Group C

Zambia begins a difficult task but not impossible in the campaign to defend her title historic day when she meets in Mbombela with Ethiopia in the first round of Group C in the finals of the African Cup of Nations and twenty-ninth set up in South Africa until February 10.

Meanwhile, back Nigeria after an absence from the previous series to face Burkina Faso In Modern Giants who have achieved in 50 years great achievements in the wedding Continental can not anyone deny them as crowned champions twice (1963 and 1982) and dissolved in runner-up 4 times and scored third place 7 times, This time, led by local coach Stephen Keshi, who won the title when he was a player and seems determined to repeat the scenario as a coach.

Did not put Zambia coach Herve Renard in their accounts of this meeting only three points, and this is possible, especially to Ethiopia or team "deer Ahluwalia" prolonged in the absence of the 30-year-old fully reflect the level after that expanded finals tournament to exceed three teams when made title in 1962 to new horizons absorbed 8 teams, and finally the number rose to 16 teams with the constant switching in the style and ways of establishing the race for abbreviating usually young and a bit of adults.

And confirms Renard, who led Zambia to a historic achievement in Equatorial Guinea and Gabon in 2012, that: "The first game with Ethiopia is very important and very sensitive .. we have to start our campaign to win similar to what we did when we made the title." And adds: "If we fail to maintain This means that the title there are teams better than us, but I think it is difficult that one can defeat the current Zambia. "

The Renard this high ceiling of the skeptics statements in Zambia's ability to ascend the podium twice in a row based on results Alastaadadah before the tournament and initiated by a loss against Angola (zero-2) and two draws passive with Morocco and Norway.

For its part, does not have the Ethiopia of professionals in Europe or elsewhere but one is midfielder and striker Saleh Youssef defends the colors of Team Arab Syriac community in Sweden "Cyrianska". In addition, the Ethiopian coach Sunit Bisho does not have despite the recent victory of Tanzania 2-1, reputation and experience sufficient size to define him outside his country, and these are all factors in favor of "returning" for the first time since 1982.

Wants Nigeria coach Stephen Keshi to follow the Egyptian Mahmoud essential who won the title twice as a player and as a coach and The Glory him open after it was on the date as a player in 1994 and soon it became coach in 2013. The fundamental, who died last September, he succeeded as a player in 1959, and as a coach in 1998.

And urges midfielder Chelsea John Obi Mikel compatriot to make history a coach: "Keshi already won the title as a player and I am sure he will make history a coach," gunman own team the current "talent of large individual and if Asthoudrna all our abilities and our work to employ them in the service of team as a group we can make the dream come true. "

Not outweigh forecasts Nigeria cuff in Go to last tournament, especially after failing to qualify for the finals of the previous version a year ago, but the quiche a different opinion, and say, in this context, "We have a team have an enormous capacity Sevsah them as required." He adds Keshi who previously oversaw the teams Togo and Mali in the African championship: "The problem is that many people do not know what team good, I see strength in the players and they must take their place," and he was taking his place as coach in November 2011 to succeed his compatriot Samson politically, and work since then to build a new team as he wants is not others.

Keshi ruled out some well-known names before the final training camp in preparation for the continental event involving 176 for a professional player, whom Peter Odemwingie and Ibafima Martins and Taye Taiwo. And justify the exclusion of these quiche saying: "I know many names did not play football and when we start work, ask themselves to help to improve the situation of the players, if those players who are good present in the domestic league, Vlnkhtarhm when to go away?".

Nigeria achieved win led quiche in 6 games and tied in ideals and lost two against Egypt and Peru. He concludes: "If there is pressure in the championship is not on, but me and no one else, we are not under pressure to win and did not promising Nigerians anything, but I'll try to provide what is best with this team."

Participation will be the sixth leader of Nigeria's Joseph Yobo in the African championship equivalent former teammate Nwankwo Kanu. Yobo believes that: "Winning the Cup is not easy, but I am prepared to offer the best we have and I call on Nigerians to pray for us and trust us."

And Burkina Faso remain at the heart of forgetting where you can not skip the first round only once when they hosted the tournament in 1998 and was fourth. Although there are some important players such as Alan Traoréh and Moumouni Dagano, but Pol Pot's Belgian coach is fully aware of the capacity and extent of the team run by trying to blow the spirit of life. Butt says that did not achieve better than a goalless draw with Niger in Last stations Alastaadadah: "We are trying to prepare the team properly to achieve the goal of going far in the tournament and at least reach the quarter-finals."