AFCON 2023 kickoff: Cote d’Ivoire set to face Guinea-Bissau in historic centennial match

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The 34th edition of the CAF Africa Cup of Nations is set to kick off in Abidjan on Saturday, with hosts Cote d’Ivoire engaging in their 100th AFCON game against Guinea-Bissau at the Alassane Ouattara Stadium in Group A.

The opening match will take place on Saturday, January 13, 2024 at the Alassane Ouattara Stadium, Abidjan by 8pm.

Tournament hosts, Cote d’Ivoire, aiming to celebrate reaching the century with a strong performance, hopes to improve upon their group stage exit the last time they hosted the Africa Cup of Nations in 1984.

Despite automatically qualifying as hosts, Cote d’Ivoire participated in the qualifying rounds, finishing as runners-up in Group H ahead of Comoros and Lesotho.

The team’s recent form, boasting 16 goals in their last three matches, showcases their potent attacking prowess.

Having participated in the AFCON in 24 editions, Cote d’Ivoire are two-time champions (1992 and 2015), defeating Ghana in penalty shootouts on both occasions. Their last AFCON appearance ended in a penalty shootout loss to Egypt in the round of 16.

Guinea-Bissau, on the other hand, faces a goal-scoring challenge, having failed to find the net in their last seven AFCON matches, setting a record for goal drought in the competition.

Despite this, they secured qualification as Group A runners-up, earning 13 points in a group that included Nigeria, Sierra Leone, and São Tomé and Príncipe.

The Djurtus are 54-places below their opponents on Saturday and so will look to take their counter-attacking opportunities and set-piece chances if they are to take any points from the encounter.

Guinea Bissau have never qualified for the knockout round of the Cup of Nations and will sieze the Elephants, familiar foes, Nigeria and Equatorial Guinea in group A.

While this marks the first encounter between Cote d’Ivoire and Guinea-Bissau at the Africa Cup of Nations, the historic centennial match promises to be a thrilling kickoff to the tournament.