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African Nations Cup: Team-by-team preview

Friday 20 January 2012 17:36 GMT

African Nations Cup: Team-by-team preview

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1/16African Nations Cup: Team-by-team preview

African Nations Cup: Team-by-team preview

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GROUP A
Equatorial Guinea
Best Performance: Debut.
Key Player: Rodolfo Bodipo, striker (pictured).
Coach: Gilson Paulo (Brazil).
FIFA Ranking: No. 150.
Nickname: Nzalang Nacional.
The lowly ranked co-hosts have no previous experience at a major tournament and are now without experienced former France coach Henri Michel, who resigned just weeks before the tournament. New coach Paulo has had little time to mold his team, which likely faces an early exit at home.

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African Nations Cup: Team-by-team preview

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African Nations Cup: Team-by-team preview

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African Nations Cup: Team-by-team preview

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African Nations Cup: Team-by-team preview

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African Nations Cup: Team-by-team preview

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African Nations Cup: Team-by-team preview

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African Nations Cup: Team-by-team preview

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African Nations Cup: Team-by-team preview

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African Nations Cup: Team-by-team preview

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GROUP C
Morocco

Best Performance: Champion in 1976.
Key Player: Houssine Kharja, midfielder; Adel Taarabt, midfielder (pictured); Marouane Chamakh, striker.
Coach: Eric Gerets (Belgium).
FIFA Ranking: No. 61.
Nickname: Atlas Lions.
Could be an outside shot for success with Houssine Kharja and Adel Taarabt calling the shots and clever Belgian coach Eric Gerets in charge. The form of Marouane Chamakh will be crucial as the Arsenal forward has had little first team action with his English club ahead of the tournament.

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African Nations Cup: Team-by-team preview

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African Nations Cup: Team-by-team preview

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African Nations Cup: Team-by-team preview

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African Nations Cup: Team-by-team preview

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GROUP D
Ghana

Best Performance: Champion in 1963, 1965, 1978, 1982.
Key Player: Sulley Muntari, midfielder; Andre Ayew, winger; Asamoah Gyan, striker (pictured).
Coach: Goran Stevanovic (Serbia).
FIFA Ranking: No. 29.
Nickname: Black Stars.
The most successful team at the tournament in Egypt and Cameroon's absence. Expects to end a 30-year title drought despite missing Michael Essien and Kevin Prince Boateng. Ivory Coast is favored but Ghana was third and second in the last two African Cups and was also a World Cup quarterfinalist.

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African Nations Cup: Team-by-team preview

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African Nations Cup: Team-by-team preview

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The 2012 African Nations Cup, which is being co-hosted by Gabon and Equatorial Guine, begins tomorrow.

While some of Africa's biggest teams are absent due to their failure to qualify, including Cameroon, Egypt, Nigeria and South Africa, the tournament still promises to showcase some of the world's best players.

Here, we assess the 16 teams in action, and analyse who will most likely be in the final in Libreville come February 12.

Click here or click 'VIEW GALLERY' to launch our team-by-team guide to the African Nations Cup.

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