Ivory Coast vs. Sierra Leone: Match Preview, Team News, and Prediction

Two African heavyweights, the Elephants of Ivory Coast and the Leone Stars of Sierra Leone, will meet later today at the Stade de Yamoussoukro. The match is a crucial Group I encounter at the ongoing 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers.

Match Preview

Ivory Coast is the favorite to win this match, as they are the higher-ranked team. The Elephants are currently ranked 51st in the FIFA World Rankings, while Sierra Leone is ranked 108th. Ivory Coast has also won the AFCON twice. The most recent triumph was in 2015.

Sierra Leone, on the other hand, is a much less experienced team. They have only qualified for the AFCON twice, in 1994 and 1996. However, they will be hoping to cause an upset against Ivory Coast and boost their chances of qualifying for the tournament.

Team News

Ivory Coast will be without the services of several key players for this match. Wilfried Zaha, Nicolas Pepe, and Eric Bailly have all been ruled out due to injury. However, they still have a strong squad, which includes the likes of Sebastien Haller, Franck Kessie, and Serge Aurier.

Sierra Leone will also be missing some key players. Mohamed Buya Turay and Alhaji Kamara are both out due to injury. However, they still have a number of experienced players in their squad, such as Kei Kamara and Steven Caulker.

Prediction

Ivory Coast is the clear favorite, but Sierra Leone will be hoping to cause an upset. The Elephants have more quality in their squad, but the Leone Stars will be playing at home. I predict that Ivory Coast will win the match 2-1.

Conclusion

The match between Ivory Coast and Sierra Leone is a crucial Group I encounter at the ongoing 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers. Ivory Coast is the favorite to win the match, but Sierra Leone will be hoping to cause an upset. The match will be played at the Stade de Yamoussoukro and will kick off at 16:00 GMT.

Ivory Coast Vs Sierra Leone