A dramatic day in the Africa Cup of Nations yesterday signalled that the tournament is finally moving into second gear after a tight first round.
Malawi shocked the continent, Morocco guaranteed their spot in the next round, while Senegal and Guinea kept their chances of qualifying alive for the last matchday of the group stage.
But the peak was reached in Ghana v Gabon, where the Black Stars looked comfortable and took the lead in the first half through André Ayew, before Gabon equalized in the 88th minute. The west African giants must win in their final group game against Comoros, and hope for the right results from other groups, if they have any hope of making it through to the next round.
Today two other giants, Nigeria and Egypt are back in action. Here are our predictions.
Important note: These predictions are only suggestions, and BabaGol is not responsible for the consequences. The use of these suggestions is the responsibility of the reader and user themselves.
Remember: Don't bet more than you can afford to lose. Know and accept the odds, keep sight of your chances of winning, and accept that your spending limits may be less than others.
Today's matches in group D: #TeamEgypt in a ceucial match against #TeamGuineabissau while #TeamNigeria will search to secure their spot in the next round#AFCON2021 #TotalEnergiesAFCON pic.twitter.com/kIJIW2qIf8
— BabaGol (@BabaGol_) January 15, 2022
Nigeria v Sudan, 17:00 CET, Stade Omnisport Roumde Adjia, Garoua
Nigeria have been the most impressive in AFCON 2021 so far. Moses Simon and Kelechi Inheanacho dwarfed Mohammed Salah and co. in the first game and will look to continue their great form against their east African opponents.
Sudan drew with Guinea-Bissau, but they lack quality in every position, and will hope just to get through this one with as few goals conceded as possible. For that, they’ll need goalkeeper Abou Eishrin in top form.
BabaGol’s prediction: Super Eagles to win in style.
Bet365 odds: Nigeria 1.20 | Draw 5.50 | Sudan 21.00
Guinea-Bissau v Egypt, 20:00 CET, Stade Omnisport Roumde Adjia, Garoua
Guinea-Bissau have nothing to lose. In this game they will have to try and force a presence in the midfield, and try to attack from the wings - areas that Egypt are weaker in.
For Egypt, it’s a must win. And they must win convincingly too. After their loss to Nigeria a few days ago, there’s a lot of tension surrounding the Pharaohs, and Mohammed Salah will need to score to help ease concerns. If not, the pressure from fans and the media back home could reach boiling point.
BabaGol’s prediction: Egypt to win. Anything else would be a complete shock.
Bet365 odds: Guinea-Bissau 8.50 | Draw 4.00 | Egypt 1.45
For more AFCON 2021 content, follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook and sign up for our newsletter.
Found a mistake? Let us know, and we will fix it, learn from it, and improve next time!
Photo via CAF Online official Twitter account.
