Tonight, Cote d’Ivoire will host the 34th edition of the Africa Cup of Nations, marking the second time the country has hosted the tournament since 1984.
The opening match will take place at Stade Alassane Ouattara Ebimpé, where Cote d’Ivoire will face off against West African rivals Guinea Bissau.
With two previous wins, they are the second most successful team in terms of appearances, just behind Egypt.
In the last nine editions, they have advanced beyond the group stages in eight of them. In their final preparatory game, Cote d’Ivoire defeated Sierra Leone 5-1, providing a much-needed boost ahead of the AFCON opening match.
Guinea Bissau, on the other hand, will be making their fourth consecutive appearance in the tournament since their debut in Gabon in 2017.
Having previously played in the opening game of 2017 against Gabon, the Djurtus may have some experience with opening ceremonies.
However, they face a tough challenge against the Ivorians.
Surprisingly, Cote d’Ivoire’s final squad for the tournament does not include experienced players Eric Bailly and Winfred Zaha, as announced by coach Jean-Louis Gasset.
Instead, Gasset relies on the leadership of skipper Serge Aurier, midfielders Franck Kessie, Jean Michel Seri, Ibrahima Sangare, Seko Fofana, and striker Sebastien Haller for a strong start against Guinea Bissau on Saturday night.
Meanwhile, Guinea Bissau will look to forward Mama Balde to lead them to an upset victory against the hosts.
Although Guinea Bissau has never progressed beyond the group stages in the AFCON, their stunning victory over Nigeria during the qualifiers gives them hope for a successful tournament.
Overall, the stage is set for an exciting opening match between Cote d’Ivoire and Guinea Bissau in the Africa Cup of Nations.
