Egypt will face Ghana in their second game of the group stage of the African Cup of Nations on Wednesday. Both countries are on paper the favorites to advance from the group. They are under pressure to win this match after a terrible first-day performance. We expect an exciting match.
Preview (Egypt vs. Ghana)
Set seven records African champions Egypt, behind Mozambique in the latter minutes of stoppage time. They were about to pull off one of the biggest upsets in the 2023 AFCON opening round. Mozambique is now ranked 111th in the FIFA World Rankings. They put on an incredible team display as Witi and Clésio Bauque scored goals in three minutes. But Liverpool sensation Mohamed Salah saved face and forced a share of the spoils. He converted his penalty in the 97th minute while maintaining composure under duress.
Before it, Egypt had been winning three straight games, scoring ten goals, and recording three clean sheets. As a result, they had risen to the top of Group A of the World Cup qualifying tournament. Rui Vitoria’s team has gone six games in a row without losing in all competitions. With Sunday’s result, they have won four and drawn two of those games. Now, they will try to avoid losing their first two AFCON finals games for the first time in more than thirty years. Egypt’s only previous tournament loss was in 1992 when they opened the competition with a 1-0 loss to Zambia and then suffered a 1-0 loss to Ghana.
This was yet another terrible AFCON outcome for the four-time winners, who have now lost three and drawn two of their past five games in the competition since defeating Guinea-Bissau 2-0 in 2019. Two years prior, in their opening match in Cameroon, Chris Hughton’s team similarly lost, 1-0, to Morocco. They were then shocked 3-2 by Comoros, who made their debut, ending their campaign in the group stages. Ghana has now lost three of their last four matches against Egypt. They will now try to avoid losing three straight AFCON matches for the first time.
Team News
After playing a part in both of Sunday’s goals against Mozambique, including his 56th international goal, Salah is a player to watch out for from Liverpool. The 31-year-old has been excellent for Liverpool this season. He scoring 14 goals and assisting on eight more as the Reds presently sit atop the Premier League standings. He has four goal involvements in his previous two games for Egypt. Along with Mohamed and Mahmoud Trezeguet, who made his 62nd international debut this past weekend, Salah should lead the Pharaohs’ attack once more.
Ahmed Elneny is an Arsenal player who has played in just 12 Premier League minutes so far this year. He is expected to stay in the middle of the pitch and form a midfield triangle. Egypt’s recent game against Mozambique did not result in an effective defensive performance. We anticipate that Vitoria will start with the same back four on Wednesday. Nevertheless, Mohamed Abdelmonem and former West Bromwich Albion player Ahmed Hegazy ought to reunite as the center-back duo, with Mohammed Hany and Pyramids’ Mohamed Hamdi assuming the full-back positions.
Ghana is still concerned about the health of forward Mohammed Kudus of West Ham United, who was noticeably missing from their opening-day loss to Cape Verde. With 10 goals and 1 assist in all competitions since joining West Ham from Ajax in the summer, Kudus has been in excellent form. Andre Ayew, 34, should start off the bench once more. In the 62nd minute of the match against Cape Verde, he became the first player to appear in eight different AFCON finals.
Egypt 2-1 Ghana
For more football previews, click here
