Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (right) will look to lead Gabon to its first Africa Cup of Nations title (Habibou Kouyate/AFP/Getty)
On Saturday, January 14, the 31st edition of the Total Africa Cup of Nations gets underway in Gabon. The hosts, led by Borussia Dortmund striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, will play the first match of the event as they take on Guinea-Bissau. Joining Gabon and Guinea-Bissau in Group A are Cameroon and Burkina Faso, with those teams meeting in the second match of the opening day.
The group stage of the event runs from January 14-25, with the top two finishers in each group advancing to the knockout stage. The knockout stage begins with the quarterfinals January 28 and 29, with the two semifinals set for February 1 and 1. The third-place match will be played February 4, with the final being scheduled for February 5. Most bookmakers list Cote d’Ivoire as the pre-tournament favorites, with Les Éléphants being the reigning champions of the Africa Cup of Nations.
Other sides to keep an eye on include Ghana, Senegal, Algeria and the hosts Gabon. Below are the group stage fixtures for the Africa Cup of Nations, with all times being Eastern. Results will be updated throughout the tournament, and group standings will be added as well.
Group Stage Fixtures
Group A
Gabon, Guinea-Bissau, Cameroon and Burkina Faso
January 14: Gabon 1, Guinea-Bissau 1
GOALS: Aubameyang (Gabon, 52′), Juary (Guinea-Bissau, 90+1)
BOOKINGS: Obiang (Gabon, 66′), Soares (Guinea-Bissau, 76′)
January 14: Cameroon vs. Burkina Faso, 2:00 p.m. Eastern
January 18: Gabon vs. Burkina Faso, 11:00 a.m. Eastern
January 18: Cameroon vs. Guinea-Bissau, 2:00 p.m. Eastern
January 22: Guinea-Bissau vs. Burkina Faso, 2:00 p.m. Eastern
January 22: Cameroon vs. Gabon, 2:00 p.m. Eastern
Group B
Senegal, Algeria, Tunisia and Zimbabwe
January 15: Algeria vs. Zimbabwe, 11:00 a.m. Eastern
January 15: Tunisia vs. Senegal, 2:00 p.m. Eastern
January 19: Algeria vs. Tunisia, 11:00 a.m. Eastern
January 19: Senegal vs. Zimbabwe, 2:00 p.m. Eastern
January 23: Zimbabwe vs. Tunisia, 2:00 p.m. Eastern
January 23: Senegal vs. Algeria, 2:00 p.m. Eastern
Group C
Morocco, Cote d’Ivoire, DR Congo and Togo
January 16: Cote d’Ivoire vs. Togo, 11:00 a.m. Eastern
January 16: DR Congo vs. Morocoo, 2:00 p.m. Eastern
January 20: Cote d’Ivoire vs. DR Congo, 11:00 a.m. Eastern
January 20: Morocco vs. Togo, 2:00 p.m. Eastern
January 24: Morocco vs. Cote d’Ivoire, 2:00 p.m. Eastern
January 24: Togo vs. DR Congo, 2:00 p.m. Eastern
Group D
Uganda, Mali, Ghana and Egypt
January 17: Ghana vs. Uganda, 11:00 a.m. Eastern
January 17: Mali vs. Egypt, 2:00 p.m. Eastern
January 21: Ghana vs. Mali, 11:00 a.m. Eastern
January 21: Egypt vs. Uganda, 2:00 p.m. Eastern
January 25: Egypt vs. Ghana, 2:00 p.m. Eastern
January 25: Uganda vs. Mali, 2:00 p.m. Eastern
Africa Cup of Nations 2017 Odds: Winner, Top Goalscorer & More
The 2017 Africa Cup of Nations begins Saturday. Here are some popular betting odds, including tournament and group winners bets.
Raphielle Johnson is a Heavy contributor and can be followed on Twitter at @raphiellej. He was formerly a college basketball contributor for NBCSports.com.January 14, 2017 12:56 pm
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