Johannesburg (AFP) - Resurgent Ghana will face title-holders Morocco in the 2022 African Nations Championship (CHAN) in Algeria after eliminating fierce rivals Nigeria in a qualifier.
Ghana were runners-up in two of the first three editions of the biennial competition, which is restricted to stars playing in their country of birth, then failed to qualify three times.
Morocco became the first country to win back-to-back CHAN tournaments in 2021, defeating Mali 2-0 in the final in Yaounde.
Ghana and Morocco were joined in Group C by Sudan and debutants Madagascar after the draw was made in an Algiers opera house on Saturday.
Hosts Algeria, who qualified for only one of the previous six editions, were placed in Group A with Libya, Ethiopia and Mozambique.
Algeria will face shock 2014 winners Libya in the opening match of the tournament on January 13 at the Baraki Stadium in Algiers.
Among those who attended the draw was Algerian legend Madjid Bougherra, who coaches the CHAN squad.Another former star from the north African country in the audience was Rabah Madjer.
Two-time champions the Democratic Republic of Congo are in Group B with Uganda, the Ivory Coast and Senegal, and this will be arguably the toughest of the five sections to progress from.
Mali, who hope to go one step further after twice finishing runners-up, meet Angola and Mauritania in Group D.
Cameroon, who staged the last edition and finished fourth behind Morocco, Mali and Guinea, were drawn in Group E with Congo Brazzaville and Niger.
CHAN matches are classified as full internationals by world governing body FIFA and count toward the world rankings.
Draw
Group A
Algeria (hosts), Libya, Ethiopia, Mozambique
Group B
Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, Ivory Coast, Senegal
Group C
Morocco (holders), Sudan, Madagascar, Ghana
Group D
Mali, Angola, Mauritania
Group E
Cameroon, Congo Brazzaville, Niger
Notes
-- Winners and runners-up in groups A, B and C and winners in groups D and E qualify for quarter-finals
-- Tournament will be staged between Jan 13 and Feb 4, 2023, in Algiers (two venues), Annaba, Constantine and Ora
