PREVIEW: Withdrawals hurt ailing Ghana

Ghana are used to heading into the African Nations among the favourites, but that is far from the case this time.

Two years ago as co-hosts it became apparent just how much Ghana are missing the likes of Osei Kofi, Abdul Razak Karim, Tony Yeboah and Abedi Pele as they crashed out in the quarter-finals, and the late withdrawals of Stephen Appiah, Charles Amoah and Peter Ofori-Quaye through injury has hardy helped matters this time around.

Veteran coach Fred Osam Duodu, though, has done much to restore confidence after humiliation in World Cup qualifying – which included resounding defeats to Liberia, Sudan and Nigeria.

Nonetheless, he has been forced to call on five of the squad who reached the final of the Under-20 World Cup, of whom Derrick Boateng is probably the most significant.

Their star, without question, is Bayern Munich defender Samuel Kuffour, but it seems almost inconceivable that even his commanding presence can inspire Ghana to their first Nations Cup triumph in two decades.

Plus, of course, Ghana will have to face South Africa, the side who beat them in both the 1996 and 2000 tournaments.

In fact, after an uncertain couple of months, South Africa now look firm favourites to cruise through Group B. Shaun Bartlett and Hans Vonk have been prised from Charlton Athletic and Heerenveen respectively, and the only danger is that that might not be enough to undo the damage done by club commitments during qualification.

Portuguese coach Carlos Queiroz called on over 50 players in his first 15 games in charge, and much depends on how quickly South Africa can find their rhythm with a settled squad.

There are concerns too over the form of Benni McCarthy, who shot to prominence in Burkina Faso four years ago, but has been less than impressive Celta Vigo, where he has failed to tie down a first-team place.

At least up front there is cover in the shape of Udinese striker Siyabonga Nomvete, which is more than can be said for the midfield, where South Africa are desperately short of a holding player of genuine quality.

With Eric Tinkler just returning from injury and Thabo Mngomeni suspended after an attack on a referee, Dumisa Ngobe is likely to get the nod, despite having been without a club since leaving Ankaragucu at the end of last season.

South Africa's great strength is down the flanks, where they boast the lightning pace of Sibusiso Zuma, voted player of the year in Denmark in 2001, and the equally quick Delron Buckley.

The main threat to the South Africans appears to come from Morocco, who also boast a Portuguese coach in the shape of Humberto Coelho.

Coelho replaced the now-Mali coach Henryk Kasperczak who was sacked following a string of poor results, culminating in a 2-0 home defeat to Gabon at the start of the Nations Cup qualifying campaign.

The 51-year-old turned a lucrative offer to coach Saudi Arabia at the World Cup, saying he has "unfinished business" in Morocco, after they went out of the World Cup on goal difference.

But if he is to finish that business, Coelho will have to do without Aston Villa midfielder Mustapha Hadji, who has been out of favour since skipping a World Cup qualifier in May. Paris Saint-Germain defender Talal El Kharkouri is another notable absentee.

Burkina Faso, meanwhile, have been plunged into chaos by the dismissal last weekend of coach Oscar Luis Fullone, who had spent lengthy periods away from the squad, looking after his wife who is ill in hospital in France.

He has been replaced by Jacques Yameogo, who led Burkina Faso to third place at the Under-17 World Cup last year, and will find many of the same players under his control. Forward Narcisse Yameogo's ability cannot be doubted, but after Mamadou Zongo withdrew through injury, the burden on Oumar Barro to create may prove too great.