Who will get it?
We are at the semi final stage with Guinea, Senegal, South Africa and the Host Zambia. A look at the history of this tournament reviews that all the four teams that have progressed to the last four have never won this title and hence the winner will be the first on the list of champions.
Here is what these nations have done in the past in this competition :
Guinea
The best record Guinea has in this tournament is finnishimg second in the first edition of this tournament in 1979. Guinea lost to Algeria in a two legged final on away goals rule after the aggregate of 4-4 .
Guinea has also reached the semi final in 1983. They were knocked out in the first round on four occasion and reached the group stage and eliminated twice.
Guinea will be hoping this is the time to go one step better than 1979.
South Africa
Amajita as the young South Africans are called have participated at the tournament seven times with their best run being second in 1997, losing to Morroco 1-0 in the final. the Other three occasions are Group stage in 2001 and 2003, In 2009 South Africa finished fourth losing in the third and fourth to Nigeria 2-1. They also failed to go beyond the Group stage in 2011 and 2015. In 2017 they are through to the last four after finishing second to Senegal in Group B.
Can the trophy go to Johansburg?
Senegal
Senegal are counting this tournament as their sixth in participating with a somewhat a mixed record thus far. They have been elimainated twice in Preliminary rounds in 1983 and 1989. Group Stage in 1993 and 1995 but their best try was finishing second in 2015 edition when they hosted it. They lost that encounter to Nigeria and that game ended 1-0.
They will be hoping Lusaka has better fortunes should they get past Guinea in the Semi final.
Zambia
Zambia is the highest in number of appearances among the teams remaining at the semi finals. They have been in this tournament nine times with their best record being fourth on three occasions ( 1991, 1999, 2007). Zambia was eliminated in the first round in 1985 and 1987. In 1995, 1997 and 2015 Zambia was eliminated in Group stages with the nineth one already in the semi final to take on South Africa.
Countries that have managed to take advantage of hosting and winning the trophy are Egypt, Ghana , Morocco and Democratic Republic of Congo. Can Zambia join these nations in winning the trophy at their backyard?
Which ever way it goes a new name will be incripted on that trophy and all the four are capable of doing just that.
Soka25east will be available to give you the reviews and previews of each game
