The 2023 Africa Cup of Nations heats up as Egypt and Ghana face off in a Group B showdown at the Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium in Abidjan on Thursday, January 18, 2024, with kick-off scheduled for 22h00 CAT.

In their head-to-head history dating back to 1960, Egypt and Ghana have clashed in 23 matches. The Pharaohs boast 12 wins compared to the Black Stars’ five, with six games ending in draws. The most recent encounter was a World Cup qualifier in Kumasi in November 2017, concluding in a 1-1 draw featuring goals from Edwin Gyasi and Mahmoud Shikabala.

Egypt kicked off their AFCON campaign with a hard-fought 2-2 draw against Mozambique, requiring an injury-time penalty from Mohamed Salah to secure a point. Ghana, on the other hand, suffered a surprising 2-1 defeat to Cape Verde in their opener, conceding an injury-time strike.

Team news for Egypt reveals no reported injuries, but changes in the starting XI are anticipated, particularly in defense. Ghana hopes for the return of Mohammed Kudus, who missed the Cape Verde clash due to a ‘minor injury.’

Key players for Egypt include the prolific Mohamed Salah, impressive striker Mostafa Mohamed, and reliable midfielder Hamdi Fathy. Ghana looks to Alexander Djiku’s stellar performance against Cape Verde and counts on the Ayew brothers, Inaki Williams, and Antoine Semenyo to elevate their game.

As the anticipation builds, football enthusiasts can expect an enthralling encounter between these two African football powerhouses.