10. Cote D’Ivoire

Hervé Renard has a seemingly insurmountable problem and it’s his defense. Cote D’Ivoire has conceded ten goals in four games – the highest total in Africa. The former Cup of Nations-winning coach immediately recognized the issue and set to rectify it. Discarding veteran Sol Bamba, was a bold move and he justified his decision, saying: ‘Bamba’s exclusion is a sporting decision after what I saw against Sierra Leone and Cameroon.’ Renard’s failure is finding a competent replacement. His porous defense was repeatedly breached by DR Congo’s quick strikers. Young Franck Kessie was especially poor, capping off a shaky performance by getting himself sent off. A defensive antidote is urgently needed, if not for the qualification campaign, then for the tournament proper.