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Mozambique national football team
Africa Cup of Nations | Group Stage
Jan 22, 2024 at 8pm UK
Stade Olympique Alassane Ouattara (Abidjan)
Ghana national football team

Mozambique
2 - 2
Ghana

Catamo (90+1' pen.), Mandava (90+4')
Catamo (31'), Mandava (66'), Mexer (69'), Nanani (84')
FT(HT: 0-1)
Ayew (15' pen., 70' pen.)
Ashimeru (28'), Ayew (49'), Baba (58'), Djiku (62'), Ayew (84')

Preview: Mozambique vs. Ghana - prediction, team news, lineups

Sports Mole previews Monday's Africa Cup of Nations clash between Mozambique and Ghana, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.

Group B at the Africa Cup of Nations will draw to a close this week, and Ghana will be looking to keep their qualification hopes alive when they face Mozambique at Stade Olympique Alassane Ouattara on Monday night.

Ghana are staring down a second consecutive AFCON group-stage exit, currently in third place in the group and level on one point with their opponents in this match, who are at the bottom of the group standings.


Match preview

Mozambique players pose for a team group photo before the match on January 19, 2024© Reuters

Mozambique have had to wait 12 years to return to the AFCON, having failed to qualify for the last six editions, and the requirements for them to remain in the competition are exactly the same as their opponents in this match.

However, history is certainly not on the Mambas' side since they have never won a group-stage match in an AFCON, losing 12 and drawing two of their 14 matches over five tournaments, including this one.

In addition, Mozambique have never kept a clean sheet in the premier continental competition, conceding 31 goals to date and allowing two or more goals in 13 of their 14 AFCON matches.

Failure to keep a clean sheet on Monday will see the Mambas draw level with Zimbabwe as the sides that have gone the longest period of time (15 games) without keeping a single clean sheet in this competition.

Chiquinho Conde's side did come agonisingly close to breaking their AFCON duck, though, when they faced Egypt in their opening match and came from behind to take a 2-1 lead but were heartbroken when a penalty was given against them deep in stoppage time, which Mohamed Salah stuck away to save The Pharaoh's blushes.

Unfortunately, the Mambas were unable to follow up on that performance in match two against Cape Verde, as individual mistakes in defence led to them being comfortably beaten 3-0 and on the verge of elimination.

Thomas Partey in action for Ghana in October 2023© Reuters

Ghana were sent crashing out of the tournament two years ago when they finished bottom of their group, and they will end at the foot of Group B this year if they lose this crunch match.

The Black Stars got their tournament underway in the worst way possible as they found themselves outplayed by group leaders Cape Verde and slumped to a 3-0 defeat, putting them under immense pressure early on.

Matchday two against Egypt brought out a better performance from Chris Hughton's side, who went into the match as the underdogs, but despite taking the lead twice, they were unable to hang on and had to settle for a share of the spoils.

That result marked Ghana's sixth consecutive AFCON match without a win, which is their longest-ever winless run during their over six-decade history in this competition.

A win over Mozambique here will still not be enough to see the Black Stars claim an automatic qualification spot if Egypt beat Cape Verde in the other match, but four points will almost certainly be good enough to finish as one of the best third-placed teams.

Mozambique Africa Cup of Nations form:


Mozambique form (all competitions):


Ghana Africa Cup of Nations form:


Ghana form (all competitions):


Team News

Ghana's Andre Ayew celebrate after Mohammed Salisu scores their first goal on November 28, 2022© Reuters

Lau King and Domingues were brought on at the interval during Mozambique's loss to Cape Verde, and the pair will be vying for places in the starting lineup in the upcoming game against Ghana.

Conde also altered his side's formation in their last match, deploying Atletico Madrid's Reinildo in a back three, and it will be interesting to see if they continue with that on Monday.

Mohammed Kudus missed Ghana's opening match against Cape Verde due to injury, but the West Ham United midfielder marked his arrival at the tournament with a stunning opener against Egypt before bagging a second goal midway through the second half.

The Black Stars have no injury concerns at the moment and could turn to veteran Andre Ayew to provide extra strength in attack after the Le Havre attacker remained as an unused substitute in the last match.


Mozambique possible starting lineup:
Ernani; Mandava, Dove, Mexer, Macandza; Guima, Amade, Witi, Bauque; Gildo, Ratifio

Ghana possible starting lineup:
Ofori; Odoi, Djiku, Salisu, Mensah, Ashimeru; Paintsil, Konigsdorffer; Ayew, Kudus, Williams


SM words green background

We say: Mozambique 1-2 Ghana

Ghana would have got some much-needed confidence from their performance against Egypt last week and the return of Kudus has given them a genuine attacking threat at the top end of the pitch. Mozambique will certainly not back down here, but we are backing the Black Stars to get the victory they need in this one.


For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.


Top tip

Our expert tipster partners at Sporita.com are predicting under 2.5 goals in this match. Click here to find out what else they are predicting for this game and for more of their tried-and-tested football tips.Under 2.5:data


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Game History

How you voted: Mozambique vs Ghana

Mozambique
29.6%
Draw
7.4%
Ghana
63.0%
27
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Egypt's Trezeguet celebrates scoring their first goal with Mohamed Salah and teammates on January 7, 2024
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Group A

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Equatorial Guinea flag Eq Guinea32107
Q Nigeria Nigeria32107
Q Cote D'Ivoire flag Ivory Coast31023
4 Guinea-Bissau flag Guinea-Bissau30030

Group B

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Cape Verde flag Cape Verde32107
Q Egypt Egypt30303
3 Ghana flag Ghana30212
4 Mozambique flag Mozambique30212

Group C

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Senegal flag Senegal33009
Q Guinea flag Guinea31114
Q Cameroon flag Cameroon31114
4 Gambia flag Gambia30030

Group D

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Angola Angola32107
Q Burkina Faso flag Burkina Faso31114
Q Mauritania flag Mauritania31023
4 Algeria Algeria30212

Group E

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Mali flag Mali31205
Q South Africa South Africa31114
Q Namibia Namibia31114
4 Tunisia Tunisia30212

Group F

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Morocco Morocco32107
Q DR Congo flag Congo DR30303
3 Tanzania flag Tanzania30212
4 Zambia flag Zambia30212


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