Preview: Ghana vs. Ivory Coast - prediction, team news, lineups

Ghana and Ivory Coast are set for a heavyweight meeting at the Cape Coast Sports Stadium on Saturday.

Both teams head into the game on a high, having claimed victories in their respective friendly games last time out.

Match preview

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Ivory Coast claimed a third consecutive victory courtesy of a 2-1 triumph over Burkina Faso on Saturday.

Second-half goals from Ibrahim Sangare and Amad Diallo turned the game on its head after Lassina Traore's opener before the interval.

Patrice Beaumelle's men are yet to taste defeat in any of their last five matches since a 1-0 loss to Japan in October 2020.

That was also the last time that Saturday's visitors failed to find the back of the net, and they have since scored 11 goals in the subsequent five outings.

Ghana were defeated on the road for the second time in three games following a 1-0 loss to Morocco on Tuesday.

Jawad El Yamiq's strike midway through the second half proved to be the decisive moment as Charles Akonnor's men continue to struggle away from home.

However, the Black Stars have been a real force to reckon with on home turf, winning each of their last three matches by a combined score of 10-2.

They have lost each of their last two clashes against Cote d'Ivoire, which came in the 2010 and 2015 editions of the Africa Cup of Nations.

Saturday's opponents are 10 places apart in the FIFA ranking, with the hosts in 49th place, while the away side will be looking to make up a 28-point difference in 59th.

Team News

Andre Ayew has four goals in his last three home games for Ghana, and he is one strike away from becoming only the seventh player to score on 20 or more occasions for his nation.

Not far behind on the all-time scoring chart is Jordan Ayew who is just one goal behind his brother despite having played 27 fewer matches.

Baba Rahman could come in for Gideon Mensah at left back after he was an unused substitute in the home side's defeat to Morocco on Tuesday.

Amad Diallo opened his account for the visitors with a stunning last-gasp free kick, and he could be rewarded with a starting spot in this one.

Max Gradel's 83rd appearance last time out put the Sivasspor midfielder on the brink of becoming the 10th-most capped player for the Ivory Coast.

Ghana possible starting lineup:
Abalora; Rahman, Amartey, Opoku, Yiadom; Lomotey, Mohammed, Kudus; Owusu, A.Ayew, J.Ayew

Ivory Coast possible starting lineup:
B.Sangare; Singo, Kossounou, Boly, Diamonde; Kamara, I.Sangare, Kessie; Gradel, Haller, Diallo

We say: Ghana 1-2 Ivory Coast

Previous meetings between the teams have been tightly contested, and we expect the trend to continue in this one. We are also backing the away team to claim a narrow victory at the end of the 90 minutes.