Good result for us, says South Africa coach

Durban: South Africa coach Gordon Igesund said he was satisfied with the Africa Cup of Nations draw despite being placed in the same group as ‘giants’ Morocco.

The hosts will also have games against Angola and Cape Verde, which, Igesund said, greatly improves his side’s chances of qualifying.

“All the draws were tough and I think this is a fairly good draw for us. It was touch and go because it was either going to be Nigeria or Angola,” he said, relieved that of two remaining countries to be allocated, Angola fell in Group A with the hosts and Nigeria in Group C with Zambia at the Chief Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre here.

Igesund, though, is wary of Morocco and pointed to them as his main rivals. “I think Morocco are the giants in Africa,” he said.

Moroccan trainer Rachid Taoussi was happy his team missed some of the tournament’s big guns and played down his side’s favourites’ tag.

“It’s a good group,” he said. “It’s hard, since South Africa is the host country and has home support.”

Nigeria will tackle Burkina Faso in their first match but coach Stephen Keshi refused to be too confident. “They are a very good team,” he said. “There is quality in every side that qualified so our task is to go home and strategise.

“Of course, defending champions Zambia are very good and so are our other opponents, Ethiopia.”

In the so-called ‘group of death’, Ivory Coast will have to finish above Tunisia, Algeria and Togo to win their section.

However, coach Sabri Lamouchi is in confident mood. “It’s undeniably the most difficult group,” he said. “Ivory Coast is the favourite. We were favourites before the draw, and still are after it. We will have to prove it on the field.”

Defending champions Zambia, who were the surprise winners of the trophy this year, would prove their mettle once again, according to coach Herve Renard.

“We are confident. We are here to make history. We did it in 2012. No one was able to say Zambia will win in 2012,” he said. “We stayed a small team but we managed to go very far.”

Having travelled to South Africa often to train, the Zambians felt “at home” there, added Renard.