AFCON 2023: Patrice Neveu breaks down Group B
AFCON 2023: Patrice Neveu gives his view on Group B. In his opinion, Egypt and Ghana have the edge heading into the tournament
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Do you see Group B as Egypt's and Ghana's to lose?
I'm not so sure. Of course, on paper they are the two best teams in the group, and if they play to their level they will get through the first round, bearing in mind that potentially three teams can qualify. Egypt are clearly a notch above. You can't overlook Cape Verde, who are used to final tournaments and are a solid, compact side. I know Mozambique less well, but they managed to knock out Benin, they play a fairly attacking game and will have nothing to lose.
Read also: AFCON 2023: Everything you need to know about the Egypt juggernaut
Egypt are regarded as one of the AFCON favourites. Do you share that view?
Let's say the Pharaohs are among the contenders, along with Morocco, Ivory Coast, Senegal, Algeria or Nigeria. They are not the best team in the tournament. There are also outsiders, such as Mali, DR Congo and Tunisia. It's true that Egypt have that AFCON pedigree, having won it 7 times. They were in the final in 2022, their players have quality, there's Mohamed Salah, in superb form with Liverpool, Mostafa Mohamed of Nantes, Omar Marmoush who is having a good season at Eintracht Frankfurt.
He looks like a player capable of taking his team very far…
Of course, even if he doesn't perform for the national team the way he does for his club. A lot rests on his shoulders with the national side. He is well supported, and the advantage of this Egyptian team is that many internationals play in Egypt, whose league is the best in Africa, and are used to playing in sub-Saharan Africa in the African club competitions with Zamalek and Al-Ahly. That will be an advantage in Ivory Coast, compared with the other North African sides.
Do you think Ghana can go far?
I think they will first be driven by a desire for revenge, after going out in the first round in 2022. Admittedly, they played at the World Cup in Qatar, without disgracing themselves, incidentally, and they qualified for the Ivorian AFCON, but I get the impression they struggle a bit to reinvent themselves. I think they will get through the first round, because they have quality players, but they seem less well equipped than other teams.
Alexis Billebault