Hosts to ambush Congo

The apprehension over  the Ebola virus that have hit West Africa the most, seems to have died down  paving the way for Africa's biggest football fiesta, the African Cup of Nations (AFCON), to take centre stage with hosts Equatorial Guinea facing off in a doggy opener in Bata tomorrow.

Come Saturday, the 30th edition of AFCON will open in Bata with 16 teams lining-up to vie for the coveted trophy and bragging rights of being crowned African champions.

Oraganisers are promising a 'special tournament' obviously because of the challenges the tournament had encountered in the countdown to the kick off, and  it will be 'special moments' for many people too.

It is obvious that the concerns over the deadly virus, which forced initial hosts, Morocco, to pull out and almost left the tournament without a home until Equatorial Guinea stepped in at the 11th hour, have robbed the tournament of its shine.

Equatorial Guinea stepped in to save the tournament just two years after the country co-hosted with Gabon in 2012.

The finest of organisations is not expected, considering the short notice for preparation.

For the first time in recent years, the tournament will be without the defending champions, as Nigeria, who were crowned champions in 2013, failed to qualify just as the record title holders, Egypt who also could not make it.

The absence of these two teams, no doubt exciting and flamboyant in performance, as well as the late preparations for this event , the hosts and organisers have promised a 'special tournament' while the teams on parade are capable of selling out a good tournament.

With former champions, Ghana, Cameroun, Democratic Republic of Congo, Algeria, Tunisia, South Africa and Zambia all eager to reclaim the title, and the quest of the likes of Cote d'Ivoire, Mali, Burkina Faso, Congo Brazzaville, Guinea and Senegal still searching for their first crown, there is a good reason to  look forward to an exciting tournament over the next three weeks.

The performances of these teams at the 29th edition of the tournament and what they put in to qualify for the 2015 edition attest to their eagerness.