Ivory Coast vs Sierra Leone Predictions

• Ivory Coast have won eight of their last eleven matches, losing once
• Sierra Leone have failed to score in five of their last six games
• Both teams have scored in just two of Ivory Coast’s last eight fixtures

Ivory Coast looking good

Ivory Coast opened their 2021 African Cup of Nations with a 1-0 win over Equatorial Guinea, courtesy of a stunning goal by Max Gradel, and they look set to have a good run in the tournament.

Only once in the last eight editions of AFCON have the nation failed to qualify from the group stages, and a win here would all but see them into the last 16.

They head into the game having kept five clean sheets in their last eight games, while they have only lost once in thirteen outings, winning on nine occasions.

Defeat will leave Sierra Leone in trouble

This is just the third time Sierra Leone have qualified for the African Cup of Nations and if they lose, their record of having never reached the next round is likely to be extended.

John Keister’s side drew their opening game 0-0 with Algeria, a result which means they have only won two of their last 18 games dating back to June 2016, with their form of the last 18-months reading won one, drawn five, lost two.

They have failed to score in five of those games, keeping five clean sheets themselves (there have been four 0-0 draws), but they face an uphill task against an country who they have never beaten in four previous meetings.

I expect Ivory Coast will win this one, and their strong defence should keep Sierra Leone at bay, so I predict the Ivory Coast will win without both teams scoring, selecting 2-0 as a correct score.