K.O. 15:00 ET Canada-USA | 22:00 Cairo local time (GMT+2)

Venue: Alassane Ouattara Stadium

Referee: Amin Omar

Guinea-Bissau is set to face Ivory Coast at the Alassane Ouattara Stadium in the opening match of the 2023 AFCON on Saturday.

As the hosts of this year’s continental tournament, Cote d’Ivoire finds itself in Group A alongside Guinea-Bissau, Nigeria, and Equatorial Guinea.

The hosting team is making its 10th consecutive appearance in the tournament. In the previous edition, they were ousted from the round of 16 by eventual runners-up Egypt and are determined to enhance their performance this time.

Guinea-Bissau has secured qualification for the fourth consecutive time. Notably, they faced group stage exits in the last three editions and are eager to advance to the knockout stage in the upcoming competition.

In preparation for the tournament, both teams engaged in a friendly match last week. The hosting team secured a convincing 5-1 victory against Sierra Leone, with goals contributed by Ousmane Diomande, Franck Kessié, Jonathan Bamba, Jeremie Boga, and Lazare Amani. Meanwhile, the visitors suffered a 6-2 defeat against Mali.

Heading into the game, Ivory Coast “Les Éléphants” boasts an impressive six-game unbeaten streak across all competitions, with four victories to their credit. In their last three matches, they found the back of the net 16 times, showcasing their goal-scoring prowess, which they aim to leverage in the upcoming match.

This marks only their second time hosting the AFCON. In their previous hosting stint in 1984, they faced an early exit after being eliminated in the group stage. Head coach Jean-Louis Gasset is determined to steer clear of a similar outcome this time.

Prediction: Cote d’Ivoire 4-1 Guinea-Bissau

2023 Africa Cup of Nations Live | Ivory Coast v Guinea-Bissau

K.O. 15:00 ET Canada-USA | 22:00 Cairo local time (GMT+2)