ACCRINGTON Stanley favourite Rommy Boco is dreaming of reaching the quarter-finals of the African Nations Cup (ANC) next year with Benin.

The 22-year-old midfielder - who played his part in Benin's remarkable qualification campaign - believes the small West African nation are capable of causing a sensation once the tournament gets under way in Ghana on January 20.

But after being drawn in a daunting group, the Squirrels, Benin's national team nickname, must do it the hard way if they are to reach the ANC's knock-out stages.

In Group B, Boco and his national team-mates must square up to Nigeria, Ivory Coast and Mali, three of the pre-tournament favourites.

Nigeria are twice-winners of the ANC, Mali progressed to the quarter-finals of the tournament in 2002 and 2004, while Ivory Coast, runners-up in 2006 and boasting the current African Footballer of the Year, Chelsea striker Didier Drogba, are widely regarded as the continent's top country.

The tough task ahead, however, will only serve to fuel Boco's determination to bring success to Benin.

The little-known nation surprised everyone by qualifying from a group that included Mali, Sierra Leone and Togo, who appeared in last year's World Cup finals.

But Boco believes Benin is a country on the rise and is confident they can spring a real surprise.

"Mali and Togo are two good countries, but we have a good team that have played together for the last four or five years," said the Stanley man.

"We only lost the one group game - against Togo - and that's why we've done well.

"We drew in Mali, which was a big, big performance for us and we drew against them at home.

"It will be a big competition for us. The big teams are Ghana, the Ivory Coast and Cameroon, but Tunisia, Morocco and Egypt are good. Egypt are the holders.

"The last time we were there, four years ago, we played against Nigeria, South Africa and Morocco. It was a very hard group.

"It is our ambition to get to the quarter-finals, but we will see what happens."

While Ivory Coast are blessed with the talents of Blues hot-shot Drogba, and Nigeria and Mali can call on respective European powerhouses Obafemi Martins and Freddy Kanoute, Benin do not possess big-name stars.

But Boco insists the secret of the Squirrels' success has been their togetherness as a team.

And they do have one up-and-coming star - striker Razak Omotoyossi - who plays up front alongside Henrik Larsson for Swedish side Helsingborgs.

Boco added: "Our players have progressed everywhere. We haven't got a big name like Didier Drogba, but we've got good players..

"Some play in the French Premier Division, others in Italy, Switzerland and Portugal.

"It's good because we've got more experience and now we are more confident when we play against good teams. Maybe soon, people will know more about us."

And Boco believes his country will only get better in the future, by encouraging those with Benin links to represent the Squirrels.

Over the years, many African-born players have gone on to represent France - the former colonial master - rather than their country of birth.

"We have some players that have joint-nationality," said Boco, who qualifies for Benin through his father.

"(Lyon striker) Sidney Govou was born in Benin, but he plays for France.

"Many players play for a big team like France.

"They don't take our nationality because they want more and I understand that.

"If I was in the same situation, I might have done the same.

"But perhaps in a few years, if we play well, more players will start to play for our country."