The image of Gabon’s First Lady, Sylvia Bongo Ondimba, wearing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s No. 9 jersey is among the iconic moments of the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) that Gabon co-hosted with Equatorial Guinea.
The First Lady wildly cheered for them, next to her husband President Ali Bongo Ondimba, who hardly showed any emotion with his cold stare. She wasn’t the only one caught in the Aubameyang fever, his face was all over the country including stalls that sold underwear with “Aubameyang” written on them.
Unlike those underwear, whose job is to only protect one member, the Panthers’ biggest challenge in this tournament will be to prove they aren’t a one-man team. With a coach like Jose Antonio Camacho, who isn’t exactly the most tactically astute, that could be a problem – especially since Gabon have all to lose against a Cameroon that assembled their squad in shambles and debutants Guinea-Bissau.
The Panthers have a squad good enough to show they are more than Aubameyang, with former Al-Ahly striker Malick Evouna among those they can rely on. Whether the players will be given enough freedom to show that is another story.
But for the Indomitable Lions, it might be a blessing in disguise that they don’t have a star player who is on the level of the Borussia Dortmund forward. Germany-based Eric Choupo-Moting could have been that player but he retired from international football on the eve of this tournament. He joined seven other players – Joel Matip, Andre Onana, Guy Ndy Asembe, Allan Nyom, Maxime Poundje, Andre Zambo and Ibrahim Amadou – who snubbed the Indomitable Lions.
This will see Cameroon play more as a team with less egos. That hasn’t been the case in the past with bust-ups that caused divisions. At one point, Samuel Eto’o led a group of experienced players while Alex Song was on the side of upcoming players who felt they were looked down and mistreated by their seniors. Such incidents have hurt the once powerful nation that has gone 12 years without being Africa champions.
The Stallions of Burkina Faso and Djurtus (African wild hog) of Guinea-Bissau have never been called African champions in their history. It’s unlikely that will change in this edition. But they will look at Zambia's unexpected 2012 success for inspiration. But the two countries will have to show grit to go far. The Stallions have the talent, experience and drive to reach the knockout stage. They will battle with Cameroon on who will join the hosts there.
Squad lists (Group A) #CAN2017 pic.twitter.com/6cJacxo5wG
— CAF (@CAF_Online) January 9, 2017
Afcon host city: Libreville
Libreville, which is French for Freetown, owes it’s name to the act that took place there in 1864. A slave ship en-route to Brazil was captured in the city and those slaves were freed. In it’s current state, Libreville is one of the most affluent cities in the continent with expensive taste. It serves as Gabon’s capital. President Ali Bongo Ondimba resides there.
Stadium: Stade de l’Amitie – 40 000 capacity
Stade de l’Amitie, which translates to Friendship Stadium, is part of China’s “Stadium Policy” where China builds stadium in Africa for “free”. In return they get favours from the government. It’s commonly known as Stade d’Angondje as it shares it’s name with another Stade de l’Amitie in Benin. It hosted the final of the 2012 Afcon and will do so once again in this edition.
Star Players
Burkina Faso: Jonathan Pitroipa
The 30-year-old captured the continent’s imagination in the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) with his skills and trickery that pushed the Stallions to their first appearance in the final. The Stallions will once again look at him for inspiration as they look to repeat that feat. His pace and skills make Pitroipa a deadly threat on the flanks.
Cameroon: Vincent Aboubakar
The Turkey-based striker will have to carry the Indomitable Lions’ attack after Eric Choupo-Moting retired from international football, joining seven players who refused to be called up for this tournament. There is a void for a hero after the chaos that marred the squad announcement. Aboubakar can fill that void and be the hero Cameroon needs.
Gabon: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang
The runner-up for the 2016 CAF Player of the Year award is among Africa's brightest stars who light up Europe, thanks to his exploits with Borussia Dortmund where he's scored 20 goals in 22 games this season. The hosts will hope his scoring boots weren’t in the lost luggage that forced him to attend the CAF awards in a t-shirt.
Guinea-Bissau: Bocundji Ca
Ca’s name is in the small country’s history books even before this tournament has started for he will captain Guinea-Bissau in their first appearance in the continental showpiece. It’s fitting that the 30-year-old has this responsibility, as the nation’s bouncer who protects the back four while anchoring the midfield with his high work rate.
Coaches:
Guinea-Bissau: Barico Cande
Cande took over as Guinea-Bissau coach two games into the qualifiers for this showpiece after Paulo Torres was slapped with a four-match ban by CAF after a bust-up with a match official. Cande recorded back-to-back victories over Kenya in before taking his country to their first Afcon appearance.
What’s their story?
The odds (150/1) are stacked against the debutants. For them, this qualification is about exposing their name to the international stage and trying to persuade players with dual citizenship to consider playing for them – like Sporting Lisbon’s star Carlos Mane.
Cameroon: Hugo Broos
If the Belgian’s hair wasn’t completely grey, it would have instantly done so because of the trouble he endured in finalising the 23-man squad after eight key players snubbed him in a job that he has held for less than a year. But his 29 years as a coach would have prepared him for this. This tournament will test Broos’ pedigree at this stage as the Indomitable Lions are the first national team he has managed.
What’s their story?
The Indomitable Lions had a torrid time assembling the 23-man squad that will do duty in Gabon. Eight players snubbed the national team, forcing the coach’s hands to not select them. The players who made the cut will be driven to show that they aren’t just back-up but can do better than those who would have walked into the team.
Burkino Faso: Paulo Duarte
The Portuguese coach, nicknamed the Mourinho of Africa, is regarded as a special one in Burkina Faso. He laid the foundation that propelled the Stallions to the finals of the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon). But he left before he could take them to South Africa. In his second stint, Duarte has turned the Stallions into a plucky side.
What’s their story?
The Stallions are searching for their maiden Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) title after coming close in 2013, losing in the final at FNB Stadium to Nigeria. They are a quality side capable of going far in the tournament, led by coach Paulo Duarte who laid the foundation that helped Belgian Paul Put guide them to the final.
Gabon: Jose Antonio Camacho
A tough defender in his playing days, the Spaniard has – as a coach – adopted that same fiery and stubborn mentality as a coach which has seen him endure some short stints as Real Madrid and China’s coach. Two months into his tenure as Gabon coach, how he handles the pressure of leading the hosts and a star, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who likes to be pampered could define his time with the Panthers.
What’s their story?
The last time Gabon hosted the Afcon, as joint-hosts with Equatorial Guinea in 2012, they reached the quarterfinals and lost to Mali on penalties. A lot of that was thanks to Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s performance as well as the vocal crowd that backs them. They'll be looking to do better than reaching the last eight this time in front of their home crowd.