A lot has been manufactured from Nigeria’s disappointing effort in qualifying for subsequent summer season’s FIFA World Cup. The Tremendous Eagles rallied after successful simply one in every of their opening six video games within the race for a spot in North America final summer season, beating Lesotho after which thumping Benin by 4 targets to nil to safe a spot within the African playoffs.
However it was DR Congo who managed to outlast the 4 of the continent’s most interesting in these playoffs, making the most of misses from Nigeria’s Moses Simon and Semi Ajayi within the playoff closing to safe a penalty shootout victory and a spot within the intercontinental playoffs.
Nigeria now has the right alternative to place proper these qualifying errors because the 2025 African Cup of Nations will get underway in Morocco.
The Tremendous Eagles are with no continental crown since that well-known 1-0 victory over Burkina Faso in South Africa again in 2013, with Sunday Mba’s first-half strike securing the win.
They did, nonetheless, attain the ultimate two years in the past, the place they misplaced to the internet hosting Ivory Coast after second-half targets from Franck Kessie and Sebastien Haller.
Led by attacking superstars Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman, Nigeria is taken into account a ten/1 fifth favorite to go away Morocco as champions of Africa for the fourth time. However who’re the groups at the moment forward of them within the betting charts? Let’s have a look.
Hosts Morocco are, with out query, the main lights in African soccer proper now. Again in 2022, the Atlas Lions grew to become the primary staff from the continent to ever attain the semifinals of the World Cup, an achievement that on-line betting websites have clearly taken be aware of. The newest soccer betting at Bovada odds at the moment offers the Moroccans an 80/1 shot to win the World Cup subsequent summer season, the shortest-priced African nation by a ways.
However earlier than that may get underway, the Atlas Lions first have to beat the continent, and the bookies make them an 11/4 favorite to do precisely that. Led by the likes of Hakim Ziyech and Achraf Hakimi, Morocco’s squad is stacked with expertise, and with a raucous house crowd at their again, they may definitely take some stopping.
Nonetheless, it needs to be mentioned that their AFCON report is depressing, and the Moroccans haven’t made it previous the quarterfinals since 2004. That should be rectified if the title is to go to the Atlas Mountains for the primary time since 1976.
Whereas Morocco could not have a lot AFCON pedigree, Egypt definitely does. The Pharaohs are the report seven-time champions, with their threepeat of trophies between 2006 and 2010 thought of one of many most interesting achievements in African soccer historical past. Nonetheless, the latter of these three straight crowns stays their most up-to-date, and the Egyptians will head to Morocco with out an AFCON title in 15 years.
Since 2010, Egypt has reached two finals, dropping the primary to Cameroon in 2017, earlier than dropping a heartbreaking penalty shootout to Senegal in 2021. With the talismanic Mohamed Salah beginning to present indicators of age at membership degree with Liverpool, the Pharaohs are certainly not the favourites they as soon as had been. Nonetheless, as 11/2 second favourites, they’re definitely in with an opportunity.
Regardless of all its qualities, Algeria has struggled lately. The Greens haven’t certified for every of the final two FIFA World Cups, whereas additionally they haven’t made it out of the group on the Africa Cup of Nations since successful the trophy for simply the second time again in 2019. Nonetheless, they head to Morocco filled with confidence after securing their World Cup return, and the bookies contemplate them a harmful 6/1 third favorite.
The star of the present stays former Manchester Metropolis man Riyad Mahrez, who nonetheless has the standard to win matches on his personal on the age of 34. With Marseille man Amine Gouiri injured and lacking the event, anticipate Mahre to be supported by the likes of Wolfsburg striker Mohamed Amoura, former West Ham star Saïd Benrahma, and present Manchester Metropolis wing-back Rayan Aït-Nouri. That needs to be greater than sufficient firepower to steer the Algerians to a deep event run, however whether or not they have the required ammunition to mount an all-out assault on the title stays to be seen.
Senegal famously claimed the title for the primary time again in 2021, with star striker Sadio Mane defeating then Liverpool teammate Mohamed Salah and his Egyptian teammates on penalties in Cameroon. The defence of their title couldn’t have gone a lot worse, nonetheless, because the Lions of Teranga had been dumped out within the second spherical by eventual champions Ivory Coast, additionally on penalties.
