The-Shot.Net Writers Club - Preview Group B: Senegal, Mali, Burkina Faso, Kenya

Group B
A very exciting group of Western African football talent, spiced with the comeback of Kenya, difficult to predict.

With Senegal the group contains the spearhead, and with Mali and maybe soon Burkina Faso the follow-ups of a new West African football generation. Teams with good organisation and determination, filled with professinals from European first divisions, especially France. Not with the individual talent of the traditional football powers as Nigeria or Ghana but emulating their success through more European features of the game.

Senegal came out of nowhere within a few years, a process which started in the mid 90s, took place partly in France, and culminated in 2002 when senegal became Africa's vice champions and and reached the quarter finals of the World Cup as Africa's most successful team at Korea / Japan.
Now the Lions will have to make that final step to a class team: confirming the success and substituting what has gone lost from euphoria by applying the gained experience.
They start the tournament highly rated in what looks the easier half of the schedule to reach the semi-finals, but nobody should take success for granted.
Whether it will be an easy walk through the group or a difficult adventure, will also depend on the form of their opponents Kenay and Burkina Faso, which is not easy to predict.

Mali are the declared dark horses of the tournament. Many already have them among the 5 or 6 names named as possible tournament winners. Those expectations might be a little too high, anyway Mali should be considered as strong as South Africa, for example.

With Burkina Faso they have in common that both started in the 90's, earlier than others, to groom talent in football schools, going back on the initiative of Salif Keita, a 70's star at France and role model for the film 'Nando and the Golden Ball'. He led Mali to sensational second place at the African Cup 1972. Mali reached the semi finals two more times, including Tunisia 1994, what shows that once qualified, they have been always a force to reckon with.

Both have already reaped enormous success in youth competitions including impressive displays at FIFA competitions, where the two are regularly to find among the best 4-8 of Africa.
Those players are finding their way into the European leagues, first France and Belgium.

Mali might be a bit further here in defence and midfield, but until a few weeks ago they lacked a profilic attacker. But with the application of the new FIFA ruling on double nationality for youth team players they were able to integrate Tottenham striker Frederic Kanoute to their program. Only problem: He has only ever been with the system since a few days ago.

Burkina Faso already have a prominent name in attack for a little longer in Moumouni Dagano, but their most talented players are still very young, so that they normally should lack experience for the great coup. They could turn out an exciting outfit, at least they already have granted themselves the luxury of leaving out Bundesliga talent Wilfried Sanou from Freiburg.

Kenya have been absent for 12 years, but it seems, they can field a quite competitive team, too. At least their attack might be a threat in veteran Mike Okoth and teenage hype Dennis Oliech.

Maybe THE group to see into the near future of African football.