Agence France-Presse
The 2015 African Cup of Nations group qualifiers begin today after a build-up dominated by the deadly Ebola epidemic and Fifa threats to ban defending champions Nigeria.
Guinea, a West African country at the epicentre of the Ebola crisis, have been forced to move a home fixture against Togo to Morocco.
And only a late change of heart by the Ivory Coast government allowed Sierra Leone, where the virus has claimed hundreds of lives, to play in Abidjan.
Nigeria start the defence of a title won in Soweto last year by hosting Congo Brazzaville in Calabar, but could be barred from playing South Africa next week.
Fifa want the controversially elected Chris Giwa removed as national football federation head and former incumbent Aminu Maigari reinstated by Monday or a worldwide ban will kick in.
Other dramas include Rwanda being barred over a dual-identity player and Mali wanting a fixture moved from Algeria after Cameroonian Albert Ebosse died there when struck by a rock while leaving the pitch after a club game.
The qualifiers offer top-ranked African team Algeria a chance to build on a great 2014 World Cup, forcing eventual champions Germany into extra time before losing 2-1.
Cameroon, Ghana and Ivory Coast hope to put behind them awful campaigns in Brazil, with teammates fighting each other, stars sent home for indiscipline, and the inevitable rows over pay.
There will be notable absentees as the quest begins among 28 countries for 15 places in the tournament, which starts January 17, with hosts Morocco automatic participants. Inspirational strikers Didier Drogba of Ivory Coast and Samuel Eto’o of Cameroon have retired as they enter the twilight of their careers and Ghana dropped veteran midfielder Michael Essien.
That leaves Ivory Coast midfielder and triple African Footballer of the Year Yaya Toure and Togo striker Emmanuel Adebayor to lead the way until new stars emerge.
Toure is thrilled at the appointment of Herve Renard as coach. He guided Zambia to an emotional triumph in 2012 and was named coach after a World Cup first-round exit led another French manager, Sabri Lamouchi.
“It’s fantastic,” said Toure, a star at Manchester City. “This is a coach with a lot of experience in Africa. He has great charisma and temperament.”
Ivory Coast, ranked second in Africa, play seventh-ranked Sierra Leone in one of two top-10 opening clashes.
The other brings Senegal (ranked 10) and Egypt (fifth) together in Dakar at the start of Group G, branded the “group of death”, since it also includes Tunisia. Egypt are out to regain a place among the elite, having failed to qualify in 2012 and 2013 after lifting the African trophy a record three consecutive times.
Stephen Keshi this year became the first black African coach to reach the World Cup last-16 stage, but Nigeria did not renew his contract after a second-round loss to France.
He will guide Nigeria against Congo and South Africa, working with a squad chosen by officials before he agreed to a caretaker role.
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