In a high-stakes encounter at the Stade Olympique Alassane Ouattara, the Black Stars, brace themselves for a critical showdown against Mozambique in their final group stage match of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) on Monday at 8 pm local time.
Haunted by their disappointing performance in the 2021 edition, where they failed to progress beyond the group stage, Ghana are now on the precipice of making an unwelcome history – consecutive exits at the group stage for the first time in their AFCON journey.
Mozambique, meanwhile, emerged as a potential dark horse early in the tournament, causing a stir with a commendable display against Egypt in their opener. It required a late penalty for the record holders to salvage a draw, raising eyebrows about the Mambas’ potential. However, their fortunes took a nosedive in the second game, suffering a 3-0 defeat at the hands of Cape Verde, leaving questions about their consistency.
Having never won a game or progressed beyond the group stage in their previous AFCON appearances, Mozambique may seem like underdogs. Yet, their plight mirrors that of Comoros, who, despite being debutants, shocked Ghana in the 2021 AFCON, qualifying ahead of the four-time champions with a surprising 3-2 victory.
Ghana’s recent performances have left fans yearning for better results, and their form in the past couple of years has been inconsistent. However, the unpredictable nature of tournament football was evident in their clash against Egypt, where costly errors denied them a victory, settling for a 2-2 draw. The initial setback against Cape Verde (2-1) has added urgency for the Black Stars to redeem themselves and secure their first win since the 2019 AFCON, where they triumphed over Guinea-Bissau also in their final group game.
As the tension builds, Ghana face a make-or-break moment, and fans eagerly await whether the Black Stars can rise to the occasion and secure a vital victory against Mozambique to keep their AFCON hopes alive.
How can Mozambique qualify?
- The Mambas will qualify if they beat Ghana and Egypt fail to beat Cape Verde.
- If they win and Egypt wins, they will still stand a chance of sailing through as a third-placed team.
- If they draw, they will be out, unless Egypt lose with a 3+ goal margin, then Mozambique can hope to go through as one of the third-placed teams.
- They will be out if they lose to Ghana
How can Ghana qualify?
- Ghana will qualify if they beat Mozambique (4 points) and Egypt fail to win [draw (3 points) or loss (2 points)]
- They can still qualify as one of the best third-placed teams if they win and Egypt win.
- If they draw and Egypt loses, they will break the tie on goal difference since head-to-head hands no advantage to either side. Thus the margin of Egypt’s defeat will determine whether Ghana can qualify with a draw against Mozambique.
- Ghana cannot qualify with a defeat.
FORM GUIDE (LAST FIVE MATCHES)
MOZAMBIQUE’S OVERALL FORM
- 19 January 2024: Cape Verde 3–0 Mozambique AFCON 2023
- 14 January 2024: Egypt 2–2 Mozambique AFCON 2023
- 8 January 2024: Botswana 1–1 Mozambique Friendly
- 6 January 2024: Mozambique 2–0 Lesotho Friendly
- 19 November 2023: Mozambique 0–2 Algeria 2026 World Cup qualification
AFCON FORM
- 19 January 2024: Cape Verde 3–0 Mozambique AFCON 2023
- 14 January 2024: Egypt 2–2 Mozambique AFCON 2023
- 20 January 2010: Nigeria 3–0 Mozambique AFCON 2010
- 16 January 2010: Egypt 2–0 Mozambique AFCON 2010
- 12 January 2010: Mozambique 2–2 Benin AFCON 2010
GHANA’S OVERALL FORM
- 18 January 2024: Egypt 2-2 Ghana AFCON 2023
- 14 January 2024: Ghana 1-2 Cape Verde AFCON 2023
- 8 January 2024: Ghana 0–0 Namibia Friendly
- 21 November 2023: Comoros 1–0 Ghana 2026 World Cup qualification
- 17 November 2023: Ghana 1–0 Madagascar 2026 World Cup qualification
- 17 October 2023: United States 4–0 Ghana Friendly
AFCON FORM
- 18 January 2024: Egypt 2-2 Ghana AFCON 2023
- 14 January 2024: Ghana 1-2 Cape Verde AFCON 2023
- 18 January 2022: Ghana 2–3 Comoros AFCON 2021
- 14 January 2022: Gabon 1–1 Ghana AFCON 2021
- 10 January 2022: Morocco 1–0 Ghana AFCON 2021
HEAD-TO-HEAD
25 Jan 1996 Ghana 2-0 Mozambique AFCON 1996
14 Jan 1998 Ghana 0-0 Mozambique International Friendly
19 Jan 1998 Ghana 3-1 Mozambique International Friendly
24 Jan 1999 Ghana 1-0 Mozambique AFCON qualification
24 Mar 2016 Ghana 3-1 Mozambique AFCON qualification
27 Mar 2016 Mozambique 0-0 Ghana AFCON qualification
PREDICTED LINEUP
MOZAMBIQUE
(4-4-2): Ernani; Mandava, Dove, Mexer, Macandza; Guima, Amade, Witi, Bauque; Gildo, Ratifio
GHANA
Ghana received positive news on the injury front as it was revealed that Majeed Ashimeru, who suffered an injury against Egypt, is expected to be fit for the upcoming match.
PREDICTED LINEUP
(4-2-3-1) Ofori; Odoi, Djiku, Salisu, Mensah; Salis, Ashimeru; Paintsil, Kudus, J Ayew, Semenyo