Comoros Islands – The Coelacanths

Africa Cup of Nations record

Previous appearances in finals: none

Drawn in Group C with Gabon, Ghana and Morocco

Coach: Amir Abdou

A social worker from Marseille, Abdou was asked to assist the Comoros side in 2014 before suddenly being thrust into the head coach role when the intended appointee did not take up the post. He has since created a team from the large diaspora in France and taken the small island nation to dizzying new heights.

Abdou previously coached in French amateur football, first in Agen and then at Golfech, where he steered the local town team to a win over third division Luzenac in the French Cup in 2013.

Key player: El Fardou Ben Mohamed Age: 32. Striker.

Comoros’ key attacker started his career at Le Havre and moved to Greece in 2013 where he had a spell at champions Olympiakos. He has found success at Red Star Belgrade, where he has regularly finished their top scorer.

He made his debut for Comoros in 2014, scoring 15 goals in 28 appearances.

FIFA world ranking Dec 2021: 132

How they qualified: Second in Group G, behind Egypt but ahead of Kenya and Togo.

Squad:

Goalkeepers: Ali Ahamada (unattached), Ben Salith Boina (US Endoume), Moyadh Ousseni (Frejus Saint-Raphael)

Defenders: Kassim Abdallah (Marignane-Gignac), Nadjim Abdou (Martigues), Chaker Alhadhur (AC Ajaccio), Kassim Mdahoma (US Avranches), Abdallah Ali Mohamed (Stade Lausanne-Ouchy), Bendjaloud Youssouf (Chateauroux), Younn Zahary (Cholet)

Midfielders: Rafidine Abdullah (Stade Lausanne-Ouchy), Nakibou Aboubakari (Sete), Fouad Bachirou (Omonia Nicosia), Said Bakari (RKC Waalwjik), Yacine Bourhane (Go Ahead Eagles), Nasser Chamed (Gaz Metan Medias), Youssouf Mchangama (En-Avant Guingamp), Iyad Mohamed (AJ Auxerre), Mohamed Youssouf (AC Ajaccio)

Forwards: El Fardou Ben Mohamed (Red Star Belgrade), Moussa Djoumoi (Saint-Priest), Faiz Mattoir (Cholet), Mohamed Mchangama (FC Nouadhibou), Ali Mmadi (Epinal), Ahmed Mogni (Annecy), Faïz Selemani (Kortrijk).