Gabon take on the visitors Ivory Coast in the round 3 match of Africa Cup of Nations group stage. The match will be played on Wednesday, December 31st at Stade de Marrakech (Marrakech).
Gabon wanted to prove themselves at least here, but only disappointed again. The Panthers have been unable to fully capitalize on the presence of high-profile stars for quite some time. Their biggest chance was qualification for the upcoming World Cup, but even with eight wins and 22 points they eventually finished behind Côte d’Ivoire. As the best runner-up, they moved on to the playoffs for the final World Cup spots, where they drew with Nigeria in regular time but then conceded three times in extra time. At the Africa Cup of Nations, they started against another strong side, Cameroon, and failed to respond to the only goal they conceded. The match against Mozambique was more eventful, but despite scoring twice they conceded even more and lost 2-3. After two defeats, their only remaining motivation is essentially to end the tournament on a positive note. Recent performances show that Gabon struggle to maintain defensive balance against well-organized opponents. Their current form suggests recurring problems in closing out matches and turning competitive displays into results.
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Côte d’Ivoire managed to win the tournament on home soil in the previous edition and confirmed their good shape by topping their qualification group with eight wins and one draw. This tournament also serves as preparation for the long-awaited World Cup in North America. They started with a match against nominal outsiders Mozambique, scoring just once but securing the victory. The second-round game against Cameroon was slightly more open, with both sides scoring once in a pragmatic 1-1 draw. Overall, Côte d’Ivoire look solid and well-structured in recent matches. Even without pushing the tempo aggressively, they continue to control games and avoid unnecessary risks.
The Elephants have won four of the seven head-to-head matches, with only one defeat. They also collected four points from two qualification games in this cycle, which ultimately decided the direct World Cup ticket. With little at stake for either side, a cautious game is expected. The logical choice here is under 2.5 goals.
Prediction for the match: Under 2.5 scored goals.
