Cup of Nations Preview: Group B

In the wake of Friday's tragedy in Cubinda, the structure of Group B has been uncertain.  The Togo national team has been debating their tournament participation.  As of this posting, Togo has been announced withdrawn from the tournament, an outcome finally confirmed by the CAF.

There are stories saying Togo could return to the Cup of Nations should their matches be rescheduled, but as of now, Group B is a three team group, with their first match to take place on Monday.

All three group matches are scheduled to be held in Cubinda, the location of Friday's attack.

As for effects on the matches, this means that each of Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire and Ghana will only have two group matches.  Ghana won't play their first until January 15, the same day Cote d'Ivoire will prematurely end theirs.

This could also effect group strategies.  When Burkina Faso and Ghana play the group's final match on January 19, Cote d'Ivoire will be done.  Those teams will not have the uncertainties surrounded a second, simultaneous kick-off, while Cote d'Ivoire will play their January 15 match knowing their fate could be out of their hands.

Here is World Soccer Digest's break-down of Group B's teams and fixtures:

Burkina Faso

World Rankings (Elo/FIFA/SPI): 87/49/82

World Cup Qualifying performance:  Though they failed to qualify for the World Cup, Burkina Faso had a very strong qualifying campaign, exhibiting quality that may have gotten them through out of group B or C.  In Group E, Burkina Faso had the misfortunate of being slotted with Cote d'Ivoire, against whom they lost twice.  Although Burkina Faso played Les Éléphants well in their 3-2 home loss in June, Cote d'Ivoire beat them 5-0 in the reverse fixture.

Those were Burkina Faso's only two blemishes in third round qualifying.  Combined with their performance in second round (in a group with Tunisia), Burkina Faso went 9-1-2 in qualifying.

History, African Cup(s) of Nations:  While they have not qualified for the last two tournaments, Burkina Faso made each of the previous five tournaments, finishing in fourth place while hosting the tournament in 1998,

History, World Cup(s):  Burkina Faso has never qualified for a World Cup.

Coach:  Paulo Duarte is a 40-year-old Portuguese who has been with the national team for two years.  He was recently dismissed as coach of Le Mans in Ligue 1 (France).  He had held both job simultaneously.  Duarte has previous club coaching experience in Portugal.

Key Players: Saidou Panandetiguiri (23, D, União de Leiria, Portugal), Mamadou Tall (25, D, União de Leiria) ,Paul Kéba Koulibaly (27, D, Al-Ittihad, Libya), Mahamoudou Kéré (27, M, Charleroi, Belgium), Moumouni Dagano (29, F, Al-Khor, Qatar)

Stallions amongst thoroughbreds:  Just as Burkina Faso was unfortunate to be drawn with Cote d'Ivoire in third round World Cup qualifying, the Stallions get another poor draw for the Cup of Nations.  In any of the other groups they would have been favored to advance.  In Group B, their best hope is to get a draw, hope the team the tie loses their other match, and then look to win a tie-breaker on differential.

Cote d'Ivoire

World Rankings (Elo/FIFA/SPI): 20/16/9

World Cup Qualifying performance:  In the same group at Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire dominated, going 5-1-0, not dropping any points when they mattered while posting a +15 goal differential (19/4).  In the second round, Les Éléphants went 3-3-0 with ten goals for, two allowed.

History, African Cup(s) of Nations:  With one exception, the Ivorians have qualified for every Cup of Nations tournament since 1984, winning the cup in 1992.  They have made it as far as the semifinals four other times in that span, including a fourth place finish in Ghana (2008) and a runners-up result in Egypt (2006).

History, World Cup(s):  Cote d'Ivoire qualified for their first finals in 2006, going 1-0-2.  They qualified for this summer's tournament and will be in a group with Brazil, Korea DPR and Portugal.

Coach:  Vahid Halihodzic is a 57-year-old Bosnian whose primary coaching experience is at the club level in France.  He was capped fifteen times as a striker for the Yugoslavia national team.

Key Players: Dider Drogba (31, F, Chelsea, England), Yaya Touré (26, M, FC Barcelona, Spain), Kolo Touré (28, D, Manchester City, England), Emmanuel Eboue (26, D, Arsenal, England), Salomon Kalou (24, F, Chelsea), Didier Zokora (29, M, Sevilla, Spain), Gervinho (22, F/W, Lille, France)

Éléphant stampede forecast by most:  The Ivorians have become the popular African team to pick for South Africa 2010, and not without cause.  The rush to adorn them the impending tournament's dark horse has made them too popular to be a dark horse.  The debate now centers around where to rank them amongst the non-Brazil, non-Spain contenders, and by extension, they are the popular pick to win the Cup of Nations.

Ghana

World Rankings (Elo/FIFA/SPI): 42/34/35

World Cup Qualifying performance:  Ghana qualified for the World Cup, their second consecutive finals, with relative ease out of Group D, clinching qualification after the fourth of six group matches.  They would finish third round qualifying with a 4-1-1 record, scoring nine goals while allowing only three in a quartet that featured Benin, Mali, and the Sudan.

History, African Cup(s) of Nations:  Ghana has won this tournament four times but never since 1982.  They finished in third place while hosting the tournament in 2008.  They have made it to the tournament's semifinals ten times.

History, World Cup(s):  In 2006, Ghana got out of their group in Germany, losing to Brazil in the Round of 16.  That was the Black Stars' first World Cup appearance.

Coach:  Milovan Rajevac is a 56-year-old Serb who has been coaching the team since late 2008.  Of note is the improved goals-allowed rate Ghana has had under Rajevac, nearly cutting that rate in half between second and third round qualifying for the World Cup.

Key Players: Michael Essien (27, M, Chelsea), Matthew Amoah (29, F, NAC Breda, Netherlands), Asamoah Gyan (24, F, Rennes, France), Eric Addo (31, D, Roda JC, Netherlands), Anthony Annan (23, M, Rosenborg, Norway), young players Dominic Adyiah (20, F, AC Milan, Italy), Kwadwo Asamoah (21, M, Udinese, Italy, and Samuel Inkoom (20, D, Basel, Switzerland)

Key Absences: Sulley Muntari (25, M, Internazionale, Italy), Steven Appiah (29, M, Bologna, Italy), John Mensah (28, D, Sunderland, England), John Pantsil (28, D, Fulham, England)

Black Stars waiting for June: Ghana is still a threat to win this group and tournament, but they are staring at June, which explains their Key Absences list.  Rather than push players like Muntari, they are using the Cup to find out more about some key, young players from whom performances will be expected this summer.  Particularly in defense, where Ghana is less talented, these absences will hurt, and in a tournament where very little separates the elite, Ghana has put itself at a disadvantage.

Worthless Predictions

January 11, Cabinda:  Cote d'Ivoire 4, Burkina Faso 1 - We have a good idea of how this one will go based on the two nation's match-ups this summer in World Cup qualifying.  In addition to the talent gap separating these two sides, Burkina Faso would have to overcome the memories of those two results.

January 15, Cabinda:  Cote d' Ivoire 2, Ghana 1 - While Ghana have four extra days to prepare for this match, their weakness at the back and their absences in midfield leave them a step below the Ivorians, who are able to grind out a result despite being clearly less energetic than their opponents.

January 19, Cabinda:  Ghana 2, Burkina Faso 2 - Burkina Faso also takes advantage of Ghana missing two starters at the back a pulls off a very mild surprise.  Burkina Faso attempts to get a game winner and advance come up just short as the Ghanains realize how close they are coming to an embarrassing, quick exit.