ABUJA, Nigeria, June 6 (AFP) - Ghana got a tough first round draw for the men?s soccer event of the Eighth All-Africa Games when they were pitched against Defending Champions Cameroon, Egypt and Algeria in Group B with matches to be played in Lagos.

Hosts Nigeria will open the tournament of the games on October 4 in the northern city of Bauchi against Zambia.

The other teams in Nigeria?s group are Senegal and South Africa.

The final of the men?s soccer event will take place at the new Abuja Stadium on October 16.

For the women?s event, which will be making its debut, hosts Nigeria are drawn against Zimbabwe, Ethiopia and Cameroon in the southern city of Calabar. While Ghana lead Group B in the northern city of Kaduna which also has South Africa, Mali and Algeria.

The women?s final is also slated for Abuja on October 16.

Both the men and women?s tournaments are restricted to players under 23 years of age.

Fixtures:

Men?s Football

October 4 (Bauchi)

Nigeria v Zambia, Senegal v South Africa

October 5 (Lagos)

Cameroon v Egypt, Algeria v Ghana

October 6 - rest day

October 7 (Bauchi)

Zambia v Senegal, South Africa v Nigeria

October 8 (Lagos)

Egypt v Algeria, Ghana v Cameroon

October 9 - rest day

October 10 (Bauchi)

Nigeria v Senegal

October 10 (Lagos)

Zambia v South Africa

October 11 (Bauchi)

Egypt v Ghana

October 11 (Lagos)

Cameroon v Algeria

October 12 - rest day

Semi-finals October 13

Winner Group A v runners-up Group B (Bauchi)

Winner Group B v runners-up Group A (Lagos)

October 14 - rest day

Third place October 15 (Lagos)

Loser first semi-final v Loser second semi-final

Final October 16 (Abuja)

Winner first semi-final v Winner second semi-final