Egypt face Nigeria test

This is one of the highlights of the first round. It's a huge game, no question.

Egypt have silenced most of the big boys in recent years, beating Cameroon twice last time and Ivory Coast in 2006. Their coach Hassan Shehata has got them so well-drilled; he has got rid of the bad boys.

They have lost a couple of major players through injury, such as Mohamed Aboutrika and Amr Zaki, but they will be very hard to beat.

They also have something to prove after yet again failing to qualify for the World Cup following that play-off with Algeria.

It's a huge game for Nigeria to show they can mix it with Africa's best.

Although they qualified for the World Cup they have definitely slipped down the pecking order in recent years.

But they do not have any serious injury problems and have players fit and in-form after rough patches.

Obafemi Martins has scored five goals in 10 Bundesliga matches since joining Wolfsburg after two troubled seasons at Newcastle, and Everton striker Ayegbeni Yakubu is fit again after a year-long injury lay-off.

These are not two of the better-known sides in the tournament, but they represent a banana skin for the other teams in the group, Egypt and Nigeria.

Benin-Nigeria is a local derby, and this game is a chance for them to get points on the board before taking on the big boys.

I think the days of bright new stars coming out of nowhere have probably gone. The nature of scouting is such that most of the best players are already plying their trade in Europe - with the possible exception of the Egyptians.

Neither of these sides have won a match at the African Cup of Nations finals.

Benin have lost all six previous games but they have nine players in France, including star striker Razak Omotoyossi, a young core of players and are an improving side.

They deserve to be favourites against Mozambique, who have appeared in three finals but lost eight of their nine games, drawing one.