Ivory Coast vs Mozambique Prediction 24 December 2025
๐ How will the reigning champions kick off their new Africa Cup of Nations campaign? The Ivory Coast national team have arrived in Morocco to defend their title and will begin their journey with a match against the underdogs of Group F, Mozambique. The opening clash in Group F is set for December 24 at the 45,000-capacity โMarrakechโ stadium in the city of the same name. Can the nominal visitors pull off an upset against their star-studded opponents? We'll explore this question in our insightful prediction.
Head-to-Head
๐ The last time these national teams faced each other was in 2021 during the World Cup qualifiers for Qatar. At home, Mozambique held their ground against the Ivorians with a 0-0 draw, but suffered a heavy 3-0 defeat on the road. Ultimately, both teams missed out on the World Cup.
H2H Stats Matches and Previous Teams Results
Ivory Coast Team Overview
Just under two years ago, the Ivorians claimed the continental championship on home soil. Despite a lackluster performance in the group stage and the mid-tournament dismissal of their coach, they reached the final, where they defeated Nigeria 2-1. This trophy marked the third in the national team's history.
The "Elephants" have certainly not weakened since then. Under the guidance of Emerse Faรฉ, who remains at the helm, Cรดte d'Ivoire qualified for the Africa Cup of Nations without much trouble, even if not from the top spot. However, in the qualifiers for the upcoming 2026 World Cup, the Ivorians emerged as the strongest in their group, surpassing Gabon (1-0; 0-0) and remaining unbeaten across ten rounds. Their most recent match was a month ago, where the "Elephants" secured a 2-0 victory over Oman.
Match Results: Ivory Coast
Mozambique Team Overview
Mozambique are infrequent participants in the Africa Cup of Nations. Their last appearance was their first since 2010, but it didn't bring them much success as Chiquinho Conde's squad finished at the bottom of their group. However, they had no trouble qualifying for the current tournament. The "Mambas" secured second place in their group behind Mali (1-1; 0-1), finishing six points ahead of their closest rivals, Guinea-Bissau (2-1; 2-1).
Regarding the World Cup qualifiers that concluded in October, Mozambique put on a decent performance, winning 6 out of 10 matches. However, they were far from securing a spot in the World Cup, finishing only third in their group. Just before the Africa Cup of Nations, on December 17, Mozambique were soundly defeated by Angola (1-4) in a friendly match held behind closed doors and played in an unusual format (two halves of 45 minutes and a third of 30 minutes).
Match Results: Mozambique
Latest news
Ivory Coast
๐ In a recent interview, Emers Fae stated, โThe team is working well, with great dedication. Our mindset is positive, and that's crucial for participating in a major tournament like the Africa Cup of Nations.โ
โญ๏ธ The "Elephants" squad boasts a mix of seasoned stars and young talents. In the first category, we have Franck Kessie (Al-Ahli), Ibrahim Sangare (Nottingham Forest), Evan N'Dicka (Roma), and Seko Fofana (Rennes). Among the younger prospects, Janis Diomande (Leipzig) and Amad Diallo (Manchester United) stand out.
โ The Daily Post reported a significant loss for the Ivory Coast national team. Sebastien Haller (Utrecht), who scored the winning goal in the final against Nigeria, will miss the tournament due to injury. His spot will be filled by Evann Guessand from Aston Villa. Also notable is the absence of Nicolas Pepe (Villarreal) and Jeremie Boga (Nice) from the squad list for AFCON.
Mozambique
๐ Chiquinho Conde, ahead of the squad's departure to Morocco: โI feel that our team is joyful, happy, and united, which is very important. The best team isn't the one with the strongest players, but the one that plays together as a true team,โ stated Mozambique's head coach optimistically.
๐ Mozambique's squad doesn't feature major stars. Fans' hopes primarily rest on the experienced defender Reinildo Mandava (Sunderland) and forward Geny Catamo from Sporting Lisbon.
โ A few days ago, there were reports of health issues concerning Edmilson Dove (Al-Kuwa), Faisal Bangal (Mestre), and Bruno Langa (Pafos). The participation of these players in the first-round match is uncertain.
โฝ๏ธ Goal Prediction
The dominance of the "Elephants" in the upcoming match is hardly in question, but whether they'll score many goals remains uncertain. Following the trend, Ivory Coast have scored fewer than 2.5 goals in their last eight Africa Cup of Nations matches. Considering how rare high-scoring games are in this tournament, this betting option seems quite logical.
๐ฉ Corner Prediction
In the last ten official head-to-heads between these teams, there's not a significant difference in the average number of corners won-5.1 versus 4.2 in favor of the Ivorians. However, it's crucial to note how many they concede, and here the difference is evident: the "Elephants" allow 2.7, while the "Mambas" concede 5.1. The territorial advantage should be with the nominal hosts, so we predict an Ivory Coast win on corners with a handicap of (-2.5).
Editorial Prediction
Excluding friendlies, the Ivory Coast national team have kept a clean sheet in six consecutive matches. They are set to approach the first round with utmost seriousness, as a strong start is crucial in any tournament. The favorites should not underestimate their opponents, which means the Elephants' streak of not conceding could continue. Mozambique's lineup appears rather modest, and their recent heavy defeat in a friendly does little to boost their confidence ahead of facing the reigning champions.
Considering all the information above, we believe the upcoming match will end with a 2-0 victory for Ivory Coast. Therefore, the optimal bet seems to be on both teams to score (no), a wager that has paid off in the last six official matches for the Elephants.
Betting Tips: Ivory Coast - Mozambique
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Comparison of Teams Stats
Other predictions
