The other teams in the group include Sudan and
Guinea-Bissau, who have been transformed from minnows to qualifying three times
in a row.
Meanwhile, Algeria will face the Ivory Coast, the only team
they failed to defeat in winning the last Africa Cup of Nations.
The teams drew 1-1 after extra time in the quarter-finals
and the Desert Foxes advanced by winning a penalty shootout.
Matches decided by spot-kicks are officially classified as
draws by FIFA, and it was the only time in a seven-match march to the title
that Algeria needed a shootout to succeed.
Algeria and the Ivory Coast were placed in Group E with
Sierra Leone and Equatorial Guinea when the draw was made in Yaounde on Tuesday.
It would be a shock if the Algerians and Ivorians did not
fill the top two spots, leaving the other two countries to fight for possible
qualification as one of the four best third-placed teams.
Although ranked third in the continent this month behind Senegal
and Tunisia, Algeria are the form team as they boast an African record 27-match
unbeaten run since November 2018.
Cameroon, seeking a sixth Cup of Nations title, were put in
Group A with Burkina Faso, who they will face in the opening match in Yaounde,
Ethiopia and Cape Verde.
It is hard to imagine the Indomitable Lions failing to make
the last 16 and Burkina Faso will also be confident of progressing.
Sadio Mane-inspired Senegal, beaten by Algeria in both the
group stage and the final two years ago, will be hotly fancied to top Group B,
which includes Zimbabwe, Guinea and Malawi.
Tunisia, who have qualified for every Cup of Nations since
1994, are in Group F with Mali, Mauritania and the Gambia, who along with the
Comoros are debutants.
Morocco, whose only Cup of Nations success came in 1976, and
four-time champions Ghana look the strongest contenders in Group C, which the
Comoros and Gabon complete.
Speaking ahead of the draw, Confederation of African
Football president Patrice Motsepe said he hoped for an “exciting, competitive
and successful” tournament as Cameroon play hosts for a second time.
Cameroon were originally due to stage the African football
showcase in 2019 but fell behind with preparations and Egypt stepped in as late
replacements.
The 2021 tournament dates have changed twice, first because
of fears that torrential seasonal rains could affect the tight schedule, and
then because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Draw
Group A: Cameroon, Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Cape Verde
Group B: Senegal, Zimbabwe, Guinea, Malawi
Group C: Morocco, Ghana, Comoros, Gabon
Group D: Nigeria, Egypt, Sudan, Guinea-Bissau
Group E: Algeria, Sierra Leone, Equatorial Guinea, Ivory
Coast
Group F: Tunisia, Mali, Mauritania, Gambia
Note: Group winners and runners-up and the four best
third-placed teams qualify for knockout stage
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