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2019 Africa Cup of Nations: Group B preview

By Liam Bekker

12 April 2019, Egypt, Giza: The group stage of the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations are seen displayed on the screen during the draw for the championship, scheduled to take place in Egypt between 21 June and 19 July 2019, at the Pyramids of Giza. Photo: Ahmed Ramadan/dpa (Photo by Ahmed Ramadan/picture alliance via Getty Images)
12 April 2019, Egypt, Giza: The group stage of the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations are seen displayed on the screen during the draw for the championship, scheduled to take place in Egypt between 21 June and 19 July 2019, at the Pyramids of Giza. Photo: Ahmed Ramadan/dpa (Photo by Ahmed Ramadan/picture alliance via Getty Images) /
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Guinea’s National football team players (From R) Issiaga Sylla, Naby Keita and Francois Kamano celebrates a goal during the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying football match between Guinea and Libya at the Stade du 28 Septembre in Conakry on August 31, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / CELLOU BINANI (Photo credit should read CELLOU BINANI/AFP/Getty Images)
Guinea’s National football team players (From R) Issiaga Sylla, Naby Keita and Francois Kamano celebrates a goal during the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying football match between Guinea and Libya at the Stade du 28 Septembre in Conakry on August 31, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / CELLOU BINANI (Photo credit should read CELLOU BINANI/AFP/Getty Images) /

Guinea

Guinea, runners-up in 1976, will be making their 12th appearance at the Africa Cup of Nations. The coastal nation most recently reached the quarter-finals of the competition in 2015 where they were knocked out by eventual runners-up, Ghana.

Qualification

Guinea got their qualification campaign underway with an impressive 3-2 win over Ivory Coast back in June 2017. Paul Put’s side ultimately went unbeaten through qualifying – one of only five teams to have done so – after recording three wins and three draws in a group that also included Central African Republic and Rwanda.

Their form saw them top the group ahead of the more fancied Ivorians and benefit from a better seeding for the AFCON draw. The reward is abundantly apparent with Guinea drawn in an easier group than the Ivorians who must face Morrocco and South Africa.

The squad

The biggest news coming from the Guinean camp is the inclusion of instrumental captain Naby Keita. The nation’s star player was ruled out for the season after picking up a groin injury with Liverpool in May but appears to have recovered in time for the tournament.

https://twitter.com/ExpertsFoot224/status/1138623152534298624

Beyond Keita, Put has a plethora of European-based talent to rely on and has called up the likes of Napoli’s Amadou Diawara, Gladbach’s Ibrahima Traoré and Bordeaux forward Francois Kamano. The pair of Sory Sankhon and Karamoko Cisse have been left out though, after they refused a call-up in March, while there is also no place in the squad for Vancouver’s Lass Bangoura.

Key player: Naby Keita

Much depends on his fitness but Keita will undoubtedly be Guinea’s key player if he’s firing on all cylinders. The 24-year old is one of the best box-to-box midfielders in world soccer and will play an important role in the nation reaching its expected target of the knockout stages.

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