2021 Africa Cup of Nations: Ethiopia to Face Cameroon in Group A
ADDIS ABABA- Ethiopia will face Cameroon, the host nation, in Group stage of the 2021 Africa Cup of nations (Afcon) finals.
Cameroon hosts Africa’s premier football showcase from January 9 to February 6, 2022.
CAF conducted the draw for 2021 Afcon group stage on Tuesday evening in an event attended by Africa football legends such as Samuel Eto’o and Didier Drogba, in Yaounde.
The Walias, in their return to the Afcon after an eight year absence, have been drawn in Group A which includes the host and five-time Africa Cup of Nations winners, Cameroon. Burkina Faso, runners-up of 2013 Afcon, make up the group along with the Cape Verde Islands.
Ethiopia will face Cape Verde in its first match on January 9 at the newly built Olembe Stadium in Yaounde which has a capacity of 60,000. The game will held immediately after the opining match between Cameroon and Burkina Faso on in the same venue.
The Walias will play their second game against Cameroon on January 13 in the same stadium and their second match versus Burkina Faso on January 17, in Limbe Omnisport Stadium.located in a seaside city in the South-West Region of Cameroon.
Elsewhere, Algeria will begin the defence of their title against Sierra Leone while they were also drawn alongside Equatorial Guinea and two-time winners Cote d’Ivoire.
Senegal, who suffered the heartbreak of losing the 2019 final to Algeria, will take on Zimbabwe, Guinea and Malawi in Group B.
Ghana and Gabon will meet in Group C. The group also include top seeds Morocco and debutante Comoros.
The other tournament debutantes, Gambia, will play in Group F alongside Tunisia, Mali and Mauritania.
Record seven-time African champions Egypt share Group D with three-time winners Nigeria, Sudan and Guinea-Bissau.
Afcon groups draw:
Group A : Cameroon, Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Cape Verde
Group B : Senegal, Zimbabwe, Guinea, Malawi
Group C : Morocco, Ghana, Comoros, Gabon
Group D : Nigeria, Egypt, Sudan, Guinea-Bissau
Group E : Algeria, Sierra-Leone, Equatorial Guinea, Côte d’Ivoire
Group F : Tunisia, Mali, Mauritania, Gambia
The 2021 Africa Cup of Nations will take place from 9 January to 6 February 2022 in five main cities of Cameroon. The opening match will be played between Cameroon and Burkina Faso.
The tournament, which features 24 teams and runs from 9 January to 6 February, will see the winners and runners-up in each of the six groups, plus the best four third-placed teams, reach the knockout phase.
Road to Final
• Group stage: from January 9 to 20, 2022
• Round of 16: January 23-26, 2022
• Quarter-finals: January 29 and 30, 2022
• Semi-finals: February 2 and 3, 2022
• Third Place match and Final: February 6, 2022
