Equatorial Guinea vs Guinea Bissau Prediction: Unbeaten Elephants to keep things rolling with a win

On Matchday two of the Africa Cup of Nations, Equatorial Guinea and Guinea-Bissau are set to clash at the Stade Olympique Alassane Ouattara on Thursday. Both teams failed to secure maximum points in their opening matches, and they are determined to continue their AFCON campaign with a victory in this upcoming fixture.

Equatorial Guinea played to a 1-1 draw against the Super Eagles of Nigeria in their opening match on Sunday. Juan Micha's team took the lead in the 36th minute with a goal from Iban Salvador, but their advantage was quickly nullified by Victor Osimhen.

Consequently, Los Elefantes currently sit in third place in Group A, sharing points with Nigeria and trailing leaders Ivory Coast by two points. Their next challenge comes against an opponent who has previously won the last two encounters between them, with a combined scoreline of 7-1. Equatorial Guinea, currently unbeaten in their last 11 matches across all competitions, aims to secure a crucial three points to virtually secure their spot in the last 16.

Guinea-Bissau experienced a comprehensive 2-0 defeat against the Ivory Coast, the tournament hosts, at the Olympic Stadium of Ebimpe on Saturday evening. Baciro Cande's team conceded an early goal from Seko Fofana and saw Jean-Philippe Krasso seal the victory just before the hour mark. As the only team in Group A yet to secure a point, the Wild Dogs currently occupy the bottom position in the group. However, they remain in contention as they head into the penultimate round of group-stage games.

Having conceded a total of eight goals in their last two matches, Guinea-Bissau faces the imperative task of shoring up their defense to have any chance of avoiding defeat in their upcoming match.

The upcoming Thursday's game will only be the third encounter between Equatorial Guinea and Guinea-Bissau. The first two meetings took place in friendly clashes, with Guinea-Bissau emerging victorious with scores of 1-4 and 3-0. In terms of defensive records, Guinea-Bissau has managed to keep just one clean sheet in their last six games across all competitions. Equatorial Guinea, on the other hand, has been consistently finding the net, scoring at least one goal in all but one of their last 11 games across various competitions.

Equatorial Guinea possible starting lineup:

Owono; Ndong, Coco, Orozco, Akapo; Ganet, Bikoro; Buyla, Machin, Salvador; Nsue

Guinea-Bissau possible starting lineup:

Djoco; Encada, Sangante, Djalo, Cande; Bikel, Semedo, Cassama; Mane, Balde, Rodrigues

Equatorial Guinea is currently on a streak of consecutive draws, remaining undefeated in their last 11 games across all competitions. Their commendable performance against the Super Eagles in the previous match showcases their form, and they aim to capitalize on it in the upcoming week. In contrast, Guinea-Bissau has faced defeats in their last two matches and has won just one of their last five games. The Elephants exhibit much better form than their counterparts leading up to Thursday's clash, making them the favorites.

Interestingly, each of the Elephants' last seven matches has seen fewer than 2.5 goals, aligning with the overall trend of low-scoring matches in the tournament. Given this pattern, the upcoming contest is expected to follow a similar trend, concluding in a closely contested match with one or fewer goals.