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Egypt will square off against Ghana at the Stade Félix Houphouët-Boigny in their second group-stage match of the Africa Cup of Nations 2023 (AFCON) on Thursday.
Egypt, the runners-up from the previous edition and record champions, did not have the start they were hoping for to the tournament as they were held to a 2-2 draw by Mozambique in their campaign opener.
They took the lead in the second minute thanks to Mostafa Mohamed's goal, assisted by in-form forward Mohamed Salah. Mozambique returned with vigor after the break and overturned the deficit as they scored twice in three minutes in the second half.
The seven-time winners got a lucky break late in the match as they were awarded a penalty in injury time. Salah made no mistakes in converting from the spot as he rescued a point for his team.
Ghana, four-time champions in the competition, lost 2-1 to Cape Verde, in what can be considered an upset in this edition of the AFCON. Alexander Djiku equalized for them in the 56th minute thanks to Jordan Ayew's assist but Garry Rodrigues bagged an injury-time winner for Cape Verde.
This is a must-win match for Ghana while the 2021 runners-up also need a win to ensure a top-two finish in the Group B table.
Egypt vs Ghana Head-to-Head and Key Numbers
- The two teams have met 23 times across all competitions thus far. Egypt have the upper hand in the head-to-head record with a 12-5 lead in wins and six games ending in draws.
- They last met in the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, with the match ending in a 1-1 draw and The Pharaohs recording a 3-1 win on aggregate.
- They have crossed paths four times in the AFCON, with the seven-time winners having a 2-1 lead in wins and one meeting ending in a draw.
- Ghana have just two wins in their last 15 meetings against their northern rivals, with one of them coming in a friendly.
Egypt vs Ghana Prediction
The Pharaohs continued their fine form in the campaign opener, scoring two goals for the third game on the trot. Interestingly, they conceded twice for the first time in seven games and will look to improve upon their defensive record in this match.
They are unbeaten in their last four meetings against Ghana, recording three wins, and should be hopeful of another positive outing. They have lost just once in their last 15 games in all competitions, recording 12 wins, and are strong favorites.
The Black Stars have endured a poor run of form recently, with just one win in their last six games across all competitions. They have suffered three defeats and failed to score in four games in that period. They have just one win in their last 10 games at the AFCON, suffering six losses, which is a cause for concern.
Head coach Chris Hughton should be able to count on Mohammed Kudus for this crucial match as he has recovered from a knock, which should bolster their attacking strength.
Nonetheless, considering the current form of the two teams and Egypt's better record in the AFCON recently, they should be able to eke out a narrow win.
Prediction: Egypt 2-1 Ghana
Egypt vs Ghana Betting Tips
Tip 1: Result - Egypt to win
Tip 2: Goals - Over/Under 2.5 Goals - Over 2.5 goals
Tip 3: At least a goal to be scored in the second half - Yes
Tip 4: Mo Salah to score or assist any time - Yes
