rodange 91, Luxembourg), Donald Nze (Maniema Union, DR Congo), Jean-Noel Amonome (Uthongathi, South Africa), Junior Fortson Noubi (Vannes, France).

Defenders: Lloyd Palun (Bastia, France), Johann Obiang (Rodez, France), Bruno Ecuele Manga (Dijon, France), Gilchrist Nguema (Maccabi Ahi Nazareth, Israel), Anthony Oyono (Boulogne, France), Sidney Obissa (Olympic Charleroi, Belgium), David Sambissa (Cambuur, Netherlands), Wilfrid Ebane (Vannes, France), Junior Assoumou (Bourges, France), Yannis N'Gakoutou (Lyon-La Duchere, France).

Midfielders: Yrondu Musavu-King (Bengaluru, India), Andre Biyogo Poko (Altay, Turkey), Mario Lemina (Nice, France), Louis Ameka Autchanga (MAS Fes, Morocco), Guelor Kanga (Red Star Belgrade, Serbia), Alex Moucketou-Moussounda (Aris Limassol, Gabon), Serge-Junior Martinsson Ngouali (Gorica, Croatia), Medwin Biteghe (Al Hilal Benghazi, Libya).

Forwards: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Arsenal, England), Denis Bouanga (St Etienne, France), Ulrick Eneme-Ella (Brighton, England), Jim Allevinah (Clermont Foot, France), Aaron Boupendza (Al Arabi, Qatar), Fahd Ndzengue (Tabor Sezana, Slovenia), Kevin Mayi (Denizlispor, Turkey), Axel Meye (Ittihad Tanger, Morocco).

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