5 RISING STARS AT AFCON 2019

AFCON 2019 – Stars to watch 

With every new edition, AFCON provides an opportunity for the best African youngsters to showcase their skills to the rest of the world.

Here are five rising stars (U-23) to keep an eye on at AFCON 2019 in Egypt.

After leaving the Ivory Coast three summers ago, Ibrahim Sangaré has become a vital cog in Toulouse’s midfield. While he mostly played for the B team in his first season. Sangaré has consolidated his first-team status in 2017/18 and hasn’t looked back. Since August 2017, only Tanguy Ndombele has had a better dribble success rate in Ligue 1 than Sangaré, amongst players who have completed 100+ dribbles or more.

Despite his wiry 6’3” frame, Sangaré is the complete package. He’s an agile ball-winner, whose long legs and nonstop stamina saw him amass an eye-watering 3.6 tackles per match this past season. Only Bordeaux’s Otávio averaged more (3.8).

There’s no guarantee that Sangaré will start every game in Egypt. However, given his recent form and the fact that he started the last friendly, the odds are in his favour.

No matter how he does in the summer tournament, the truth is out there: Ibrahim Sangaré is a unique talent. And for a cut-rate fee of €25 million, he should be on the move this summer.

Despite helping Les Dogues to survival, Lille sold Mothiba in the waning hours of the 2018 transfer window. The clinical target man landed on his feet, becoming an indispensable forward for Thierry Laurey at Strasbourg.

With the South African up top, Strasbourg finished 11th in Ligue 1 and won the Coupe de la Ligue. It was their first major trophy since 2005. Mothiba scored a brace in the semifinal against Bordeaux, leading them closer to the promised land.

While he did score 12 goals in all competitions, his importance goes far beyond that. Mothiba helped tie together Laurey’s direct brand of football, winning long balls and holding up possession well. Together with Percy Tau, Bafana Bafana will have an exciting attack this summer.

Still plying his trade in Serbia at the age of 23, Samuel Owusu is the hidden secret of AFCON 2019. The rapid Ghanaian winger finished 4th in the Serbian SuperLiga with Belgrade-based club Čukarički. Since getting his first call-up to the Black Stars’ senior side, he’ll be looking to make more of an impression on coach James Kwesi Appiah.

With Abdul Majeed Waris failing to make the final 23, Appiah will be relying on Owusu to bring speed and creativity. Ghana are up against opponents Benin, Guinea-Bissau and Cameroon in Group F.

Owusu has the quick feet, close control and blistering change of pace to threaten any fullback. He is a deadly pairing of speed and technical ability. Having been granted the opportunity of a lifetime, he’s ready to prove he has what it takes to compete against Africa’s finest.

Looks like Samuel Owusu is turning heads in the Black Stars camp. Here’s SWAG President, Kwabena Yeboah’s assessment of the young man. pic.twitter.com/K306LZZVjD

— Daniel Oduro (@Daniel_Oduro) June 11, 2019

Whisper it softly, Mali are putting together the most impressive and diverse set of midfielders on the continent.

Diadie Samassékou and Amadou Haidara have been refined via Red Bull Salzburg’s excellent scouting and training program. Mohammed Camara blossomed in the U-20 World Cup. Yves Bissouma is already starting Premier League matches and Cheick Doucouré is a star hiding in plain sight. But out of all, it may just be Samassékou who plays the biggest part in Les Aigles’ AFCON hopes.

Having been pivotal for Red Bull Salzburg’s run to the 2018 Europa League semi-finals, the Malian midfielder has been tracked by the likes of Marseille and Roma. It’ss easy to see why. He has phenomenal ball-winning ability, composure under pressure, and nonstop stamina. Samassékou is the emblem of the modern defensive midfielder, a bargain waiting to be snapped up.

After two consecutive loans, Ola Aina ended his 12-year spell at Chelsea when Torino triggered their option to permanently buy the Nigerian defender for £9 million. Aina underwent a breakthrough season under Walter Mazzarri.

Playing as a wing-back, he was vital role in Torino’s 7th-placed finish. In trademark Mazzarri fashion, the Granata were stingy defensively, grinding out draws against each of the top four.

Torino owner Urbano Cairo raved about Aina when he signed him on loan last year, remarking: “We were seeking a prospect like Ola Aina, a wing-back who is physically strong, quick and has the stamina, able to work on either flank. Aina is an ambitious young player who Torino can further improve.”

With both of Chelsea’s fullback situations up for grabs, Aina might just become the latest academy prospect to slip away from the Blues’ grasp. Gernot Rohr certainly won’t be complaining.

BET: AFCON 2019 WINNER

Zach Lowy

Zach Lowy is the co-creator of Breaking The Lines (@BTLVid) and a freelance soccer journalist for various websites such as BET Central, Soccer Laduma and Hudl Analysis. He is fluent in Spanish and Portuguese and is the host of the Cortalinhas podcast, a weekly podcast that discusses Portuguese football. Zach has accumulated a wealth of experience and knowledge in football and has written about various subjects for BET Central ranging from Barcelona's financial difficulties to the 'lost generation' of South Africa's Amajita class of 2009.