WITH Senegal starting their campaign today, which African team do you believe has the best chance of making a deep run in Qatar?

Damion Lowe (Inter Miami, 49 caps for Jamaica):

Senegal are the favourites to go deep in the tournament. Even though their talisman Sadio Mane is out, I believe they have enough quality players to get the job done.

Tanya Lee Perkins (athlete manager and head of LEEP Marketing):

Senegal will likely get out of their group comfortably, based on pedigree, and can match any of the likely opponents in the next round. I think a quarter-final berth is likely for this team, but without Mane, who usually produces goals in crucial moments, I think that’s where it ends for them and Africa’s hopes.

Andrew Price (coach and marketing specialist):

To be quite honest, I always thought that Senegal would progress out of their group — and even without Mane, who has been sidelined due to injury, I still think they have enough quality to progress into the knockout stages. I’m also of the opinion that Morocco plays good, organised football and can cause some amount of scare in their group.

Miguel Coley (assistant coach at Qatar’s Umm Salal):

Senegal has a very strong team — in fact, they have a family, with the coach providing guidance and support. Mane being out is a great loss but you would have seen how well they have performed as a team in the African Cup of Nations.

Which African team will go deep in the competition? I believe Senegal is poised to do so but I love Morocco; they have an amazing generation, with many players playing in top-flight clubs in Europe and doing well. Drawn in potentially a group of death, Moroccans have a great opportunity to go beyond, or equalling their best performance at the World Cup in 1986 when they advanced to the round of 16.

I tend to put my trust in teams with a strong mentality and big history but with the World Cup literally in the Atlas Lion’s backyard, the support they will be getting, their fantastic generation of players, the stage is set.