Chelsea striker Didier Drogba will go head to head with team-mate Michael Essien at the African Nations Cup in Angola after Ivory Coast and Ghana were drawn together in Group B.

The Ivorians and the Ghanaians will be the favourites to advance from the pool but can expect severe tests from Emmanuel Adebayor's Togo and also Burkina Faso.

Hosts Angola will face Mali on January 10 in the opening match of the 27th edition of the competition. The pair were joined in Group A by Mali and 2010 World Cup qualifiers Algeria at this afternoon's draw in Luanda.

Defending African champions Egypt were drawn in Group C along with Nigeria, Mozambique and Benin while Cameroon, Gabon, Zambia and Tunisia make up Group D.

The teams will play each other once in a round-robin format, with the top two in each pool progressing to the quarter-finals.

African Nations Cup Groups

Group A (Luanda): Angola, Mali, Malawi, Algeria.
Group B (Cabinda): Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Togo.
Group C (Benguela): Egypt, Nigeria, Mozambique, Benin.
Group D (Lubango): Cameroon, Gabon, Zambia, Tunisia.