Ivory Coast vs Ghana — Tips & Analysis

Ghana +1: These two hardly score against each other. Their last four meetings produced 1 goal a game between them, and two of those games finished 0-0. Nothing in the team news suggests that changes. Ghana are without captain Jordan Ayew, Antoine Semenyo and Mohammed Kudus, their three best attackers. Ivory Coast have their own problems, with Sebastien Haller, Amad Diallo and Simon Adingra all missing. Ivory Coast are strong at home. They have won 5 of their last 7 there and let in under a goal a game in that run. But they win by 2 or more in only 4 of their last 13 games, so big margins are not their style. Ghana defend well and have lost by 2 or more only once in their last 12. They let in under a goal a game too. Put two blunted attacks, a low scoring head to head and a side that grinds out narrow wins together, and you get a close game in Bouake. Our read is a tight 1-0 Ivory Coast win, and that keeps us safe. What beats us is Ivory Coast winning by 2 or more. Ghana's clean record has flattered them a little, and they are hard to call under Carlos Queiroz with so many players out. We still want Ghana staying close here.