AFCON 2023: Group E Preview
With just over a week until the Africa Cup of Nations kicks-off, we’re breaking down Group E in the penultimate of our six group previews.
Here’s what to expect from Tunisia, Mali, South Africa, and Namibia…
Tunisia have qualified for a record sixteenth AFCON in a row, reaching the quarterfinals or further in their last four tournaments.
This beacon of consistency faces competition from an ascendant Mali, with Éric Chelle’s exciting squad hoping to put stalwarts to the sword.
Go deeper: The Brain Behind a Mali Team with high hopes – Éric Chelle
South Africa will be hoping to spoil the party for these two tournament favourites, but remain outsiders for the top spots in Group E.
Namibia enter the tournament with just one win in their last five outings, establishing them as the David in a group of Goliaths.
Mali
Group Prediction: 1st
AFCON 2019 saw Mali and Tunisia face-off in that year’s group E, and we predict history to repeat itself with Mali topping the group.
Les Aigles have reached the knockouts in the previous two tournaments, but we have to look back to third-placed finishes in 2012 and 2013 to see deep tournament runs.
Eventual champions Nigeria defeated Mali in the 2013 semi-finals
Ranked 51st by FIFA and yet to grace a World Cup, Mali are unfamiliar with international success when compared with the veteran Tunisians.
While they may be short on international acclaim, this squad does not lack talent.
Several players in their squad earn their money on European shores.
Premier League fans are able to look forward to the appearance of Tottenham Hotspur’s Yves Bissouma, though Crystal Palace’s Cheick Doucouré won’t be an option following a recent achilles injury.
Bissouma (R) fights for the ball with Newcastle United’s Miguel Almirón
Mali can call on Champions League quality too.
Midfielder Amadou Haidara will face Real Madrid in the round-of-16 with RB Leipzig, while full-back Hamari Traoré will have Kylian Mbappé and PSG to contend with after helping Real Sociedad top their Champions League group.
Mali captain Traoré will hope to make his 50th international appearance at AFCON 2023
The talent in Mali’s squad was on full display in qualification where nine different goal scorers produced fifteen goals, compared to Tunisia’s eleven goals from five scorers.
Mali’s top scorer was Stade Brestois’ Kamory Doumbia who scored all four goals in Brest’s 4-0 victory over Lorient in his most recent outing.
AFCON debutant manager Éric Chelle faces the headache of combining Bissouma, Haidara, and Doumbia in one midfield, but it will be opponents fretting over this talented trio should he succeed.
With both Tunisia and Mali having eagle-themed nicknames, it is Mali’s quality that will see them flying highest.
Tunisia
Group Prediction: 2nd
Ranked in the world’s top 30 by FIFA, Tunisia is a firmly established footballing nation.
They have qualified for the tournament for a record sixteenth consecutive time, and have some marquee results in their not too distant past – having defeated France 1-0 at the 2022 World Cup.
Wahbi Khazri scored the winner in a shock win
Left-back Ali Maaloul joins the squad with his 88 appearances while forward Youssef Mskani will be looking to make his 100th appearance during these group-stage games.
Mskani was only outscored by Victor Osimhen in AFCON qualifiers after netting five, and he has seven goal contributions in ten appearances for Qatari club Al-Arabi.
However, Tunisia will be without the experience of legend Wahbi Khazri who retired from international duty after competing in two World Cups and five AFCONs for his country.
Manchester United midfielder Hannibal Mejbri won’t be traveling to the Ivory Coast either, as he reportedly opted out to clarify his club future.
Mejbri (R) is expected to leave Manchester United on loan in January
Hannibal could have injected some necessary youth into this experienced side, with 25-year-old Lorient centre-back Montassar Talbi the youngest player in their most recent starting eleven.
No one, though, can fault the consistency of this Tunisia side, having reached the quarter-finals or further in each of the last four AFCONs.
It was back in 2013 they last failed to escape the group stage and we don’t see that happening here.
South Africa
Group Prediction: 3rd
The ‘Bafana Bafana’ had a strong qualifying campaign, headlined by a 2-1 home triumph over World Cup semi-finalists Morocco.
However, their recent form is more mixed. In their last fixture, they lost 2-0 to Rwanda who are 133rd in FIFA’s world rankings.
Shocking as this defeat was, it represents their only loss in their last five; a 1-1 draw with tournament hosts Ivory Coast gives more room for optimism.
A strong Ivory Coast side will hope to replicate their 2015 AFCON victory
Burnley’s Lyle Foster found the net against Aston Villa on Saturday, his fourth game back since taking time away from football to receive treatment for his mental health.
However, the South African forward has not been named in Hugo Broos’ final squad, with Burnley manager Vincent Kompany recently stating that Foster was not ready to travel.
He said: “It’s the travelling and everything else, the people [mental health experts] who advised us throughout this period didn’t think it was time yet for Lyle.”
The final squad as announced by Coach Hugo Broos earlier today, to compete at #AFCON2023 in Côte d’Ivoire. Congratulations and good luck Bafana Bafana!!! #BafanaPride pic.twitter.com/u9cNoZ98dA
— Bafana Bafana (@BafanaBafana) December 28, 2023
Broos’s Bafana will set up in a 4-2-3-1, with Mamelodi Sundowns veteran Themba Zwane the first-choice facilitator for a number of dynamic forward options.
Mamelodi Sundowns are on-track for a seventh consecutive South African Premiership
It is what lies behind the attacking midfielder that is causing concern. Defensive frailties were underlined during their loss to Rwanda, as journalist Mo Allie notes.
“[The loss] provided a valuable reality check about the side’s defensive vulnerabilities and their mental toughness in the face of adversity,” he told the BBC.
Namibia
Group Prediction: 4th
Namibia’s ‘Brave Warriors’ will have to be just that if they are to escape Group E.
Their first fixture is against Tunisia, who are making their 22nd AFCON appearance. Namibia, on the other hand, are making just their fourth foray into the competition and are yet to gain an AFCON win.
Recent form offers little encouragement for Collin Benjamin’s side. They have one win in five, and have fallen to defeat against Equatorial Guinea and Eswatini, who are 88th and 149th in FIFA’s world rankings.
🇳🇦 𝐅𝐈𝐍𝐀𝐋 𝟐𝟖-𝐌𝐀𝐍 𝐒𝐐𝐔𝐀𝐃
Brave Warriors squad that will travel to Ghana for training camp. The Coach will trim it down to final 23 players that will go for AFCON. pic.twitter.com/9dbdLGCfi4
— 𝐅𝐨𝐨𝐭𝐲 𝐍𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐛𝐢𝐚 🇳🇦 (@FootyNamibia) December 21, 2023
However, confidence can be taken from two draws against fellow group members South Africa in 2023.
Namibia’s tournament hopes will rely on the goalscoring form of Mamelodi Sundowns’ Peter Shalulile.
The striker was the beating heart of The Brave Warriors’ qualification campaign, netting two-thirds of their goals.
Shalulile scored in all four of Namibia’s qualifying matches for AFCON 2023
Namibia enter AFCON with some giant killing acumen as a result, having defeated Cameroon 2-1 at home and holding them to a draw in the away fixture.
An over-dependence on Shalulile could prove costly, though, as the striker has only recently returned from injury.
