Africa Cup of Nations will kick off on Saturday, January 13. Tournament hosts Ivory Coast will face Guinea-Bissau in the cup opener.
Read further to find out betting odds, useful stats and more information on the upcoming game!
Ivory Coast vs Guinea-Bissau: Betting odds
Ivory Coast to win - 1.24
Draw - 5.1
Guinea-Bissau to win - 15.0
Ivory Coast
The forty-year-long wait is over, and the AFCON returns to the venues of Ivory Coast. Ivorians are looking forward to the tournament: not just because it's a huge event but also hoping their side will succeed.
The Elephants lifted the cup twice: in 1992 and 2015. The Ivory Coast team no longer has Didier Drogba but such players as Sebastien Haller, Serge Aurier, Franck Kessie and Max Gradel are quality performers in their prime.
Don't forget the younger generation, too: defender Ousmane Diomande is having a top season at Sporting Lisbon, and so does attacker Karim Konate at Red Bull Salzburg. Both players can create a sensation at the cup.
Historically, hosting countries rarely do well at international tournaments but when it comes to Ivory Coast, their fans really have grounds for optimism. Their squad is well-balanced and looks strong to win the opening game for sure.
Guinea-Bissau
Unlike Ivory Coast, Guinea-Bissau are nowhere near Africa's best teams. They are firm underdogs and the fact they have qualified for the AFCON is an achievement per se.
For years, they had been trying to get there, but three previous AFCONs had Guinea-Bissau among the participants. The Djurtus haven't won a single cup game yet but the fact that they became AFCON regulars proves the team is relatively stable and even progressing in certain areas.
Guinea-Bissau's main man is head coach Baciro Candé. He is the driving force of their progress but that doesn't mean they are likely to qualify from their group. Neither it means they can grab points against Ivory Coast.
Ivory Coast vs Guinea-Bissau: Facts to know
In nine previous AFCONs, the hosting team failed to get to the final.
The last hosting team to reach the final was Egypt in 2006.
Ivory Coast vs Guinea-Bissau: Prediction
For any hosting team winning confidently in the opening game is key. Ivory Coast will try to do just that. This game could easily end in thrashing the minnows, hence betting on many goals looks reasonable.
Our prediction: Goals total over 2.5 (betting odds - 2.0)
