Zebras face Black Stars in AFCON opener

According to fixtures released on Saturday, the Zebras will play their second game against Guinea on January 28 and round up Group D matches with a tie against Seydou Keita's Mali on February 1.The Zebras were handed what has been described as a tough draw, but against the backdrop of a good run in the qualifiers, there are hopes that the team can sail through to the second round.

However, that remains a mammoth task given the calibre of opposition, all ranked way above the Zebras.The Black Stars are favoured to top the group with either Mali or Guinea expected to accompany them. The Zebras are considered dark horses in the group, which might slightly tip the scales in their favour. Not too many people gave the Botswana national side a chance against continental giants, Tunisia and Togo in the qualifiers, but the boys pulled through as group winners.