2013 Africa Cup of Nations Draw: Title Holders Zambia to Meet Nigeria as Cote d’Ivoire Land in a Tricky Group D

The draw for the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations was made Wednesday night at the Durban International Convention Centre in South Africa putting forward some tricky group matches.

Defending champions Chipolopolo of Zambia landed in Group C which will also have the Super Eagles of Nigeria who missed last edition’s spectacle. The other two teams in the group are Burkina Faso and Ethiopia who will be making their return to AFCON after a 30-year absence.

Hosts South Africa have been drawn against Angola, Morocco and debutants Cape Verde in Group A. The first match of the tournament will see the Bafana Bafana tackle the tiny Islanders at the Moses Mabhida in Durban.

Ghana versus Mali is always a mouthwatering clash and the two teams will renew their old rivalry in Group B which also has Niger and DR Congo.

Cote d’Ivoire were the beaten finalists in the last edition and have been drawn in arguably the toughest group. The Elephants will lock horns against Togo and North African pair Algeria and Tunisia in Group D.

The top two teams in each group will advance to the quarter-finals. The tournament kicks off on January 19^th with the finals slated for February 13^th 2013. The matches will be played in the five 2010 World Cup stadiums – Soccer City in Johannesburg, Moses Mabhida in Durban, Mbombela in Nelspruit, Nelson Mandela Bay in Port Elizabeth and Royal Bafokeng in Rustenburg.

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