Cote d'Ivoire face determined Guinea-Bissau in opener

The 34th edition of the CAF TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations, hosted by Cote d'Ivoire, gets underway on Saturday the national team take on Guinea-Bissau in the opening match on Saturday at the Alassane Ouattara Olympic Stadium in Ebimpe. 

As the host nation and a contender for the ultimate victory, Cote d'Ivoire aims to reassure its fans, preparing to flood the stands of the 60,000-capacity Ebimpe stadium with a convincing triumph. 

The Elephants have all the advantages, playing on home turf and boasting a well-equipped squad in all areas of the game.

These factors grant them the status of overwhelming favorites against an opponent that has yet to secure a victory in the Africa Cup of Nations after three participations.

However, the Guinea-Bissau team recognizes the opportunity for an extraordinary achievement.

Determined to savour the joy of victory in the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations and advance beyond the group stage, the Djurtus see this opening match as the perfect chance to create a sensation, reminiscent of their near-triumph in January 2017 when they held Gabon to a 1-1 draw in the inaugural match of the CAF TotalEnergies AFCON 2017 at the Angondje Stadium in Libreville.

"A match is a match; there are no more small teams. The principle will be to start the game well, gain confidence by respecting the opponent. It's a team that likes to defend and counter. We need to be good technically, control the game, and finish our actions," stated Ivory Coast's coach, Jean-Louis Gasset, in the pre-match press conference.

This will be the first-ever encounter between the two West African teams in the CAF TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations.

Frank Kessie and his teammates will attempt to emulate their predecessors from 1984, who handed a severe 3-0 defeat to Togo in the opening match of the very first AFCON organized in Ivory Coast.

"The Ivorian team has a very high level; they have very good players, accustomed to participating in major competitions. It's a great nation. Even at the local level, they have a good league; we have players who play here... Guinea will simply try to do its job on the field," remarked Baciro Cande, the coach of Djurtus, in a press conference.

The kick-off for this encounter is scheduled for Saturday, January 13, 2024, at 8:00 PM GMT at the Alassane Ouattara Olympic Stadium in Ebimpe.