Has Africa forgotten how to score? Those who followed the Africa Cup of Nations 2019 on Saturday might well believe that this is the case. There were scoreless draws in all three group matches at the end of the second round match day. A triple combination on one goalless game would have brought a rich profit. In the first 24 games, an average of just 1.79 hits per game were scored and just in four of the 24 matches was a tip to over 2.5 the right decision. In the coming days is now the last round of preliminary match on the program. In the group D it comes to the duel between Underdog Namibia and the Ivory Coast!
Football Betting Predictions Namibia vs Ivory Coast
The blatant outsider from Namibia was beaten 0-1 in the first two games and has only theoretical chances to survive for the first time the preliminary round at the African Cup. The Ivorians from Ivory Coast have to win in order to be able to fix second place in the group. A point loss could start the big shaking. The bookies do not have much doubts about the victory of Ivory Coast as they are only offered odds in the game between Namibia and Ivory Coast in the range around 1.30-1.35.
Namibia – Statistics & Current Form
At about ten-year intervals, the “Brave Warriors” from Namibia are allowed to try their hand at the African Cup. After 1998 and 2008, the current FIFA World Ranking 113 will be in the finals for the third time this year. With great likelihood, however, the tournament will also be finished this year after three preliminary round matches. Namibia is still waiting for the first victory in the continental championships in Africa. In the first two attempts, there was at least a draw to cheer, 2019 is the team of head coach Ricardo Mannetti – who was a player at the 1998 Africa Cup – not only pointless, but also without their own goal. Both against Morocco and against South Africa, the Brave Warriors had narrowly beaten 1-0. In the match against top favorite Morocco, the Mannetti-Eleven brought in the 89th Minute with an own goal even for the fruits of the work. In the game against South Africa Namibia conceded in minute 68 after a standard the only goal.
The blatant underdog is aware of the outsider role and rarely looks for the way forward. The main focus is clearly put on their own defensive and scoring chances of Namibia are an absolute rarity. In the end, only one goal has been scored by Namibia against the “Bafana Bafana” from South Africa. With Namibia and Côte d’Ivoire in mind, this is a highly defensive option, as the tip that both teams will not meet will be an option. The betting odds offered by no means seem lucrative.
“I had to reschedule spontaneously. But I gladly accept that I can not go on vacation. ” – Manfred Strong
The only player who could be familiar to some football fans is Manfred Starke. A name that does not necessarily imply a Namibian origin. The soon-to-be Kaiserslautern striker (currently at Carl Zeiss Jena) has only learned about his nomination for the Africa Cup of Nations through the press and had to change his planned summer vacation at short notice. In the national team, the striker is far more defensive and can be found on the 6/8 position.
Expected lineup of Namibia:
Kazapua – Hanamub, Haoseb, Nyambe, Horaeb – Hotto, Ketjijere, Strong – Shitembi – Shilongo, Shaluille
Last matches of Namibia:
⚽️ 28.06.2019 – South Africa vs. Namibia 1: 0 (Africa Cup)
⚽️ 23.06.2019 – Morocco vs. Namibia 1: 0 (Africa Cup)
⚽️ 30.05.2019 – Namibia Vs. Seychelles 3: 0 (COSAFA Cup)
⚽️ 28.05.2019 – Namibia Vs. Malawi 1: 2 (COSAFA Cup)
⚽️ 26.05.2019 – Mozambique Vs. Namibia 1: 2 (COSAFA Cup)
Ivory Coast – Statistics & current form
For many years, Ivory Coast has been described as one of the strongest teams in Africa. The days when the Ivorians could count on superstars like Didier Drogba, Kolo Tore or Yaya Toure are now over. Nonetheless, the FIFA World Cup number 65 will have a squad in 2019 that has the claim to compete for the title at the continental championships. First of all, however, the Ivorians have to survive the group stage, because the ticket for the KO phase has not yet fixed the team of head coach Ibrahima Kamara.
After their 1-0 win against South Africa, Ivory Coast lost 1-0 to Morocco in a high-profile match – probably the best match yet at this year’s Africa Cup of Nations 2019 – in Morocco. Despite this defeat, the co-favorite still has the progress in the hand – this is the victory against the outsider from Namibia, however, a prerequisite. And if there is a win with at least two goals difference, Ivory Coast will definitely be in the next round. If a 1-0 surprise victory succeeds in parallel play South Africa, all three teams have six counters and in the direct matches an identical goal difference. With a handicap victory against Namibia, Ivory Coast would then have the best goal difference of the equal opponents! Accordingly offensively we expect the favorite. Between Namibia and Ivory Coast a prediction on the clear victory of the favorite is quite obvious.
While the “Brave Warriors” from Namibia represent a completely unknown team, there are several players in Ivory Coast who deserve the title “International Class”. Nicolas Pepe, Wilfried Zaha, Franck Kessie, Jean-Michel Seri, Captain Serge Aurier or the Mainz Jean-Philippe Gbamin have heard many football fans quite a few times. The supposed top star, Nicolas Pepe, has been disappointing so far and could not put his stamp on the game. Completely incomprehensible is the fact that head coach Kamara Wilfried Zaha is currently churning on the bench, after all, he has in the past Premier League season ten goals and ten assists recorded.
Expected lineup of Ivory Coast:
Gbohouo – Coulibaly, Canon, Traore, Aurier – Serey Die, Kessie – Gradel, Seri, Pepe – Kodjia
Last matches from Ivory Coast:
⚽️ 28.06.2019 – Morocco vs. Ivory Coast 1: 0 (Africa Cup)
⚽️ 24.06.2019 – Ivory Coast vs South Africa 1: 0 (Africa Cup)
⚽️ 19.06.2019 – Ivory Coast vs. Ivory Coast Zambia 4: 1 (friendly)
⚽️ 07.06.2019 – Ivory Coast vs Comoros 3: 1 (friendly)
Namibia vs Ivory Coast Direct Comparison & Stats Highlights
There have been five international matches between the two national teams, while the balance between the blatant underdog from Namibia and the Ivory Coast is surprisingly balanced. Both teams have celebrated two wins so far, one match ended in a draw. The last duel to date was a friendly in January 2018, which defeated Namibia 1-0. However, this was not an official international match. As a result, the Ivory Coast acted only with a complete B-Eleven and thus can not be an indicator of the duel on Monday night. Otherwise, there was no international match between the two nations in the 21st century.
Namibia vs Ivory Coast Our Best Betting Predictions Explained
On the last group match day at the Africa Cup 2019 the big arithmetic starts. For four of the six group thirds the tournament continues and accordingly some teams have to shiver for a while before the entry into the knockout stage is fixed. This is by no means the claim of the title co-favorite from the Ivory Coast. The Ivorians have progress in their own hands and must force the underdog from Namibia to their knees. It is a duel between David and Goliath and accordingly, the odds offered are distributed between Namibia and Ivory Coast.
Key Facts – Namibia vs Ivory Coast tips
🔻 After two narrow defeats, Namibia has only a theoretical chance to enter the KO phase!
🔻 Namibia celebrated in January 2018 a victory against the Ivorians – but against a team without European Legionnaires!
🔻 With a win, the Ivory Coast fixes the ticket for the KO phase!
The star ensemble of the elephants could convince only conditionally, but is at least two classes higher than the no-name team from Namibia. Although the Africa Cup of Nations 2019 is currently stingy with goals, we still see good chances here that there will be a clear winner on early Monday evening. For the tip on the victory of the Ivory Coast, we do not consider the odds as particularly lucrative. For the handicap success between Namibia and Ivory Coast, however, there are more exciting odds, which are alluded to with the use of six units!
Betting Prediction: Victory Ivory Coast (-1.5)
Odds: 2.15
