29 January 2011
Hosts for next months Championship of African Nations (CHAN), Sudan, have picked defending champions DR Congo as still the team to beat in the tournament exclusively reserved for players in the various local leagues on the continent.
DR Congo won the inaugural tournament in Cote dIvoire two years and according to Sudan coach, Mohamed ‘Mazda’ Abdallah, they will again remain tournament favourites, when the competition kicks off on February 4.
“The best team at the CHAN will be the champions DR Congo because they have an experienced team comprising mostly of players from TP Mazembe, who are two-time African champions and did very well at the FIFA Club World Cup,” said Abdallah, who is also in charge of Sudans full international team.
Sudan finalised their preparations for the bi-ennial championship with a week-long training tour of Zambia, where defeated local side Nchanga Rangers 2-0 and drew 0-0 with the countrys Olympic side.
“It was a good preparation for the CHAN and all 23 players had a chance to play leading to the tournament. We are ready,” said a satisfied Abdallah.
They are drawn in Group A alongside fellow debutants Uganda, Algeria and Gabon in the second edition of the CHAN tournament.
“Algeria come with a reputation that they went to the FIFA 2010 World Cup, but in this case will be using a team of home-based players who my players are very familiar with,” reasoned the Sudan coach.
“We know them because my team is made up of players from Al Hilal and Al Merriekh have played their clubs, Entente Setif and JS Kayblie, in the Champions League over the last three years. So, we have some experience to fall back on when we play Algeria.”
The two teams will clash in their final Group A game on February 12 in Khartoum. “As for Uganda, we know them very well and play them yearly in the CECAFA Cup,” he said on ‘The Cranes’.
“They have a good and young team and they showed it by reaching the final recently of the Nile Basin Cup in Egypt, where they lost (3-1) to Egypt in the final,” the Sudan coach remarked.
However, Abdallah admitted he has very little to work with as regards Gabon whom they will clash with in the CHAN opener on February 4 in Khartoum.
