Misa

2019 Africa Cup of Nation qualification, group stage. Only group winners and three best second placed teams qualify for final tournament. Here is the link with explanation https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2019_Africa_Cup_of_Nations_qualification

Several interesting matches, here is my shortlist:

Tanzania last time played at ACN nearly 40 years ago. Taifa Stars have a solid squad, capable of beating nearly anyone on home soil. Spent some time in Dar es Salaam a few years ago, locals are crazy about football, Simba and Young Africans are quality teams for African standards, with great support and good budgets. National team held a week long training camp in Egypt. Most of the players come from two local giants, but there also are three internationals. Captain Mbwana Samatta, had a good season with Racing Genk, Thomas Ulimwengu plays in Sweden top flight and young midfielder Musa signer last year for Tenerife.
Visitors from Lesotho, come to Dar with players from local league, they have only one international, Napo Matsoso from University of Kentucky. Not very experienced team and by far the weakest in the group. So, if Tanzania want to stand any chance of winning this group ( Cape Verde and Uganda ane the other two teams in the group) they should beat Lesotho at home. Home win

Libya should easily beat poor Seychelles tonight in Egypt. Libya with several players from European clubs, local champion Al Ahli managed to reach group stage of CAF Champions league (played 0:0 vs Zamalek two weeks ago and last week won 4:2 vs Caps United in Harare, in very impressive performance). Seychelles team consist of only local players, they are poor on the road and I think that Libya -2 ah is a safe bet and should deliver.

Sudan also should win at home. Hosts missed last three editions of Nations Cup, they haven't some big stars in the squad, nor European based players, but local league is quite good for African standards and two Omdurman sides, Al Merrikh and Al Hilal, both participate on regular basis in the Champions league. Visitors improved in recent years, they come to Sudan with a small squad of just 18 players. Madagascar have several players from French lower leagues and it want be easy, but Sudan should at the end.

Senegal are banker of the round vs Equatorial Guinea. Hosts without injured Sadio Mane, but with many great players like Keita Balde (Lazio), Moussa Sow (Fenerbahce), Mame Diouf (Stoke City), Koulibali (Napoli), Mbodji (Anderlecht) etc. Shbe an easy home win.

First round, many close games. Only five group winners will qualify for Russia 2018, home games will be vital.

DR Congo host Libya in Kinshasa, despite Libya's FA effort to move the game out of DRC, due post election political instability . DRC played really well in Nations Cup qualifiers, have some top players, like Bolasie, Mbokani, Afobe, Bakambu from Villareal, many solid local players from Vita Club and Mazembe. Visitors didn't qualify for Nations Cup, but managed to beat Cape Verde away, last month. They don't have some big names in the squad, but they are a hard nut to crack. Javier Clemente will leave Libyan bench next month, what's a strange move. DR Congo should bag all three points, but it won't be easy, nor pretty.

Senegal is imo banker of the round. Very strong team, some class players, like Mane, Kouyaté, Sow, Kalidou Koulibaly. Visitors are in poor form, failed to qualify for Nations Cup, don't think that Cape Verde can match Senegal, should be an easy home win.

Algeria have probably the best team in their history. Riyad Mahrez (Leicester City), Islam Slimani (Leicester City), Hillal El Arabi Soudani (Dinamo Zagreb), Yacine Brahimi (FC Porto), Sofiane Feghouli (West Ham United) etc. Rajevac made a great success with Ghana, he knows African football. Cameroon with great past, but not so good nowadays, odds on Algeria should drop even more.

Tunisia will not lose at home, so 1x should be considered as a banker. Also, I think that bookies to much favor Ivory Coast, they struggled against Sudan and Sierra Leone in the Nations Cup qualifiers, Drogba's generation is gone, Mali very solid team, with good coach Alain Giresse. So, I like + 1 ah on Mali, or + 1,5 for combo material.