Two tasty clashes in the ongoing TotalEnergies U23 Africa Cup of Nations will ensue Tuesday evening as Group A takes center stage at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Complex in Rabat, Morocco.The first match of the day will see two nations – Congo and Guinea – fight not only for their first win in the tournament, but a chance to stay alive in the competition.After an exciting matchday 1, the #TotalEnergiesAFCONU23 marches on! 🔥Here are matchday 2’s games. 👇 pic.twitter.com/adtco8C9mu— #TotalEnergiesAFCONU23 🏆 (@CAF_Online) June 26, 2023 Both teams lost in their opening group fixtures as Congo suffered a 3-2 defeat to Ghana with Guinea, who had taken the lead early, fell to an Abde Ezzalzouli brace in the 2-1 defeat on Saturday.”Our approach to this match will mirror that of a final against our Guinean counterparts. In modern football, fortunes can change rapidly. Argentina’s victorious journey in the last FIFA World Cup began with an initial defeat. Therefore, it falls upon us to exhibit efficiency on the field,” Congo head coach Cyril Ndonga said ahead of the game while speaking to CAF Media. “We are determined to witness the Warriors of Guinea crumble on the pitch.”Guinean head coach, Morlaye Cissé, on the other hand believes a positive mindset and mentality in the 2000 EAT kickoff will work a charm in the game saying; “Our approach is to look ahead and not dwell on the first match that ended in defeat against Morocco. We have dedicated ourselves to comprehensive preparations, recognizing our strengths.”##NAJAVA_MECA_7336940##Morocco vs Ghana.The late fixture of the day (2300 EAT) will serve as an interesting game as the two top sides – all tied on three points after opening day victories – look to become the first nation in the tournament to book a place in the semifinals.Ghana, fuelled by an impressive performance from CFR Cluj’s Emmanuel Yeboah in the opening matchup, are confident of getting a win against the hosts, as head coach Ibrahim Tanko reemphasized pre-game.”These are the matches we live for. We will rise to the occasion. The home crowd will be against us, the atmosphere will be electric, and it provides an opportunity for us to assess our players’ reactions in such situations,” he said.Ghana #3 🤝 Scoring goals ⚽️@asamoah_gyan3 must be proud 😉#TotalEnergiesAFCONU23 | @ghanafaofficial pic.twitter.com/ugE9nXa84V— #TotalEnergiesAFCONU23 🏆 (@CAF_Online) June 26, 2023 Prior to the game, Ghana’s senior team head coach Chris Houghton visited the team at their base in Morocco to wish them well in their games.Morocco – second in Group A due to lesser goals scored – believe the home fans will play a huge role in the game, while emphasizing some vulnerabilities in the Ghanaian team.“We must remain focused, start the game strongly, and bear in mind that we are playing on home soil. Disappointing our nation is not an option,” Morocco head coach Issame Charai mentioned.The game takes place at the Rabat Prince Moulay Abdellah Sports Complex.
