Praying for a carnival

By Durosimi Thomas
BBC Sport in Tunis

Visitors to the third African Cup of Nations taking place in Tunisia are begging for one thing - atmosphere.

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The lack of it ahead of the biggest football tournament in Africa comes as a surprise in a country which boasts the best facilities on the continent.

But what could ignite the fever pitch here is victory for the home side in Saturday's opening game against newcomers Rwanda.

Anything short of victory would bring back the depressing images of empty stands after Tunisia lost the opening game at the 1994 tournament to Mali.

But no matter what the level of local interest, it will be hard for those glued to their television sets elsewhere to switch off.

After all, some of the biggest stars in world football will be seeking to flaunt their skills on the African stage.

The likes of Senegal's El Hadji Diouf, Tunisia's Hatem Trabelsi and Cameroon's Geremi, who made their name at the tournament will be joined by newcomers Frederic Kanoute of Mali and Senegal's Lamine Sakho who have both chosen to play for their country of origin.

That, mixed with the presence of three newcomers, particularly Rwanda, and it all adds up to an event not to be missed.

Final preparations are being made for Saturday's opening ceremony

The Cup of Nations has been a 16-team event since the 1996 tournament in South Africa. Some of these editions have had their own unforgettable moments on and off the pitch.

This time around, the Tunisians have a bigger objective to prepare for.

The last time they hosted the tournament, exactly 10 years ago, 12 teams were at the finals.

But with four more sides to welcome, the country will have the chance to show what it has to offer as one of the 2010 World Cup bidding countries.

On the pitch, the majority of pundits are tipping Cameroon to retain their title for a third consecutive time.

But with every team equipped with a flag-bearer in a European league, surprises will certainly add to the fiesta.