A thrilling day of action at the Africa Cup of Nations comes to a close on Thursday with a matchup between Egypt and Ghana. Both sides are looking for their first wins of the competition in what is shaping up to be a competitive group. Egypt rescued a point through a stoppage time penalty in their 2-2 draw with Mozambique on Sunday, while Ghana are the only side without a point in Group B after losing to Cape Verde the same day. Both teams will no doubt aim for a win on Thursday, or risk an early exit from the competition without one.
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How to watch and odds
- Date: Thursday, January 18 | Time: 3 p.m. ET
- Location: Stade Felix Houphouet-Boigny — Abidjan, Ivory Coast
- TV: beIN Sports | Live stream: Fubo (try for free)
- Odds: Egypt -100; Draw +210; Ghana +375
Storylines
Egypt: Egypt dominated their match against Mozambique but failed to secure all three points, something that manager Rui Vitoria blamed on a lapse of focus. “We lost concentration for three minutes, but we are still in the race to qualify; nothing is lost,” he said, per The Guardian, about a match that started well with a second minute goal from Mostafa Mohamed but went in Mozambique’s favor after they scored two goals in three minutes in the second half. Mohamed Salah was around to convert a last ditch penalty and secure a point, but Egypt will need to be more effective in the back and up top to make a deep run. They misfired frequently on Sunday, notching 21 shots but putting just five on frame.
Ghana: This edition of AFCON has already been memorable for the teams punching above their weight, and no one has been on the receiving end of it quite like Ghana. They were completely outplayed by Cape Verde in their 2-1 loss on Sunday, when the eventual victors won the possession battle, outshot Ghana 15 to 10 and limited the Black Stars to just one shot on target. Course correction is no doubt the bare minimum for Ghana against Egypt, and a point might be necessary for the Black Stars to have a shot at advancing to the next round.
Prediction
Egypt’s problems seem easier to solve than Ghana’s at this point in time, and with Salah in his current form, it feels unwise to bet against them. Pick: Egypt 2, Ghana 1
