Mamelodi Sundowns Head Coach, Rhulani Mokwena has picked Nigeria as a frontrunner for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) title.

Mokwena praised the Super Eagles, emphasizing their abundance of top-tier players and their consistent performance, making them formidable contenders in the upcoming tournament.

Speaking to Sundowns’ official website, Mokwena asserted, “Nigeria will always be favorites because they have several top players and are never pushovers when it comes to the tournament.”

Mokwena didn’t limit his predictions to Nigeria alone, acknowledging other strong contenders in the race for the AFCON trophy.

He highlighted Morocco as a formidable force, citing their impressive squad and recent accomplishments at the World Cup.

In his predictions, Mokwena also included Ivory Coast, foreseeing their journey to at least the quarterfinals of the tournament.

“Morocco is another team I believe will do well because they have a great coach, a great squad and we saw their exploits at the last World Cup.

“Egypt can also be considered a big threat in the competition, as they have the pedigree and know-how to win the title. I also tip Ghana and Senegal to be strong contenders and I think Ivory Coast will also make it to the last 8.”

The Super Eagles drew their first game against Equatorial Guinea, while Ghana lost their opener 2-1 to Cape Verde.

Seeking redemption, Nigeria would be looking to beat hosts Cote d’Ivoire, who top the group following their comfortable 2-0 victory over Guinea Bissau.