237 AMONG TOP 10 FAVOURITES OF AFCON VICTORIES BY OPTA

With just a few days to go before the start of the 2023 African Cup of Nations (AFCON), the renowned football statistics agency OPTA has published its top 10 favourites to win the prestigious continental trophy. The Indomitable Lions of Cameroon are in 7th place in this ranking, based on the agency’s estimates.

According to OPTA, Senegal, takes first place with a 12.8% chance of winning the title, closely followed by Ivory Coast with a 12.1% chance, Morocco comes next with an 11.1% chance, defending champions Algeria are in fourth place with a 9.7% chance, while Egypt comes in 5^th place with an 8.5% chance, Nigeria’s Super Eagles follow in 6^th position with an 8.1% chance, then comes Cameroon’s Indomitable Lions in 7^th position with a 7.4% chance, closely followed in 8^th position by Tunisia with a 6.3% chance, Ghana follows in 9^th place with a 5.3% chance, Mali shows a 3.7%, Congo DR comes with a 2.4% chance, South Africa follows with a 2.1% chance, Burkina Faso comes next with a 1.9% chance, Guinea comes with a 1.5% chance, Zambia with a 1.4% chance, and Cape Verde with the least 0.9% chance.  .

The Indomitable Lions of Cameroon, led by coach Rigobert Song, have a 7.4% chance of lifting up their sixth continental trophy. This position reflects the agency’s expectations of the Cameroonian team’s possible performance in the forthcoming competition.

It is important to note that these estimates are based on statistical analysis, and football being an unpredictable sport, anything can happen on the pitch. Cameroon has already shown in the past their ability to surprise the football world, as in their unexpected victory at the 2017 CAF Africa Cup of Nations. So, even if the statistics put Cameroon in 7th place, nothing is a foregone conclusion.

The Indomitable Lions travelled to Ivory Coast after their draw with Zambia on Tuesday 9^th January. Fans are eager to see how the team performs in this competition, with the hope of seeing the Lions roar back to the top of African football. The AFCON  2023 kicks off on January 13^th 2024.

On Thursday, January 11, 2024, the Indomitable Lions will train from 5pm at the South pitch of the “Institut National Polytechnique HOUPHOUËT BOIGNY” in Ivory Coast. Vincent Aboubakar and his teammates were treated for a cold for an hour the evening after their difficult friendly match against Zambia in Jeddah.

“This Thursday 11 January 2024, the Indomitable Lions will train from 5pm at the South pitch of the Institut National Polytechnique HOUPHOUËT BOIGNY. It will be open to the press for the first 15 minutes”, reads the Indomitable Lions page.

Can Egypt, the record seven-time AFCON champions – avenge the heartache they suffered in losing the 2021 final to Senegal on penalties? If so, it will be their first title since 2010.

Vincent Aboubakar, Cameroon’s captain, will aim to repeat his feats at AFCON 2021, when he scored eight goals to win the Golden Boot. Only Zaire’s Ndaye Mulamba, with nine goals in 1974, has ever scored more at a Cup of Nations finals.

Delia Nyadi