JOHANNESBURG, Jan 20 (Reuters) – Ghana will get a chance to live up to their status as favourites for the African Nations Cup when they open their campaign against a beleaguered Democratic Republic of Congo in Port Elizabeth on Sunday.

The match at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium marks the start of the Group B campaign, after which Mali will take on Niger in the second game of the day.

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) – Angola missed second-half chances against Morocco that cost them a major African Nations Cup scalp as they played out a 0-0 draw in their Group A match at Soccer City on Saturday.

It was the second goalless stalemate on the opening day of the tournament after hosts South Africa and the Cape Verde Islands also failed to score, giving little indication of who might emerge from the section.

JOHANNESBURG, Jan 19 (Reuters) – Angola missed second-half chances against Morocco that cost them a major African Nations Cup scalp as they played out a 0-0 draw in their Group A match at Soccer City on Saturday.

It was the second goalless stalemate on the opening day of the tournament after hosts South Africa and the Cape Verde Islands also failed to score, giving little indication of who might emerge from the section.

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) – Tiny Cape Verde proved African Nations Cup spoilers as they held hosts South Africa to a goalless draw in the tournament’s opening game at Soccer City in Johannesburg on Saturday.

The smallest country in the tournament were more than a match for a nervous home outfit who looked overwhelmed by the occasion.

JOHANNESBURG, Jan 19 (Reuters) – Tiny Cape Verde proved African Nations Cup spoilers as they held hosts South Africa to a goalless draw in the tournament’s opening game at Soccer City in Johannesburg on Saturday.

The smallest country in the tournament were more than a match for a nervous home outfit who looked overwhelmed by the occasion.

JOHANNESBURG, Jan 18 (Reuters) – Democratic Republic of Congo players refused to train on Friday as they continued a sit-in over money while coach Claude Le Roy wrote a letter of resignation on the eve of the African Nations Cup finals.

Assistant coach Sebastien Migne said Le Roy had written his letter in the heat of the moment and discussions on whether he would stay with the team were taking place.

JOHANNESBURG, Jan 18 (Reuters) – Debutants Cape Verde Islands are reveling in their role of underdogs at the African Nations Cup and the prospect of playing in Saturday’s opening match, said captain Nando.

“It’s a thrill for our players to get a chance to play in such a big stadium and in front of so many people,” the defender said before his side face hosts South Africa at Johannesburg’s Soccer City in front of a sellout crowd of 87,000.

JOHANNESBURG, Jan 17 (Reuters) – South Africa coach Gordon Igesund expects his goal-shy team to overcome their poor finishing when they kick off their African Nations Cup finals campaign on Saturday.

“We’ve done a lot of work in the last days on finishing with more composure and timing and working on trying to create a lot more easier chances,” Igesund said ahead of the team’s opening game in Johannesburg against the Cape Verde Islands.

JOHANNESBURG, Jan 17 (Reuters) – Title holders Zambia head a list of 10 past winners in a strong field at this year’s African Nations Cup finals, but it is the Ivory Coast who start as strong favourites.

It will be the fifth successive tournament that striker Didier Drogba and his team mates are the team to beat but they could find the ‘favourites’ tag substituted for that of ‘chokers’ if they are again unable to deliver.

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) – Didier Drogba warned his Ivory Coast team mates about their billing as African Nations Cup favourites when he said top sides do not always live up to expectation.

“I must remind you that Netherlands had a side everyone said was the best for years and they never won a trophy,” said Drogba, sitting alongside Yaya Toure and coach Sabri Lamouchi during a rousing airport welcome in South Africa on Wednesday.