Dave Farrar predicts Ghana and Egypt won't go all the way in Gabon, but they certainly can start with victories at good odds.
Ghana v Uganda Tuesday, 16:00 Live on British Eurosport
Three more fancied teams get their 2017 Cup of Nations campaigns under way on Monday, and the first of them, Ghana, may not have it all their own way against Uganda.
This is Uganda's first appearance at the tournament since they finished second in 1978, and after the 0-0 draw they got in Accra at the end of last year against Ghana, they'll be confident that they can at least achieve the same feat against them here on neutral ground.
Uganda's route to success is pretty obvious: they keep things tight, they aren't expansive, and it's no shock at all to see Under 2.5 goals trading here at 1.55.
While I think that Uganda could make things tough for Ghana, I can't advocate backing them at 4.90. That's too much of a reflection of the result of that recent World Cup Qualifier. Ghana should have won that game, and they should win this one: they have better players, have a real motivation to do well here after going so close last time, and look a little big at 1.90 for the win.
Ghana finished in the Top Four at the last five Cups of Nations and it's not often you get a chance to back a team with that pedigree at that kind of price against a side who rarely qualify.
My fear for Ghana in the Outright market is that their top players may just be running out of legs and not quite able to deliver a tournament win, but that doesn't mean that they won't past the test they face against Uganda.
Recommended Bet Back Ghana to beat Uganda @ 1.90
Mali v Egypt Tuesday, 19:00 Live on British Eurosport
Egypt are one of the hardest teams to evaluate at this year's Cup of Nations: on the one hand, you look at the seven-time winners and wonder if you're under-estimating them. They've come to this tournament and won it at a double-figure price before and must be shown respect.
On the other hand, though, you look at their squad and wonder: Mo Salah is a fine player, Mohamed Elneny too, but then you look at the levels of the rest of their squad and feel that you can dismiss them as contenders.
They have Hector Cuper at the helm, which looks like a big bonus, but is it really? This is a Coach who had a golden period, but one who had maybe started to take jobs for the wrong reasons, whatever he might say.
All of that means that I'm discounting Egypt as winners of the Cup of Nations, but are they good enough to justify the 2.22 that's on offer to beat Mali?
Egypt qualified powerfully, eliminating Nigeria, and have won their opening two World Cup qualifiers, so the answer to that, on balance, must be "yes".
Mali went out in the Group Stage last time, and something similar might be on the cards here. They have some terrific young players, but they haven't all made the squad here, and they have the look of a second division French side. Good enough to avoid humiliation, but not overly threatening.
For all of my reservations about Egypt as a force at this tournament, I'll still take them to start with a win at a price that's a little too big.