Following dissapointing results in their opening fixtures of the tournament, Egypt and Ghana will find themselves in a must-win encounter when they at Stade Félix Houphouët Boigny.
AFCON 2023
Match 15 – Egypt v Ghana
Thursday 18 January | 22:00
Ghana find themselves staring down the barrel after a 1-0 defeat in their opener against Cape Verde. They must now get something out of their second Group B clash against Egypt if they harbour any hopes of advancing to the round of 16.
To Win Match
Egypt 1/1 | Draw 7/4 | Ghana 31/10
The Pharaohs raced into the lead just two minutes into their opening Group B game against Mozambique but were pegged back by two goals in quick succession to trail 2-1 in the second half, but in the dying minutes were awarded a penalty that Mohamed Salah dispatched to earn a point for the 2021 finalists.
Egypt’s draw means they are currently in second place in Group B, behind Cape Verde who registered a victory on matchday 1 against Thursday’s opponents Ghana, heaping further importance on the tie. The North Africans will be heavily reliant on their star man, Salah, to produce a stellar performance and guide them to a record 8th AFCON title.
The Ghanaians started their AFCON campaign with a shock 2-1 loss to Cape Verde as a defensive blunder cost Chris Hughton’s men in the final minutes of the game, leaving the fans frustrated with the former Brighton coach and their team. The Black Stars will look to the experience of Andre Ayew and Inaki Williams to spur them on against a well-drilled Egyptian outfit.
A positive result is crucial for Hughton and his men as another defeat will leave them in a dire situation, having to rely on other results in the final group game if they are to qualify for the next round.
Verdict: Egypt 1/1
Ghana were all at sea in their opener. Egypt should take full advantage. Get on at evens!
