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Morocco will lock horns against Congo DR at the Stade de San Pédro in their second group-stage match of the Africa Cup of Nations 2023 (AFCON) on Sunday.
Morocco, the best-ranked African team in the FIFA Rankings (13), got their campaign underway on a positive note, registering a comfortable 3-0 win over Tanzania, who had a player sent off in the 70th minute.
Captain Romain Saïss broke the deadlock in the 30th minute while Azzedine Ounahi and Youssef En-Nesyri added goals three minutes apart in the second half to ensure a win for the 1976 AFCON champions.
Congo DR had a relatively slower start to their campaign and were held to a 1-1 draw by Zambia. Kings Kangwa broke the deadlock in the 23rd minute to give Zambia a well-deserved lead. Yoane Wissa equalized for Congo four minutes later, with Cédric Bakambu picking up the assist.
A win would ensure a knockout-round berth for the Atlas Lions while Congo DR need to avoid a loss in this match to keep their knockout-round qualification hopes alive.
Morocco vs Congo DR Head-to-Head and Key Numbers
- The two teams have met five times in competitive games thus far, excluding meetings before 1998, when Congo DR played as Zaire. The Atlas Lions have the upper hand in the head-to-head record with a 2-1 lead in wins and two games ending in draws.
- Three of the five meetings between the two teams have produced fewer than 2.5 goals, with one clean sheet apiece for each team.
- They have met just once at the AFCON, with Congo DR recording a 1-0 win in the group-stage meeting in the 2017 edition of the continental tournament.
- The 1976 AFCON winners have won five of their last six games across all competitions, keeping four clean sheets.
Morocco vs Congo DR Prediction
The Atlas Lions have been billed as one of the favorites to lift the trophy this year and lived up to the expectations with a dominant 3-0 win over Tanzania in their campaign opener.
While their potent attacking lineup is their biggest strength, they delivered a strong defensive performance in the campaign opener and prevented Tanzania from registering a single shot on target. Head coach Walid Regragui is expected to stick with the same starting XI as he looks to seal a spot in the knockout stage for his team.
The Leopards have made it to the knockout stage in their last three appearances at the AFCON, though they failed to qualify for the group stage in 2021. After a slow start in their campaign opener, they bounced back well and offered a lot of threat going forward.
They just had one goal to their name from six shots on target and will look to work on finishing in this crucial match. They have just one win in their last six matches at the AFCON, suffering four defeats, which is a cause for concern.
Considering the current form of the two teams and Morocco's advantage in squad quality, they are expected to register a comfortable win and the odds of a clean sheet also look good.
Prediction: Morocco 3-0 Congo DR
Morocco vs Congo DR Betting Tips
Tip 1: Result - Morocco 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: Achraf Hakimi to score or assist any time - Yes
