Regularly branded as favourites or given another flattering label, the ‘Black Stars’ won the last of four continental titles 26 years ago amid the heat and dust of Libya.

Stars have come and gone, but only once since the Tripoli triumph have Ghana come close to reclaiming top spot, losing a marathon penalty shootout against surprise packets Ivory Coast after a goalless 1992 decider.

Some suggest a glut of stars has been the problem. It was hardly a state secret that three-time African Footballer of the Year Abedi ‘Pele’ Ayew and striker Anthony Yeboah were not exactly desperate to share a hotel room.
But the class of 2008 seem more united if less talented, and any realistic list of potential champions must include a country seeking a record-equalling fifth title.
Drawn with Guinea, Morocco and Namibia in Group A, a place in the knockout phase seems probable, but formidable Ivory Coast, Mali or Nigeria are likely quarter-final opponents.

The loss of injured Turkey-based midfield conductor and captain Stephen Appiah is a low blow, but French coach Claude le Roy believes crowd power can compensate.
“With Stephen missing, we need the support of our fans more than ever,” said the coach who succeeed Serb Ratomir Dujkovic after Ghana made an honourable second-round exit from the 2006 World Cup in Germany.

The ‘Black Stars’ were alone among the five African challengers in reaching the knockout phase, ironically just months after losing to Nigeria and Zimbabwe when making a timid first round departure from the last Nations Cup.

With qualification guaranteed as hosts, Ghana have relied on friendlies to prepare with a 4-1 hiding of old rivals Nigeria in London and a 5-0 thrashing by Saudi Arabia the high and low points.

Concerns remain about the defence and erratic form of striker Asamoah Gyan, leaving much resting on English Premiership midfielders Michael Essien of Chelsea and Sulley Muntari of Portsmouth.
Le Roy has scoured Europe for talent and his 28-man preliminary squad includes teenage Marseille midfielder Andrew ‘Dede’ Ayew, a son of three-time African Footballer of the Year ‘Pele’.

Guinea strive to regain former glory
Guinea were just four minutes away from winning the 1976 African Nations Cup in Ethiopia, but have not come close since.

Morocco equalised in Addis Ababa and a 1-1 draw left the north Africans top of the final standings in the only edition of the biennial African football showcase decided by a four-team mini-league.

The seventies brought lots of joy to Guinean supporters with Hafia winning the African Champions Cup thrice, Horoya the African Cup Winners Cup once, and Cherif Souleymane was voted 1972 African Footballer of the Year.

But the glory days faded and the national team went 14 years from 1980 without qualifying for the Nations Cup before two appearances within five years finished in first-round failure.

The new decade has seen Guinea restore some former pride, reaching the 2004 and 2006 quarter-finals, and after a disastrous start to the 2008 qualifiers they reached the finals a record third consecutive time.

A bizarre incident in the southern French port of Marseille was followed by a superb 2-0 win in Algeria, a nation that may no longer be a major force but remain formidable foes in their 80,000-capacity national stadium.

Goalkeeper Kemoko Camara was accused by team-mates of letting in soft goals in a 2-2 home draw with Gambia and that he supported former star Aboubacar ‘Titi’ Camara in an unsuccessful bid for the football association presidency.

Amid allegations that he wanted to embarrass the incumbent president, Camara admitted meeting ‘Titi’ in Marseille, adding it was nothing more than the renewal of a friendship forged when they played for the national team.
French coach Robert Nouzaret ordered Camara to quit the squad and a Guinean side inspired by midfield maestro Pascal Feindouno were worthy winners of a game that effectively settled which country made travel plans for Ghana.
Unattached Camara has still been included in the squad for Ghana, while surprise omissions were veteran Kaba Diawara and fellow strikers Sambegou Bangoura and Ibrahima Yattara.

Diawara helped Guinea win their group at the 2006 Nations Cup with a 100 percent record before falling to west African rivals Senegal in a five-goal quarter-finals thriller.

With hosts Ghana favoured to top Group A, the January 24 clash of Guinea and Morocco in Accra could determine who advances to the last eight and the west Africa setting may give ‘Syli Nationale’ (National elephant) a marginal edge.

After qualifying for the last four editions of the biennial competition, the Atlas Lions made three first-round exits and in Egypt two years ago they not only failed to win a match but also failed to score.

It remains a mystery why a nation blessed with excellent infrastructure, many Europe-based footballers, the cash to woo good foreign coaches, passionate support and successful local clubs consistently performs so poorly.

Even the one Nations Cup success, 32 years ago in Ethiopia, had an element of luck as ‘Baba’ equalised against Guinea with just four minutes left to give Morocco the draw required to top the final standings.

This was the sole occasion when the African football showcase was decided by a mini-league and Morocco finished with five points from two wins and a draw, one more than Guinea.

The defence of a trophy that symbolises African national team supremacy was a disaster with a draw against Tunisia and a narrow win over Congo preceding a record 3-0 loss to Uganda and first-round elimination.
Only in 2004 when Morocco surprisingly made the final before falling to hosts Tunisia, have the Atlas Lions displayed the form expected on a regular basis.

However, a record of continual disappointment has not dampened spirits with current stars Youssef Hadji and Marouane Chamakh saying Morocco can go all the way in Ghana despite a tough first-round draw.

Ghana have home advantage and Guinea are highly rated and more used to the west Africa conditions while even minnows Namibia proved tough opponents until a late goal sealed a 2-0 friendly win for Morocco last year.

Striker Hadji bases his optimism on friendly form, but while a three-goal thrashing of fellow qualifiers Senegal was certainly impressive, wise football followers always caution against placing too much store on warm-up results.

Come the final round of eliminators last September, DR Congo needed a home win against Libya in the intimidating cauldron of Kinshasa to maintain a long run of Nations Cup appearances.

Even the 1-1 draw the Congolese achieved would have been enough had the ‘Brave Warriors’ from south-west Africa not come from behind twice in grab a thrilling 3-2 victory in Ethiopia.

Rudolph Bester levelled nine minutes from full-time with his second goal and previously unknown Muna Katupose became an instant hero by scoring the winner in the final minute.

A rare away triumph for Namibia lifted them to 10 points, one more than DR Congo and two ahead of Libya in the biggest upset of the 12-pool qualifying competition.
Namibia, one of the largest countries on the continent but with a population of just two million, have reached the biennial tournament for only the second time.
In Burkina Faso 10 years ago, Namibia may have collected just one point from a draw with northern neighbours Angola, but won many friends by wiping out a 3-0 deficit against Ivory Coast before losing a seven-goal thriller.

They also took a 4-1 hammering from South Africa and midfielder Robert Nauseb, sole survivor from the class of 98, wishes they were facing Bafana Bafana (The Boys) again rather than hosts Ghana, Guinea and Morocco.

“How I wish we had a chance to avenge what Bafana did to us. Our Group A rivals are good, but I hope we make the quarter-finals at least to prove Namibian football has progressed,” said the South Africa-based veteran.

It would be a sensation were the ‘Warriors’ to advance, though, given chaotic preparations with ailing Zambian Ben Bamfuchile(pictured) forced to quit as coach less than two months before the tournament.

Bamfuchile later died, leaving Dutch coach Arie Schans in charge and while friendly losses to Morocco (0-2), Saudi Arabia (0-1) and Tunisia (0-2) signal a lack of strike power, the results suggest the Warriors are truly brave.