Gabon banking on home advantage

Gabon will go into the Africa Cup of Nations finals not only with home advantage but also a favourable draw that gives the hosts every chance of getting out of the group stages.

It has been fortuitous that Les Pantheres have Burkina Faso and Cameroon to contend with and will open the tournament on Saturday at Stade l'Amitie against the under-prepared minnows Guinea Bissau, who are making their Cup debut.

Ordinarily, Cameroon should be the hot favourites to dominate the group but the Indomitable Lions have been watered down by a series of high-profile desertations.

Coach Hugo Broos has tinkered with his team since his first game against South Africa in March last year, weeding out the lethargic and introducing younger talent. It was enough for Cameroon to win their qualifying group.

Broos had hoped to have the likes of Joel Matip and Eric Maxim Choupo Moting, but the pair wanted to stay with their clubs. So did six other players, including first choice fullback Allan Nyom of Watford.

Usually the four-time winners would be among the favourites but Cameroon look really uncooked this time round.

Burkina Faso have formidable talent and plenty of experience. But they lack in consistency as Bafana Bafana found out in Ouagadougou in October when they came so close to beating them in a World Cup qualifier.

Les Etalon finished surprise runners-up in the finals in South Africa four years ago and key elements of that team remain - hard-tackling captain Charles Kabore, Jonathan Pitroipa and the Traore brothers. They are tough to beat but you are never sure which Burkinabe outfit turns up.

Guinea Bissau flouted conventional wisdom in booking their place in the finals and have done the same with their preparations. Ranked among the poorest countries of the world, money is always an issue.

Guinea Bissau will not play a proper friendly warm-up before their opening game in Libreville on Saturday.

That leaves Gabon to run away with Group A. The formidable Pierre Emerick Aubameyang leads their strike force and, with Mario Lemina, they could help Gabon qualify.