The African Cup of Nations unfolds with three exciting matches scheduled on Thursday evening in Ivory Coast. Equatorial Guinea Vs Guinea-Bissau – 5PM EAT The day kicks off with Equatorial Guinea facing Guinea-Bissau at the Stade Olympique Alassane Ouattara. Both teams, unable to secure maximum points in their opening encounters, are eager to ignite their AFCON campaign with a decisive three points.Equatorial Guinea played to a 1-1 draw against the Super Eagles of Nigeria in their opening game on Sunday, while Guinea-Bissau suffered a comprehensive 2-0 defeat against tournament hosts Ivory Coast at the Olympic Stadium of Ebimpe on Saturday.The teams clashed in a friendly game in March 2022, resulting in Guinea-Bissau securing a convincing 3-0 win.##NAJAVA_MECA_805770##Ivory Coast Vs Nigeria – 8PM EAT Group A action resumes with a captivating clash between hosts Cote d’Ivoire and a redemption-seeking Nigeria.The Elephants secured a commanding 2-0 victory in their opening match against Guinea-Bissau, while the Super Eagles managed to salvage a point with a comeback in their 1-1 draw against Equatorial Guinea.Jose Peseiro and his team face the challenge of a confident Cote d’Ivoire, supported by a vocal crowd at the Alassane Ouattara Olympic Stadium.The Super Eagles must secure a positive result or face the embarrassing possibility of an early exit. Coach Jean-Louis Gasset may benefit from the return of Sébastien Haller from injury and the availability of the young Simon Adingra, both of whom were unavailable for the first match.The last encounter between the two sides took place on January 11, 2015, in a friendly match won by the Elephants. However, with a continental title at stake, the upcoming match promises to be a compelling showcase for African football.Roberto Pico Lopes – Cape Verde’s lucky ‘leprechaun?Egypt Vs Ghana – 11PM EAT The day concludes with tournament record holders Egypt facing West African giants Ghana in a late kick-off, with both teams aiming for nothing less than victory. Egypt faced a 1-1 draw against Mozambique in their opening match, while the Black Stars were stunned by Cape Verde with a 2-1 defeat.Both sides, despite their impressive tournament records, have not met their high standards lately. The unconvincing performance against Mozambique raised questions about Egypt’s ability to clinch a record-extending title, while Ghana’s shock defeat to Cape Verde questioned the star-studded Black Stars team and there was an incident where a fan attempted to attack coach Chris Hughton.Both teams find themselves in a tricky position, needing a win on Thursday against the so-called underdogs of the group, Cape Verde and Mozambique, who are currently high on confidence. This will mark the fifth AFCON meeting between the two giants, with Egypt securing two wins, including the 2010 final, Ghana winning once, and one match ending in a draw. The match is poised to be a pivotal moment for both teams in the tournament.AFCON 2023: DR Congo and Zambia share two first-half goals to close the first roundAFCON 2023- GROUP STAGESaturdayIvory Coast – Guinea B. 2-0 (1-0)/Fofana 4, Krasso 58/SundayNigeria – Equatorial Guinea 1-1 (1-1)/Osimhen 38 – Salvador 36/Egypt – Mozambique 2-2 (1-0)/Mohamed 2, Salah 90+7 pen – Witi 55, Bauque 58/Ghana – Cape Verde 1-2 (0-1)/Djiku 56 – Monteiro 17, Rodrigues 90+2/MondaySenegal 3-0 Gambia (1-0)/Gueye 4, Camara 52, 86/Cameroon 1-1 Guinea (0-1)/Magri 51-Bayo 10/Algeria – Angola 1-1 (1-0)/Boundedjah 18 – Mabululu (p) 68/TuesdayBurkina Faso – Mauritania 1-0 (0-0)/Traore 90+5/Tunisia – Namibia 0-1 (0-0)/Hotto 88/Mali – S.Africa (0-0)/Traore 60, Sinayoko 66/WednesdayMorocco – Tanzania 3-0 (1-0)/Saiss 30, Ounahi 77, En Nesyri 80/Dr Congo – Zambia 1-1 (1-1)/WIssa 27 – Kangwa 23/Thursday games17:00 (2.45) Equatorial Guinea (3.05) Guinea-Bissau (3.15)20:00 (2.15) Ivory Coast (3.25) Nigeria (3.90)23:00 (2.05) Egypt (3.25) Ghana (4.30)***odds are subject to change***
