Tony Kelshaw 
Senegal and Guinea were always expected to advance from Africa Cup of Nations Group B and both head into this contest with a win on the board. Liverpool stars Sadio Mane and Naby Keita will be on opposing teams for a change in Bafoussam, but the former has a better supporting cast on paper.
Calgary will be relieved to return home after a trio of daunting road games and should find Ottawa conducive company at Scotiabank Saddledome. The Sens have only played once since mid-December due to Covid and that was when thrashed 6-0 at Toronto on New Year’s Day.
Montreal were beaten 2-0 by Chicago at Bell Centre last month and look up against it again in the return fixture at United Center. The Blackhawks just appear to have found a bit of form, whereas the Canadiens have been struggling both on and off the ice for some time now.
Cameroon survived a scare to win their Africa Cup of Nations opener and the hosts can build on that by beating Ethiopia in Group A. The Walias began as outsiders to qualify from this pool and have an even bigger mountain to climb after kicking off with a defeat.
Tunisia and Mali drew 1-1 during the pool stage of the Africa Cup of Nations in 2019 and are backed to share the spoils again in Cameroon. With Gambia and Mauritania expected to merely make up the numbers in Group F, another stalemate would surely suit both sides.
Vegas and Toronto are both considered Stanley Cup contenders but it is the Maple Leafs showing more consistent form at present. The Golden Knights have been a Jekyll and Hyde outfit during a five-match homestand and are hard to back with any confidence.
Georgia are favourites to land a first national title since 1980 and get the nod to achieve that feat by beating perennial powerhouses Alabama. The Bulldogs were beaten 41-24 by the Crimson Tide in the SEC Championship Game but are fancied for revenge on their overall form.
Nigeria and Egypt should prove a class apart from Sudan and Guinea-Bissau in their AFCON pool so a draw may satisfy both sides when they meet. However, bookmakers have cut the odds of a stalemate, so we’re looking elsewhere for value in this Group D opener.
Morocco and Ghana are both expected to qualify from Group C at the Africa Cup of Nations and may settle for a share of the spoils first up. Gabon could gatecrash the top two spots but Comoros look out of their depth, so a draw would be a solid result for each of these sides.
Cape Verde are clear third favourites to qualify from Group A at the Africa Cup of Nations and know an opening win over rank outsiders Ethiopia is vital. The onus is on the Blue Sharks to make a fast start before facing tougher tests ahead and we think they can handle that pressure.
Holders Algeria are rated a solid selection to retain their trophy at 7.0 in our outright Africa Cup of Nations predictions. Captain Riyad Mahrez is enjoying a stand-out season with Manchester City, scoring in each of his last five appearances to make it 13 goals this term.
Colorado and Toronto are two of the leading fancies for Stanley Cup glory and a high-quality contest is on the cards. Both teams have impressed since the Christmas break but we just feel the Avalanche may be more fired up to avenge last month’s 8-3 road loss to the Maple Leafs.
Patrick Vieira lifted the FA Cup four times as a player and will be keen to steer Crystal Palace into round four at the expense of Millwall. The Lions were once regarded as a team to fear on home turf by Premier League clubs but their recent record in this event is only moderate.
Calgary have been soundly beaten by the two Stanley Cup favourites this week but could find Carolina more conducive company. Admittedly, the Hurricanes are on a hot streak of eight wins in nine outings, but last month’s 2-1 victory over the Flames was only gained in overtime.