Rankings:
Caf: 30
Fifa: 107
Highly-underestimated in the 2012 Afcon qualifiers, Niger shocked South Africa, Egypt and Sierra Leone to qualify for the tournament in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea. They went on to lose all their group stage matches, but proved adequately that they have what it takes to pull out a few surprises.
Their poor showing in the 2012 episode of the tournament wasn’t going to demoralise them and fittingly, they are back in the tournament for the second time in a row.
They don’t have big-name players and they certainly will not win the tournament, but they will certainly not be travelling to South Africa to donate free points to Mali, Ghana and DR Congo.
Full squad: Goalkeepers: Daouda Kassaly (Chippa United, SA), Saminou Rabo (Sahel SC), Moussa Alzouma (AS Garde Nationale). Defenders: Mohammed Chicoto (AS Marsa, Tunisia), Koffi Dankowa (ES Zarzis, Tunisie), Mohamed Soumaila (Club Sportif Sfaxien), Mohamed Bachar (AS Douane), Kourouma Fatokouma (Chabab, Maroc), Luky James (AS Douane), Ismael Alassane (Mangasport,Gabon), Kader Amadou (Olympic Niamey), Issiakou Koudizé (AS Garde Nationale) Midfielders: Idrissa Laouali (Mangasport, Gabon), Babacar Talatou (Ama Zulu, SA), Williams N’Gonou (LB 07, Sweden), Souleymane Sakou (Olympic Niamey), Amadou Mountari (Le Mans, France), Issoufou Boubacar, Lancina. Forwards: Moussa Maazou (Etoile du Sahel, Tunisia), Kamilou Daouda (JS Saoura, Algeria), Modibo Sidibé, Issoufou Danté (Wydad Fès, Morocco).
– By
