Low Odds, High Odds: Four AFCON Tips - 29/1/22

On Saturday in the Quarter-Finals of this year’s Africa Cup of Nations, host nation Cameroon takes on Gambia.

The Indomitable Lions managed to finish top of Group A by beating Burkina Faso 2-1, Ethiopia 4-1 and drawing 1-1 with Cape Verde, before winning in the Round of 16 against Comoros 2-1 thanks to goals by Karl Toko-Ekambi and Vincent Aboubakar.

On the other hand, Gambia have had a good campaign so far, defeating the likes of Mauritiana and Tunisia by 1-0 scorelines, as well as drawing 0-0 against Mali to finish as runners-up in Group F. Tom Saintfiet’s side earned another impressive victory over Guinea last time out thanks to a Musa Barrow goal.

Cameroon captain, Aboubakar, has been in inspired form at AFCON, as the 30-year-old former FC Porto and Besiktas forward has scored six goals and created one assist in four matches, averaging a goal every 56 minutes.

Antonio Conceicao da Silva Oliveira’s side have looked like front-runners for the competition from the off, despite being initially regarded as slight outsiders. The Indomitable Lions have fired in nine goals in four matches at AFCON

Having shown that they are a free-scoring side, they will be difficult to stop, as Aboubakar has managed six goals and looks unplayable at the moment, whilst Toko-Ekambi of Lyon is the second-joint top scorer in the competition with three goals in four matches, averaging a goal every 95 minutes.

With Gambia being without a key player in Yusupha Njie of Boavista following his red card against Guinea in the last round, it is tough not to foresee a routine Cameroon win here.

The later kick-off in Saturday’s AFCON action sees Burkina Faso go head to head with Tunisia in the Round of 16.

Burkina Faso finished as runners-up in Group A with four points to their name, as they bounced back from a 2-1 loss to Cameroon on matchday one by beating Cape Verde 1-0 and drawing 1-1 against Ethiopia. Les Etalons reached the Quarter-Finals thanks to a penalty shootout win against Gabon last time out, as Bertrand Traore’s opener was cancelled out by a 91st-minute own goal from Adama Guira.

Meanwhile, Tunisia advanced as one of the best third-place teams, doing so from Group F following shock 1-0 losses to Mali and Gambia on either side of a 4-0 hammering of Mauritiana where Hamza Mathlouthi, Wahbi Khazri (2) and Seideddine Jaziri all got on the scoresheet.

In the Round of 16, Mondher Kebaier’s side managed to pull of a huge shock when they beat Nigeria 1-0 as Youssef Msakni scored the only goal of the match.

So far at AFCON, former Sunderland and Saint-Etienne forward Khazri has impressed, scoring twice in three matches, whilst Traore has been Burkina Faso’s most obvious goalscoring threat, scoring in his last outing against Gabon. Khazri and Traore are priced at 14/1 to both score in this match.

28-year-old Tunisia striker Jaziri who currently plies his trade at Egyptian outfit Zamalek has a decent record for his national side, having managed to score eight goals in 18 national caps, and will be hoping to add to his tally against a Burkina Faso defence that has kept just one clean sheet in their opening four matches.

Tunisia will fancy their chances of beating Kamou Malo’s side having shocked Nigeria last time out, as the Giant of Africa had looked like one of the early favourites for the competition following three wins from three in Group D against Egypt, Sudan and Guinea-Bissau prior to meeting Kebaier’s men.