2019 Africa Cup of Nations: Group C preview

Algeria, Kenya, Senegal and Tanzania will compete in Group C at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations. Here’s what to expect from each side.

Group C of the Africa Cup of Nations pits the world’s highest-ranked African nation, Senegal, against one-time champions Algeria, Kenya and relative newcomers, Tanzania. The Senegalese are one of the favorites for the tournament and will likely top their group, although Algeria have enough quality in their squad to upset the status quo.

Algeria

Algeria are making their 18th appearance at the Africa Cup of Nations and will be looking to improve on their 2017 performance where they were eliminated in the group stages. The North Africans are former champions, having won the competition in 1990, and have finished in the top three on three separate occasions.

Qualification

Algeria enjoyed a relatively straight forward qualification campaign. Djamel Belmadi’s charges won three and lost only one of their six matches to end top of their group, one point ahead of Benin. Baghdad Bounedjah – who has scored an incredible 82 goals in 59 appearances for Qatari-based side Al Sadd – was the nation’s leading goalscorer in qualifying with three goals.

The squad

Equally remarkable to Bouendjah’s goal scoring prowess is the fact that 15 of Algeria’s 23-man squad were born in France, including Montpellier striker Andy Delort who made a goal-scoring debut in the build up to the tournament. Among them are three of Algeria’s star quartet, Riyad Mahrez, Sofiane Feghouli and Yacine Brahimi (Algerian-born Islam Slimani being the fourth) who have all be named in Belmadi’s squad.

Napoli’s Faouzi Ghoulam, Schalke’s Nabil Bentaleb and Hoffenheim striker Ishak Belfodil have been ruled out through injury though and there’s no place in the squad for Rachid Ghezzal or Montreal Impact’s Saphir Taider. Haris Belkebla was also excluded from the squad after exception was taken to him jokingly flashing his behind on a live stream.

Key player: Riyad Mahrez

Riyad Mahrez will be one of the players to watch at the Africa Cup of Nations. The 28-year old was one of Algeria’s star players in qualifying where he scored twice and will be key to his nation’s hopes of a deep run in the competition.

The Man City winger is one of the most creative wide-men in the game and knows his own way to goal too, having scored 10 times in his 45 international appearances. Algeria might be dark horses for the tournament but Mahrez could be the knight to ride them to an historic second title.