Piers Edwards BBC Sport, Cairo

Khan says the Warriors do not fear anyone

Zimbabwe may have been drawn in a tough group at next year's Nations Cup but the country's FA chairman Rafiq Khan is bullish about their chances in Egypt.

The Warriors were drawn in Group D alongside 2002 World Cup quarter-finalists Senegal, two-time African champions Nigeria and Ghana, who qualified for Germany 2006 last month.

Khan hopes Zimbabwe, who open their campaign against Senegal, can profit from the heavyweight clash between Ghana and Nigeria which gets the Port Said-based group underway.

"Ghana and Nigeria have to smash each other up first before we play them. So it's all about who comes out of the train crash complete, then we'll take on whoever wins," Khan told BBC Sport.

Zimbabwe face Nigeria after Senegal before ending their group campaign against a Ghana side boasting Africa's most expensive footballer, Michael Essien, as well as inspirational captain Stephen Appiah.

Yet Khan refuses to be intimidated by the strength of the opposition.

"All sixteen teams are scared of each other in this tournament because you have to have something special in the team to be in the Nations Cup," he explained.

"Ours may be a strong group but all the same, we simply have to prepare adequately and we have to think big.

"Qualifying for this tournament shows we are not a small side, and preparation is what we need now."

Zimbabwe have only ever reached one Nations Cup finals and in Tunisia last year, the Warriors failed to battle through to the group stage.

In January, Charles Mhlauri's side is going to have deliver a series of stirring victories if it is to make history in Egypt's land of antiquity.

Yet the formbook is against the Zimbabweans as far as one group rival is concerned. They met Nigeria twice in the 2006 World Cup and Nations Cup qualifiers and suffered two heavy defeats, scoring just one goal but conceding eight.