January 23rd 2024.
The fate of Ghana's AFCON journey hangs in the balance as they face the possibility of not making it to the knockout stage. Despite still having a chance to move on, their spot in the last-16 is no longer within their control.
Many had expected the Black Stars to breeze through Group B, but their 2-2 draw against Mozambique on Monday puts them in third place, behind Egypt in second and group leaders Cape Verde. While it's not a complete loss for Ghana, as the top four third-placed teams also advance, they currently sit outside of that group and would need several favorable outcomes to secure their progression.
In order for Ghana to move on, Cameroon must tie with Gambia in their final game in Group C on Tuesday. They also need Zambia to lose to Morocco in Group F on Thursday and DR Congo to beat Tanzania in their last match in the same group. The pressure is on for the Black Stars as they hope for these results to go their way.
Their fellow African powerhouse, Ivory Coast, also faces a similar situation as they anxiously await the end of the group stage to see if they will advance as one of the best third-placed teams. The tournament hosts faced criticism from their own fans after their crushing 4-0 defeat against Equatorial Guinea in their final game in Group A on Monday.
The remaining group stage fixtures hold the key to the fate of both Ghana and Ivory Coast. On Tuesday, Gambia will take on Cameroon, Guinea will face Senegal, Mauritania will play against Algeria, and Angola will take on Burkina Faso. The following day, Namibia will face Mali, South Africa will go up against Tunisia, Zambia will play Morocco, and Tanzania will take on DR Congo.
Similar to Ghana, Ivory Coast will also need Cameroon to not win against Gambia in Group C. Alternatively, they could also advance if Namibia, Algeria, or Zambia lose their final group matches. It's a nail-biting wait for both teams as they hope for favorable results in the remaining group stage matches.
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