Saudi Arabia-primarily based Aboubakar scored the overdue winner while the Indomitable Lions got here from at the back of to defeat Egypt inside the 2017 final and win the flagship African opposition a 5th time.
Ekambi plays for Lyon and Choupo-Moting for Bayern Munich and they're part of a 27-guy squad composed of stars primarily based in Europe and the US, and not using a local making the reduce.
Here, we placed the spotlight at the 4 Group A hopefuls with the winners and runners-up assured of final-16 places while the nice four 1/3-positioned teams from six corporations also qualify.
In the early editions of the Cup of Nations, hosts carried out efficaciously, prevailing three of the primary 4. But times have changed. Only of the remaining 12 tournaments were won by way of the host state with Tunisia victorious in 2004 and Egypt two years later.
Cameroon are staging the Cup of Nations a second time after completing 1/3 at the back of Congo Brazzaville and Mali in 1972 when most effective 8 countries competed. "They can win it," says Cameroon legend Samuel Eto'o of the Aboubakar-captained elegance of 2022, whose immediate goal could be to pinnacle Group A and meet one of the 0.33-positioned qualifiers within the second spherical.
The Stallions input the Cup of Nations in a assured temper after twice drawing with 2019 Cup of Nations winners Algeria in current World Cup qualifying. Blida, forty five kilometres (28 miles) southwest of Algiers, is known as the "slaughterhouse" and Djibouti and Niger will attest to that moniker having conceded eight and 6 desires there in World Cup thrashings.
While the Burkinabe didn't stable the win in Blida that might have taken them to final round, a depleted facet clawed back twice to draw 2-2 with captain Issoufou Dayo converting a past due penalty.
Major boosts are the returns from injury of Aston Villa ahead Bertrand Traore and Abdoul Fessal Tapsoba, a Standard Liege attacker who starred within the World Cup campaign.
A win and draw towards Cameroon in 2021 Cup of Nations qualifying and a draw away to Nigeria in 2022 World Cup qualifying endorse that the Blue Sharks will not be pushovers. They constitute a Portuguese-speakme state off the west coast of Africa with a populace of less than six hundred,000, whose football team is at the upward push once more.
Cape Verde reached the region-finals in their 2013 Cup of Nations debut and intention difference prevented them repeating the feat years later. They missed the ultimate two variations, however have bounced lower back underneath teach Pedro 'Bubista' Brito and captain and forward Ryan Mendes, who became worried in the preceding two finals appearances.
