AFCON 2013: Group B

Group B in the 2013 African Cup of Nations will look to have two front runners looking to reach the semifinals once again in this tournament. Mali and Ghana will square off one again, with Ghana looking to win the tournament for the first time since 1982 and their fifth overall, while Mali has the most top four finishes in AFCON to have never won the tournament.

Congo DR are back in the tournament for the first time since 2006, and will look to win the tournament for the first time since 1974. As for Niger, the nation has now reached the AFCON tournament for the second consecutive time, and the home-field advantage proved crucial in reaching this stage.

Here is a list of some notable matches from major tournament the nations in Group B have meet previously. Please note that:

1. The home teams will be listed first unless otherwise indicated.
2. Matches played during qualifying in group play will be in aqua font.
3. Matches played during a tournament will be in lime font: unless indicated, the games will be understood as that having been played in the group stage.
4. Special circumstances will be in red font.
5. Congo DR played as Zaire from 1971 to 1997.

Ghana vs Congo DR

• AFCON 1965
• December 12, 1965: Ghana 5, Congo DR 2
• Game played in Sousse, Tunisia
• AFCON 1968 (the second meeting was the final)
• January 14, 1968: Ghana 2, Congo DR 1
• Game played in Asmara, Ethiopia (the city is now the capital of Eritrea)
• January 21, 1968: Congo DR 1, Ghana 0
• Game played in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
• 1974 FIFA World Cup
• August 5, 1973: Ghana 1, Zaire 0
• August 19, 1973: Zaire 4, Ghana 1
• AFCON 1982 
• July 22, 1981: Ghana 2, Zaire 2
• August 2, 1981: Zaire 1, Ghana 2
• AFCON 1996 (quarterfinal)
• January 28, 1996: Ghana 1, Zaire 0
• Game played at EPRU Stadium in Port Elizabeth, South Africa
• 2006 FIFA World Cup (qualifying)
• October 10, 2004: Ghana 0, Congo DR 0
• Game played at the National Sports Council Stadium in Kumasi
• March 27, 2005: Congo DR 1, Ghana 1
• Game played at the Stade de Martyrs in Kinshasa

Mali vs Niger

• AFCON 1972
• December 12, 1970: Niger 0, Mali 1
• Game played in Niamey
• December 27, 1970: Mali 3, Niger 1
• Game played in Bamako

Ghana vs Mali

• AFCON 1976
• April 13, 1975: Mali 3, Ghana 1
• April 27, 1975: Ghana 4, Mali 0
• 2010 FIFA World Cup
• June 7, 2009: Mali 0, Ghana 2 
• Game played at Stade 26 Mars in Bamako
• November 15, 2009: Ghana 2, Mali 2
• Game played at Baba Yara Stadium in Kumasi
• AFCON 2012 (the second meeting was the third-place match)
• January 28, 2012: Ghana 2, Mali 0
• Game played at Stade de Franceville in Franceville, Gabon
• February 11, 2012: Mali 2, Ghana 0
• Game played at Nuevo Estadio de Malabo in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea

Niger vs Congo DR

• This will be the first meeting between these two nations ever.

Niger vs Ghana

• AFCON 1970
• August 17, 1969: Ghana 6, Niger 0
• September 21, 1969: Niger 1, Ghana 9
• AFCON 1996
• October 16, 1994: Niger 1, Ghana 5
• April 23, 1995: Ghana 1, Niger 0

Congo DR vs Mali

• AFCON 1972 (semifinal)
• March 2, 1972: Mali 4, Zaire 3 (after extra time)
• Game played at Stade de la Reunification in Yaounde, Cameroon
• AFCON 1994 
• March 28, 1994: Zaire 1, Mali 0
• Game played at Stade El Menzah in Tunis, Tunisia