Africa Cup of Nations group odds & predictions: Senegal & Egypt should progress

Free football tips, best group bets and analysis for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations.

Best bets

Senegal to win Group B & Egypt to win Group D
1pt double 1.17-1 Betfair, PaddyPower

Group A preview

Hosts Cameroon may lack the depth to secure a sixth Africa Cup of Nations title but with Karl Toko Ekambi, Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting and Vincent Aboubakar making up an electric attack, Antonio Conceicao's men should top Group A comfortably.

Ethiopia are rank outsiders but Burkina Faso, who have Edmond Tapsoba of Bayer Leverkusen and Aston Villa's Bertrand Traore in their ranks, can battle with 2013 quarter-finalists Cape Verde for second spot.

Group B preview

After losing 1-0 to Algeria in the 2019 final, Senegal will be desperate to go one further and lift the trophy in Cameroon.

Going all the way will be a tough task but Sadio Mane's side should sail through this section which features Zimbabwe and Malawi, both ranked outside Fifa's top 120 nations, as well as a struggling Guinea team who are yet to win under new manager Kaba Diawara.

Midfielders Amadou Diawara, Mady Camara and Naby Keita should give them a shot at finishing second or as one of the best third-placed teams but this is Senegal's group for the taking.

Group C preview

Morocco were sent packing by Benin in the last 16 at the last Afcon but were unbeaten in qualifying for this month's tournament, conceding only once in the process.

Flying wing-back Achraf Hakimi could hold the key to success for the Atlas Lions but Vahid Halilhodzic's falling out with Hakim Ziyech leaves them light in attack.

Ghana, meanwhile, go in search of a first Afcon title since 1982 whilst debutants Comoro and Gabon are unlikely to make an impact.

Group D preview

Nigeria have done themselves no favours by replacing manager Gernot Rohr with Austin Eguavoen only four weeks before the start of Afcon, while the absences of Emmanuel Dennis and Victor Osimhen in the final third could also set them back.

Egypt, led by Mo Salah, could therefore capitalise and win Group D and make a great double with Senegal in top Group B.

Sudan and Guinea-Bissau could simply make up the numbers.

Group E preview

Reigning champions Algeria, spearheaded by attacking trio Riyad Mahrez, Islam Slimani and Said Benrahma, are likely to be the stars of the show in Group E and are 4-7 to finish top.

Ivory Coast, however, should run them close with Eric Bailly, Wilfried Zaha, Franck Kessie and Sebastien Haller among the big names in their squad.

Equatorial Guinea and Sierra Leone, who are 500-1 and 400-1 in the outright market respectively, could be the whipping boys.

Group F preview

Fresh from a great performance at the 2021 Arab Cup, Tunisia are a dangerous side in Group F with skipper Youssef Msakni always worth a watch in attack.

They are joined by a defensively robust Mali side as well as a Gambia team who topped their qualifying group, and minnows Mauritania.

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