Africa Cup of Nations 2013: Group C Teams That Will Pull Ahead on Day 3

Ghana and the Democratic Republic of the Congo battled to a 2-2 tie in Group B, breaking the scoring drought from Day 1 and giving fans a little more excitement and intrigue with which to watch.

Day 3 will feature four teams from Group C in two enticing matchups.

Zambia and Ethiopa square off in Mbombela Stadium at 10 a.m. ET, followed by a showdown between Nigeria and Burkina Faso at 1 p.m. ET.

Which teams will pull ahead? Here is a look at the two Group C matchups.

 

Zambia vs. Ethiopia

Zambia has been on a bit of skid and carries very little momentum into the Africa Cup of Nations. Zambia failed to win any of its five pre-tournament matches. Coach Herve Renard feels his squad is ready, despite not playing its best as of late, as quoted by MTNFootball:

"You can see that when Usain Bolt is doing the series before the 100 meters final, he is not at 100 percent but he knows that he will be ready for the D-Day,” Renard said. 

Zambia will have to play its best to put those concerns to rest and defeat an Ethiopia team that bested Zambia the last time they squared off. Ethiopia won that match 2-1 in the 2010 CECAFA Cup.

Ethiopia will be making its first appearance in the Africa Cup since 1982 in Libya, and the team will have a lot to prove. Given Zambia’s recent slide and the stakes for Ethiopia to succeed this year, this match should prove to be an even affair with plenty of excitement.

If Zambia cannot right the ship by coming out prepared to play, Ethiopia will have a clear advantage and an opportunity to jump out early in the group stage. Zambia is the more talented team with a much better attack, but Ethiopia has some good, young talent that plays sound defense.

Ethiopia may have an upset up its sleeve is Zambia doesn’t show up ready to play.

Nigeria vs. Burkina Faso

Nigeria hasn’t lost to Burkina Faso in six matches, but both squads lack consistency, despite the amount of talent on each team.

Nigeria is the most talented team in Group C, and should the Super Eagles play up to their potential, the Burkina Faso Stallions won’t stand much of a chance.

That’s a big “if” though. High expectations and a soft spot at keeper offer a silver lining for Burkina Faso. The Stallions are a young team with lots of up-and-coming talent, including Alain Traore, who, if he can stay focused, can be one of the best players in this match.

This match will come down to focus and determination more than it will talent. Nigeria is poised to make a push if it can come out of the gates with some intensity, but maintaining that energy throughout the match will be paramount for the Super Eagles.

Where: Mbombela Stadium

When: 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. ET

Stage: Group C

Live Stream: ESPN3.com