African Cup of Nations 2013 is on the cart, and every team is recollecting its resources to win the title. As of now, all the group teams have been finalized and most important group of them is Group B where Ghana is placed along with Mali, Niger, and, DR Congo. Ghana is obviously a toughest challenge for other group participants, or perhaps other teams of the event. Even DR Congo’s coach: Claude Leroy has accepted publically that facing Ghana is a real challenge for them, despite the fact that he is training DR Congo’s team since last many years. Notably, this would be Leroy’s seventh spell in AFCON and he is still skeptical of his team’s victory in presence of Ghana. His comments about Ghana are also important coz he himself has trained them from 2006 to 2008 in the past, so he understands them very well, especially in their flagship tournament they will do everything they can to claim the title. Group B’s first match will be in January between Simbas and Black Stars.
On the contrary, his experience with Ghana can be fruitful for DR Congo, coz he knows their weaknesses and strengths and he will obviously train Congo’s players to explore Ghana’s flaws. Even Ghana FA president Kwesi Nyantakyi has accepted this fact that DR Congo would be the toughest team to beat for Ghana coz of their coach. What Leroy has said about Ghana, his past experience with them, and Congo’s chances in the tournament is something to cheer about for Black Stars. He declared their clash as “It is a very interesting draw for us, tactically, technically and psychologically.” He further added that many Ghanaian stars had started their international career when he was their coach, so he better understands them. He told to BBC sport, “So many of their players were given their first international game with me – a young and new generation of players that have come through.”
“It will be a difficult, difficult first game. We are not favourites in this group, we know we are ranked behind Ghana and Mali – both were 2012 semi-finalists. But it’s a good position for us, I like this kind of position.”
Maxwell Konadu, Ghana assistant coach also told to BBC that it would be nice to play against their former coach in a big event like AFCON. Anyways, their match will definitely be the highlight of confederation cup.