The Draw For 2014 African Nations Championship

The African Nations Championship (CHAN) draw for the 2014 tournament in South Africa for the group phase is out. The mundial is organised by the African football governing body (CAF) for the home based players alone.

There are four groups of A to D, with each group containing four teams. The top two will qualify for the second round which is the knockout phase. Here is the draw for the group phase.

Group  A             Group  B            Group  C          Group  D
South Africa         Burkina Faso      Ghana                DRC
Nigeria                  Morocco             Congo               Burundi
Mali                      Zimbabwe           Libya                Gabon
Mozambique         Uganda               Ethiopia            Mauritania

 

Group A: This has the host of the tournament - South Africa and Nigeria which is appearing in the tournament for the first time after qualifying by knocking out Ivory Coast on the aggregate of 4 - 3. Nigeria is one of the favourites. Mali is also a strong team in the group, but Mozambique may surprise everyone and qualify.

Group B: In this group, on paper Morocco and Burkina Faso are expected to qualify for the second round but Zimbabwe which beat South Africa last week in a friendly has also a good chance. Uganda has chance also after winning the regional title.

Group C: This group has one of the favourites that may win the title - Ghana, who was the finalist in the first edition against the winner - Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Any of the other three - Libya, Ethiopia and Congo has a chance of qualifying along with Ghana.

Group D: In this group, DRC, the champion of the first edition in 2009, is the favourite to qualify, while Gabon has more chance to go through with the DRC, but you never know, this is football, anything can happen. Burundi and Mauritania may turn-out to be a big surprise and qualify.

The African Nations Championship (CHAN), was first organised in 2009 in Ivory Coast and the second edition was held in Sudan. Next year will be the third edition of the tournament.