BY KUNLE SOLAJA

The ghost of the Group B of the 1963 Africa Cup of Nations fixtures held in Kumasi, Ghana, was inadvertently recreated in the form of Group D of the delayed 2021 edition holding in Cameroon.

The trio of Nigeria, Sudan and Egypt formed the Group B of the six-nation Africa Cup of Nations held in November of 1963.

Hosts, Ghana which won the edition, had  Tunisia and Ethiopia to contend with in Accra-based Group A.

That was the fourth edition of the competition that is now in its 33rd edition.

The difference between the Group B of 1963 and the Group D of 2021 is the addition of debutant, Guinea Bissau and this follows the expansion of the tournament which has long time been expanded into four-team format.

For Nigeria, the 2021 group fixtures offer opportunity of revenging the heavy defeats suffered in the hands of both Egypt and Sudan.

Egypt, then known as the United Arab Republic (UAR), a shortlived union of Egypt and Syria, humiliated Nigeria with a 6-3 defeat in Kumasi on 24 November 1963.

Five days later, Sudan followed up with a 4-0 thrashing of Nigeria. The Super Eagles will have the opportunity of revenge when they face Egypt on 11 January and Sudan four days later at the  the 30,000 capacity Roumde Adja Stadium in Garoua.