Prediction: Guniea vs Egypt

Verdict: Away win

Best odds: 28/25

Bookmaker: ZetBet

Guinea and Egypt will cross paths in the fifth round of the qualifications for the African Cup of Nations at the Stade de Marrakech on Wednesday. It should be a thrilling contest between the two teams looking to finish top of Group D, ahead of Malawi and Ethiopia.

Guinea

Guinea’s qualifying campaign had a slow start, but they have turned things around with three consecutive victories, placing them on the verge of their 13th appearance at the AFCON.

Initially, the Syli National suffered a narrow 1-0 defeat against Egypt in their Group D opener in June 2022. However, they bounced back with a 1-0 win over Malawi just four days later, reigniting their campaign.

Following that, Guinea secured a comfortable 2-0 victory over Ethiopia on March 24, and continued their winning streak by defeating the Walia Ibex 3-2 in the second match of their group double-header at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium.

With just one point needed in their final two matches, Guinea is poised to qualify for their third consecutive AFCON appearance. They previously participated in the continental tournament in 2019 and 2021, respectively.

In the past two editions, Kaba Diawara’s team exited the competition in the round of 16. They suffered a 3-0 loss to Algeria in Egypt four years ago, followed by a 1-0 defeat against Malawi two years later.

Team News

For the upcoming matches against Egypt and Brazil, Diawara has announced a squad of 23 players. The list includes notable names such as Issiaga Sylla, the defender from Toulouse, and Naby Keita, a midfielder set to leave Liverpool to join Werder Bremen as a free agent.

The attack is expected to be spearheaded by Francois Kamano, the Lokomotiv Moscow striker who boasts 41 senior caps for Guinea. He will be supported by Morgan Guilavogui and the 25-year-old Mohamed Bayo.

In terms of defense, the starting lineup is likely to feature Antoine Conte, Saidou Sow, Mouctar Diakhaby, and Sylla, all of whom played in the previous victory against Ethiopia.

Egypt

Following their opening-day success against Guinea, Egypt experienced an unexpected setback with a 2-0 defeat to Ethiopia. Dawa Hotessa and Shemeles Bekele scored first-half goals at the Bingu National Stadium, causing the surprise loss.

However, the Egyptian team swiftly regained their momentum, securing two consecutive wins over Malawi in their 2023 campaign. They showcased their attacking prowess by scoring six goals while maintaining clean sheets against the Flames.

In their recent performances, Egypt have been onn exceptional form, winning their last five matches across various competitions. Notably, they achieved a thrilling 2-1 victory over Belgium in a friendly held at the Jaber Al-Ahmad International Stadium in November. Mostafa Mohamed and Mahmoud Trezeguet found the net for the Pharaohs, putting them two goals ahead before Lois Openda, a substitute for Belgium, scored in the 76th minute.

With the goal of extending their record of 25 AFCON appearances, Rui Vitoria’s team currently holds the top spot in the table with nine points from four matches, narrowly edging out Wednesday’s hosts on goal difference.

Egypt enters the midweek clash with an impressive unbeaten streak against Guinea, having recorded five wins and two draws in their last seven encounters since their initial meeting back in 1970.

Team News

The spotlight as far as Egypt is concerned will be firmly on Liverpool star Mohamed Salah, as he captains the squad. Interestingly, there are also two potential debutants from Future FC’s midfield on the list – Mohamed Reda and Ghannam Mohamed – who have received their first-ever international call-up.

Ahmed Abdel-Kader, the forward from Al Ahly, has been given a late call-up to the Egypt squad. He will be joining his club teammates Mohamed El-Shennawy, Mohamed Hany, and Hussein El-Shahat in the national side.

Abdel-Kader has been included in the squad as a replacement for Mohamed Helal, who unfortunately suffered an injury while playing for National Bank of Egypt in the Premier League last Friday.

Conclusion

Guinea will no doubt give their best in this game, but Egypt are likely to prove their own quality too great for the hosts to handle. A narrow victory for the visitors seems the likeliest outcome.

Verdict: Away win

Best odds: 28/25

Bookmaker: ZetBet