Equatorial Guinea take on the visitors Algeria in the round 3 match of Africa Cup of Nations group stage. The match will be played on Wednesday, December 31st at Stade Prince Moulay Hassan (Rabat).
Equatorial Guinea are performing largely as expected. The Red Devils, despite their loud nickname, have not been anything special for quite some time. Even reaching this tournament is already an achievement, as the team, which had previously qualified for the Africa Cup of Nations only twice, are now playing in their third consecutive edition with this generation. Expectations were low, given that in the recently completed qualification campaign they finished only second from bottom in their group, above São Tomé and Príncipe, collecting 11 points from ten matches. In the opening game against Burkina Faso they even managed to score, but still lost 1-2. Against Sudan they failed to respond after conceding and went down again. As a result, they were predictably confirmed early as outsiders with no realistic chance of reaching the playoffs. Recent matches show that Equatorial Guinea struggle to maintain intensity throughout the game. Their overall form suggests that competing evenly with stronger opponents remains beyond their current level.
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Algeria, back in August at the African Nations Championship, confidently reached the playoffs, only to be eliminated immediately on penalties by Sudan. They started this month’s Arab Cup against the same opponent, again settling for a draw. After that, they beat Bahrain and Iraq to reach the playoffs, but once more suffered elimination after a draw and a penalty shootout, this time against the UAE. In contrast, World Cup qualification went extremely well, as Algeria finished first with eight wins and 25 points from ten matches. In this tournament, they again faced familiar Sudan and this time encountered no problems at all, cruising to a convincing 3-0 victory. In the following match against Burkina Faso they scored just once and with some difficulty, but still secured the win, which allowed them to guarantee a playoff spot ahead of schedule. Overall, Algeria’s recent results underline their clear superiority in matches where motivation is high. At the same time, with qualification already secured, their current form may allow for a more relaxed approach without significantly reducing their effectiveness.
Between 2022 and 2024, the national teams met three times. Each side has one win, with one match ending in a draw. The Desert Foxes are still stronger even without strong motivation, while their opponents no longer have anything to play for. The bet is on another Algeria victory.
Prediction for the match: Algeria to win.
