CAPE TOWN, South Africa - There will be no Didier Drogba and no Samuel Etoo.
Brook Lopez Nets Jersey .For the first time in more than a decade, both of Africas most celebrated players will be missing from the African Cup of Nations after retiring from international soccer.Its a chance for other players to make their mark at the continents top tournament. Here are some names to look out for in Equatorial Guinea over the next three weeks:___Yacine Brahimi (midfielder), Algeria:The attacking midfielder is adored in Algeria, not least for ultimately choosing the country of his immigrant parents over his country of birth, France. Brahimi is Algerias playmaker. Much of its hopes of living up to its top-ranking in Africa and winning the title for the first time in 25 years rests on the FC Porto players shoulders — and his combination with Valencias Sofiane Feghouli and Sporting Lisbons Islam Slimani, Algerias so-called golden trio. Brahimi represented Frances youth teams for six years before switching to Algeria. He was Algerias top scorer in African Cup qualifying, and his dribbling skills and clever passing creates goals for others, too. His 25th birthday is the day of the final.___Wilfried Bony (striker), Ivory Coast:Bony may be even more important to Ivory Coast than midfielder Yaya Toure. Without Drogba, Bony could emerge as the Ivorians new No. 1 striker at the African Cup following his stellar year in 2014 with Swansea in the Premier League. Bony scored more goals than any other player in the league last year and could shoot the Ivorians to victory in Equatorial Guinea if he keeps that form going in January and February.___Fabrice Ondoa (goalkeeper), Cameroon:Watch out for Cameroons teenage goalkeeper. A product of the Etoo academy in Yaounde, the 19-year-old Ondoa is now part of the reserve team at Barcelona, which he joined when he was 13. Following a disastrous World Cup for Cameroon, coach Volker Finke gave Ondoa his national team debut in the final round of African Cup qualifying last year. Ondoa responded by conceding only one goal in six games as Cameroon won its group.___Vincent Aboubakar (striker), Cameroon:Cameroon has a new striker, too: Aboubakar has emerged as the likely successor to Etoo. Tall and quick, Aboubakar has the natural qualities that make him very difficult for defenders to stop. But he also has impressive ball skills and a deadly right foot from close range.___Sadio Mane (midfielder), Senegal:The question surrounding Sadio Mane is if he will play. Ruled out of the African Cup with a leg injury by his English club Southampton, Senegal coach Alain Giresse has still picked Mane in his final squad in the hope that he will recover. Mane is a pivotal figure for a new-look Senegal team as an energetic midfielder with a habit of scoring valuable goals.___Seydou Keita (midfielder), Mali:Keita turns 35 a day before the African Cup kicks off, and is back for what might be his last attempt at winning the tournament. Keita was the driving force behind Malis near misses in 2012 and 2013, when the team lost in the semifinals and finished third on both occasions. Used more off the bench now, the former Barcelona player has vast experience in six previous African Cups. Mali may need his calming influence in the centre of midfield as they face Cameroon and Ivory Coast in the group stage.___Associated Press writers Aomar Ouali in Algiers, Algeria, Robbie Corey-Boulet in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, Divine Ntaryike in Douala, Cameroon, and Babacar Dione in Dakar, Senegal, contributed to this report.___Gerald Imray is on Twitter at www.twitter.com/GeraldImrayAP
Brooklyn Nets Jersey .com Tours season-opening Colombia Championship on Sunday, breaking the course record with an 8-under 63 in the completion of the third round before rain washed out play.
Bojan Bogdanovic Nets Jersey . There are some early surprises in the race for the Hart Trophy, but two of the contenders are the leagues biggest stars over the past decade. There are many more players in contention for the awards than just the three that Ive named, and a good or bad week can easily alter the landscape, but through the first 20 or so games of the NHL season, this is how the awards races look to me. With the Montreal Canadiens still not knowing when the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs will begin, Michel Therrien decided to simulate a game day for his team on Monday. "Its almost a week since we last played and this is part of our preparation for the next round," Therrien told the media. The players participated in a simulated morning skate at 10:30am, their usual practice time on game day, and then headed to the Bell Centre at 5pm with their families to take part in some activities the team has planned forr them, followed by a scrimmage with members of the Hamilton Bulldogs.
Drazen Petrovic Nets Jersey. "Its good for us to feel the speed of the game again and to get our timing back,” PK Subban said following practice. “Its tough when youve been off for a few days to keep your timing, so it will be good to get in a scrimmage.” It will be a closed door event with the public and the media not allowed to attend. The Canadiens have the day off on Tuesday and should know by Wednesday the schedule for Round 2.
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