CHAMPIONS Zambia are in Group C at the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations finals, while hosts South Africa are in Group A.
According to the procedure of drawing lots of the Africa Cup of Nations released by the Condeferation of African Football yesterday, South Africa and Zambia will respectively have letters A1 and C1 on the board.
“In conformity with the regulations of the competition, South Africa the host team shall be the top seeded team of Group A and Zambia the titleholders will be the top seeded team of Group C,” the procedure of the draw reads.
The draws will be conducted next Wednesday in Durban, South Africa.
Points are awarded for performances in previous three Africa Cup of Nations tournaments with seven for winners, five for runners-up, three for semi-finalists, two for quarter-finalists and one for teams eliminated in the first round.
Ghana and Ivory Coast are the other teams in Pot 1 and will be the top seeded teams of groups B and D.
“Stage 1 of the draw will be to do an integral draw to determine which of these two teams shall be awarded the letter B1 and which one will have the letter D1,” the procedure of the draw reads.
Ivory Coast finished runners-up to Zambia at this year’s tournament in Equatorial Guinea and Gabon while Ghana finished fourth after losing 0-2 to Mali in the third place playoff.
Pot Two has Angola, Mali Nigeria and Tunisia while Algeria, Burkina Faso, Morocco and Niger are in Pot Three.
Cape Verde, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia and Togo are in Pot Four.
Meanwhile, VICTOR KUMWENDA reports that Democratic Republic of Congo coach Claude Le Roy has tipped Zambia to be among the favourites to win the 2013 Africa Cup.
Le Roy told France 24.com that despite the Chipoloppolo’s unimpressive performance in the two-legged qualifier against Uganda they are still the team to beat at the finals in South Africa.
Zambia beat Uganda 9-8 on penalties last Saturday after tying 1-1 on aggregate after two legs.
Le Roy, who is Chipolopolo coach Herve Renard’s mentor, said the African champions are now a much stronger side and the depth in their squad makes them to be among the favourites.
He, however, said it will not be easy for Zambia to repeat the splendid performance exhibited in Equatorial Guinea and Gabon.
Le Roy said Didier Drogba-led Ivory Coast’s golden generation has the last chance to win the elusive continental trophy.
Zambia beat Ivory Coast 8-7 to win the maiden African title on February 12, 2012 in Libreville.