Ivory Coast vs Burkina Faso Prediction & Betting Tips (6 January)

Crowned two years ago at home, Côte d'Ivoire has started the defense of its title well. The Elephants finished in control of Group F after having triumphed with difficulty against Mozambique 1-0, taking the point of a draw against Cameroon 1-1 and having secured a second success, overcoming a two-goal gap against Gabon 2-3. Emerse Faé players will now have to step up their game in order to continue their progress in the competition. The Elephants will also go to the World Cup this summer. Demonstrating in the qualifiers completed undefeated and without conceding a goal, the Ivorians will return to the event twelve years later. Burkina Faso returns to the round of 16 of the African Cup of Nations two years after coming up against Mali at this stage of the last edition.

Beaten on the program for the 2nd day by Algeria 1-0, the toughest opponent on paper, the Stallions followed their executioner in the standings thanks to their victories acquired at the start of the competition against Equatorial Guinea 2-1 and at the end of the group phase against Sudan 0-2. They approached the African football summit in a form to be welcomed. Undefeated in all competitions since July, the Burkinabes did not, however, have the pleasure of qualifying for the World Cup for the first time. They failed at the gates of the African play-offs despite a successful end to the qualifying campaign. 

Côte d'Ivoire a priori begins the direct elimination phase with all its executives. Among them, Amad Diallo (Manchester United, 14 caps, 4 goals) was a double scorer during the group stage and Kessié (midfielder, Al-Ahli) will reach the symbolic mark of 100 appearances with the national team. Guéla Doué (Strasbourg, 15 caps) has a starting status in the right lane of a defense that Ndicka (AS Rome, 25 sel) and Kossounou (Atalanta, 32 sel) solidify in the hinge. Scorers in the last match, Guessand (Aston Villa, 17 caps, 3 goals) and Krasso (Paris FC, 9 goals in 26 games) are used off the bench. Potential starting striker Vakoun Bayo (Udinese, 11 selections, 3 goals) is not guaranteed to be back on his feet on time. Haller (Utrecht) withdrew from the competition while Pépé (Villarreal), Boga (Nice) and Adingra (Sunderland) were victims of Emerse Faé's choices. Burkina Faso deplored the injury exit of its number 1 goalkeeper Koffi (Angers, 70 sel) and striker Irié (Fribourg, 7 sel, 2 goals) in the last match.

Both players are uncertain for this clash in which attacking midfielder Aziz Ki (Wydad Casablanca, 22 sel) will not participate either. The last one left the gathering for personal reasons. B. Traoré (Sunderland, 21 goals in 87 caps) and Ouattara (Brentford, 38 appearances, 12 goals) are the guarantors of the offensive animation of the Stallions. However, the two Premier League residents have not yet unlocked their counter in this CAN. Ouattara at least stood out by delivering 2 assists, the last for Kouassi (Lorient, 5 sel) at the end of the group stage.