As the qualifiers for the 2023 TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations continue on Thursday, three coaches will be officially starting off their stints at different national teams, and they will be keen for positive beginnings.
Chris Hughton (Ghana), Ezzaki badou (Sudan) and Avram Grant (Zambia) are all lining up for their maiden bows with their respective new employers.
Hughton’s Ghana take on Angola
Hughton will officially start his tenure as the Ghana national team head coach as the Black Stars face Angola in their third Group E match of the qualifiers.
Hughton was officially unveiled this week, having taken over the reigns from Otto Addo, who left his role shortly after the World Cup. The former Brighton & Hove Albion coach is not new to the national team as he worked as the Technical Advisor to Addo during the last phase of the World Cup qualifiers and into the tournament in Qatar.
The tactician is hopeful of a positive start to his tenure, with Ghana sitting on top of the group with four points off a win and a draw and victory against Angola would put them clear on top.
He is looking forward to a positive start in Kumasi, against what is expected to be a tough Angolan side.
“I have studied them in their last five, six, seven games. They are technically a very good team and obviously with Portuguese influence and a lot of good technical players so I am in no doubt that they are strong and tough opposition so we have to plan for that as we will do for any opposition,” the tactician said.
He adds; “They have the capabilities and very much aware that they can cause us a lot of problem and we have to be prepared for that.”
The tactician will miss the services of Tariq Lamptey for the match, but he will be boosted with the availability of goalkeeper Joseph Wolacott.
Hughton expects the crowd in Kumasi to play a huge role to push them into three points on home soil.
Madagascar play CAR in early kick off
In the early kick off from the same group, bottom side Magagascar will take on the Central African Republic. Both sides are on a single point from a draw and a loss in their first two games and this is expected to be a tough duel between the two sides.
In other matches scheduled for Thursday, South Sudan will travel away to Brazzaville to take on Congo, seeking their first points on the board. Africa’s youngest state have lost back to back matches in Group G, going down to The Gambia and Mali.
Head coach Stefano Cusin is looking forward to battle against the odds and battle for victory against the Congolese at their own backyard. Congo are second in the group with three points after winning their last match against Gambia.
“It is going to be a very tough match but we are prepared well for it. We need to win to keep our chances of qualification. We have looked at the last two matches and what we did wrong and also what we can improve to try get a win,” said the tactician.
Moroccan Badou prepares for maiden Sudan bow
Also, neighbors Sudan, under new coach Ezzaki Badou, will be away to Gabon in a Group I clash. Moroccan Badou was appointed to the helm last month and will be keen for a positive start with the Sudanese.
Badou, a former goalkeeper, famously took Morocco to the final of the AFCON in 2004 and will be keen to rub the same fortunes with the Falcons of Jediane as he starts his stint. Sudan are third in the standings with three points from their last match, a win against DR Congo. They had started their campaign with a 3-0 loss away to Mauritania.
Gabon are a point above them off a win and three points, and playing at home, they are keen to make the most of their advantage to remain afloat at second spot, seeking a consecutive appearance at Africa’s cream of competition.
Meanwhile, Avram Grant will be another coach taking charge of his first game in the AFCON qualifiers when his Zambia side plays against Lesotho at home. Grant, also formerly coach of Ghana was appointed to the helm of the Chipolopolo last December and has had more than two and a half months to prepare his side.
Zambia are second in Group H with three points from their last victory over third placed Comoros and they had started their campaign with defeat to Ivory Coast.
Grant keen for victory with Zambia
Grant is keen to guide his side to a win in his first official match in charge.
“I am excited ahead of the next two matches. These two games can give us a step forward to qualification. It will not be easy, I saw Lesotho in the last few games and they are a very good team but we are ready for the game and playing at home, we want to do well and win,” said the coach.
He adds; “I am happy that the players have been giving a lot of effort in training from the camp.”
Zambia will play in Ndola, for the first time in a long time and coach Grant expects the supporters to rally behind the team.
Lesotho are bottom of the group with one point from their last match, a memorable 0-0 draw with Ivory Coast.