Gabon vs Ivory Coast Predictions

• Gabon are eliminated after defeats against Cameroon and Mozambique
• Gabon star Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is unlikely to play in this dead rubber
• Ivory Coast can clinch the group and an easier path to the latter stages with a win

Elephants have the upper hand

Ivory Coast have had the upper hand over Gabon in recent times and should be able to secure a useful three points when they meet again in the final round of Group F AFCON matches on Wednesday.

The Elephants edged Gabon into second place in their World Cup qualifying group, which secured them a place at next summer’s finals and pushed the Panthers into the play-offs. Thierry Mouyouma’s side subsequently lost to Nigeria and their results have taken a turn for the worse since.

While they played well in patches during the Christmas Eve defeat to Cameroon, it all fell apart on Sunday in a 3-2 upset against Mozambique that ends their hopes of reaching the knockout stages. Mouyouma ignored the pleas of Marseille for him not to play injured star Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and furiously hit back at the French club in his post-match press conference.

Gabon star set to miss out

Aubameyang looks unlikely to feature in this dead rubber and Gabon appear set to face a full-strength and motivated Ivory Coast side who can make their path to the latter stages easier with a win to clinch the group. As thig stand, they would stay in Marrakech for a last-16 game against the Group E runners up, either Burkina Faso or Sudan, rather than potentially face South Africa in Rabat.

Back the Elephants to win this game and a repeat of their 1-0 qualifying win at home would suffice against a largely demoralised Gabon side that have nothing to gain.