Today Egypt is set to encounter Mozambique in their opening match of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) at Stade Félix Houphouët-Boigny.
Recently in excellent form, Egypt, the seven-time record champions and previous edition’s runners-up, boast a commendable five-game unbeaten streak across all competitions. Their preparation for the campaign opener included a friendly against Tanzania last week, concluding with a solid 2-0 victory.
After a 14-year absence, Mozambique makes a return to the group stage of the continental competition. Despite never advancing beyond the group stage in their four previous appearances, they aim to enhance their track record. Impressively, in two friendlies earlier this month, they secured a 2-0 victory against Lesotho and held Botswana to a 1-1 draw.
Both teams find themselves in Group B, alongside Ghana and Cape Verde. The Pharaohs are widely considered strong favorites to emerge as the leaders of the group and are determined to commence their campaign with a victory.
Having secured the runners-up position in two out of the last three AFCON editions, the Pharaohs are on a quest for redemption following their penalty shootout loss to Senegal in the previous tournament. Boasting an impressive record of 12 wins in their last 14 games, including friendlies, they enter the competition as strong favorites.
With clean sheets in their last three matches, head coach Rui Vitória anticipates another robust defensive display from his team. Liverpool star Mohamed Salah, who provided an assist for Trézéguet in the friendly against Tanzania, is expected to play a pivotal role in this upcoming match.
Prediction: Egypt 3-1 Mozambique
