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AFCON Group A Preview: Host nation in turmoil

Morocco pulled out as hosts of the 2015 edition of the tournament due to fears surrounding the Ebola epidemic. 

Equatorial Guinea agreed to stage this year's AFCON in Morocco's stead, but changed coach with the competition just days away.

Andoni Goikoetxea was fired after he failed to arrive at the team's training camp in Portugal and he has been replaced by the women's national team coach Esteban Becker.

And inexperienced Argentinian Becker has his work cut out to match Equatorial Guinea's AFCON 2012 run to the quarter-finals.

The favourites – Congo, Gabon

Le Roy has only failed to take his team to the last eight once. 

Equatorial Guinea's managerial disarray makes their task even harder, despite the fact they will enjoy home advantage. 

Burkina Faso managed a fairytale run to the final in the 2012 AFCON where they were finally beaten by Nigeria. 

But they find themselves in a pool that contains their qualifying group conquerors Gabon and a Congo side under the stewardship of the wily AFCON fox Le Roy. 

Lightning-quick forward Aubameyang has performed well since moving to Borussia Dortmund in 2013 and he is the undoubted star of Gabon's team.

Aubameyang scored both of his nation's goals in their 2-0 win over Burkina Faso during qualifying and will undoubtedly be a handful for defenders throughout the tournament.

January 21's clash between the favourites to progress from Group A is likely to decide who wins the pool and therefore takes on the runners-up from Group B. 

17 January 2015 - Equatorial Guinea v Congo, Bata / Burkina Faso v Gabon, Bata
21 January 2015 - Equatorial Guinea v Burkina Faso, Bata / Gabon v Congo, Bata
25 January 2015 - Gabon v Equatorial Guinea, Bata / Congo v Burkina Faso, Ebebiyin

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