Two-time runner-up Ghana, have been paired alongside Morocco, Sudan and Madagascar in Group C of the 2023 Championship of African Nations (CHAN) after the draw was held in Algiers on Saturday.
The West African giants are making a return to the tournament since 2014, after missing out on the last three editions held in Rwanda (2016) Morocco (2018) and Cameroon (2020) respectively.
They booked their place in the final twice in 2009 and 2014, losing 2-0 to Dr Congo in 2009 and to Libya via penalty shootouts in 2014.
The Galaxies are making their fourth appearance at the competition and will hope to clinch the ultimate for the first time.
The draw saw five groups, with Group A to C hosting four nations, while Grouo D and E have three countries each.
In Group A, host Algeria will battle it out with 2014 winners Libya, Ethiopia and Mozambique.
Two-time champions Congo Dr, Uganda, Cote d’Ivoire and Senegal will feature in Group B.
Defending champions Morocco will hope to retain the title against Sudan, Madagascar and Ghana.
Groups D and E are made up of three teams each and feature Mali, Angola and Mauritania on one side and Cameroon, Congo and Niger on the other.
The Black Galaxies will have to defy all odds and go the hard way to beat Morocco, debutants Madagascar and two-time bronze candidates Sudan.
The two best teams from each group progresses to the knockout stage of the competition after the final group games.
Ghana booked their place after dispatching Benin 4-0 on aggregate in the first round of qualifiers, followed by a 5-4 shoot-out victory over Nigeria in Abuja, after a 2-2 aggregate result.
CHAN is a biennial international football championship organised by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) for the men’s national teams of Africa, featuring exclusively for players from their respective national leagues. It is also to project the domestic league globally.
The 7th edition of the CHAN competition will take place in Algeria in four cities namely; Costantine, Algiers, Annabra and Oran from January 13-February 4, 2023.
BY LINUS SIAW NARTEY
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