Afcon: Best of all starts for SA

Kamlesh Gosai|Published 13 years ago

Hicham El Amrani CAF Secretary General, Issa Hayatou and President Jacob Zuma during the 2013 Orange African Cup of Nations final draw at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Centre on October 24, 2012 in Durban

Neil Tovey, captain of the Bafana side that won the African Cup of Nations in 1996, brings the trophy on to the stage at last night's draw at the International Convention Centre in Durban.

The beat at Africa’s feet will reverberate stronger and louder around South Africa and the continent following the draw for the 2013 African Cup of Nations at the International Convention Centre in Durban last night.

South Africa received a favourable draw, with minnows Cape Verde, North African giants Morocco and southern African rivals Angola grouped together in Group A, which will be based in Durban.

Clearly the toughest group drawn was the Rustenburg-based foursome of Ivory Coast, Tunisia, Algeria and Togo.

The other tricky pool that Bafana Bafana would have been glad to avoid was Group C, which will see defending champions Zambia, resurgent powerhouse Nigeria, dark horses Burkina Faso and Ethiopia fight it out in Mbombela.

Port Elizabeth will host the final group composed of Ghana, Mali, Niger and Democratic Republic of Congo.

The production was hardly a seamless one. There were several glitches with microphones and volume control.

However, the actual draw was welcomed with great |enthusiasm, despite swathes of empty seats in the VIP area and a sparsely filled media section.

The loudest cheer erupted when President Jacob Zuma drew island nation Cape Verde as Bafana Bafana’s opening group opponents.

That clash, on the opening day, will be played at Soccer City in Joburg on January 19.

Following South Africa’s sole triumph in the competition as hosts in 1996, the country will have another shot at continental glory when the 16-team event is held here again from January 19 to February 10.

As a symbolic gesture of that occasion, the winning captain from 1996, Neil Tovey, brought the trophy on to the stage last night.

Veteran Durban coach Clive Barker guided Bafana Bafana to victory then, and in a coincidental twist of fate, the side again has a Durban-born tactician in Gordon Igesund at the helm. The team will also be based on the east coast for the duration of the 29th edition of the tournament.

South Africa make a return to the biennial showpiece following an absence of four years but, with debutant finalists Cape Verde, the team couldn’t have asked for an easier start to the competition.

Although rookies to the final, coach Igesund will remind his charges that Cape Verde knocked out the mighty Cameroon to qualify for the 29th edition of the Nations Cup.

With 86 days to go before kick-off, it’s sufficient time for the Bafana technical staff to make sure they at least get past the “Blue Sharks” at the first hurdle.

After the island nation, South Africa will tackle Angola and wrap up their round-robin programme against |Morocco at Moses Mabhida Stadium on January 27.