After a false start in their opening game, four time African champions Ghana are seeking redemption against Gabon while Senegal hope to book a ticket to the Round of 16 with a win over Guinea.Senegal vs GuineaBetting link: Senegal vs GuineaAfrica’s top ranked nation, Senegal needed a stoppage time penalty from Liverpool forward Sadio Mane to edge a spirited Zimbabwe side after a lethargic opening encounter which they will hope to get past. The Lions of Teranga are on imperious form having gone unbeaten in their last 12 games and have also won two of their previous Africa Cup of Nations encounter against Guinea who won their opening encounter against Malawi.#teamsenegal en mode recuperation #football #dakar #senegal #africa @caf_online_FR pic.twitter.com/pxBkY7n8zI— Football (@FootballSenegal) January 12, 2022 Senegal head coach Aliou Cisse was wary of Guinea ahead of the West African derby and has fired a warning to his players of the danger the Syli Nationale.“When Senegal play Guinea its always an exciting match, a Derby to watch. Our aim is to win every game, but we have to remember they are equally very strong side. I have always told our players we have no small teams in the competition.I played against Guinea Coach Kaba Diawara 24 years ago and we know each other well. However, on the pitch things will be different as we both want to win,” said Cisse. Malawi vs ZimbabweBetting link: Malawi vs ZimbabweMalawi and Zimbabwe are seeking to bounce back from their opening defeats to Guinea and Senegal respectively despite having spirited performances that could earned them draws. The Flames are however in a torrid run of form having won just one of their last 11 games, a run that has seen them draw twice and lose eight matches but so are Zimbabwe who are going almost 16 years without an AFCON win. All the 28 players in Flames’ camp at the AFCON have tested negative for COVID-19 and are available for selection for Friday’s group B match against Zimbabwe. @WNyamilandu @TotalAfcon2021#AFCON2021#teammalawi#TeamZimbabweRead more: https://t.co/PQZqy5fB9E pic.twitter.com/kuW6JgUvQJ— FA Malawi (@FaMalawi) January 12, 2022 Zimbabwe head coach Norman Mapeza admitted that conceding late via a spot-kick weighed down on his places who struggled to put behind the loss to Senegal. “We have been working on recovery after the last-minute loss to Senegal. We have a very good side, and we know our game against Malawi is a mist win. I spoke to the players who were very emotional, and I am happy they have decided to forget the Senegal game. “I am not going to make changes to my squad but will just emphasize on consistency and using our chances effectively,” said Mapeza.Morocco vs ComorosBetting link: Morocco vs ComorosA few years ago the clash would have looked like mismatch but such is the ground Comoros have made over the years that they pulled a 2-2 draw when they last faced Morocco in 2019 AFCON qualifiers. Morocco are however one of the one of the most in-form teams on the continent with their undefeated streak now stretching to a staggering 30 games in regular time and beat fellow title contenders Ghana last time out. Busy off strong for tomorrow’s match 👊🏻#DimaMaghrib 🇲🇦 #AtlasLions #TeamMorocco #AFCON2021 pic.twitter.com/XPtLW4b3Yo— Équipe du Maroc (@EnMaroc) January 13, 2022 Morocco head coach Vahid Halilhodzic emphasized on the importance of the win against Ghana and wanted to break their 46-year AFCON title drought. “We had an important win in a tough game against Ghana. That win served to boost the mood of the team and the players. We come to this competition with a lot of ambition. It has been a long time since Morocco won the AFCON title. We are here to do our best and we are optimistic to make the Moroccan people happy,” said Halilhodzic.Gabon vs GhanaBetting link: Gabon vs GhanaThe two teams are coming into the clash with contrasting fortunes after Gabon opened their campaign with a win over Comoros while Ghana lost to a late goal from Sofiane Boufal.Gabon are likely to have Arsenal forward Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang who trained with the team after recovering from Covid-19 but Ghana will look to play in a record 10th AFCON final surpassing Egypt who are on nine. #TeamGhana -More TRAINING 📷 #TotalEnergiesAFCON2021 | #BlackStars | #BringBackTheLove pic.twitter.com/Ryiohw6S37— Black Stars (@GhanaBlackstars) January 13, 2022 Ghana head coach Milovan Rajevac admitted that the side are facing early pressure after their defeat to Morocco but will aim to convert the chances they create. “We will definitely keep our tricks and try to be more efficient. Our focus is on tomorrow’s game and we are ready. It’s true that there is a lot of pressure, but a coach has to know how to deal with all that. We are going into this game to get the three points,” siad Rajevac.
