The group stage of the AFCON is over, and everyone has their eyes set on the knockouts. Arguably, the biggest match coming up in the round of 16 is the Senegal vs Ivory Coast fixture on Monday night. This game pitched the current hosts against last-time champions. As a result, it’s promising to be a tough encounter, which many Kenyan football fans anticipate. We’ve analyzed the game and crafted the best Senegal vs Ivory Coast betting tips for Kenya sports fans. Read on to find out our football predictions.
Senegal vs Ivory Coast Match Details
General
Details
- Date: 29/01/2024
- Time: 23:00h
- Stadium: Stade Charles Konan Banny de Yamoussoukro
- Where to watch: KBC Channel 1, Y254, KBC online platforms
- Ticket info: 1,300 Ksh to 3,900 Ksh
Senegal Lineup
(Predicted)
- Mendy, Edouard
- Diatta, Krepin
- Koulibaly, Kalidou
- Seck, Abdoulaye
- Jakobs, Ismail
- Camara, Lamine
- Gueye, Pape
- Diallo, Abdou
- Mane, Sadio
- Sarr, Ismaila
- Diallo, Habib
Ivory Coast Lineup
(Predicted)
- Fofana, Yahia
- Singo, Wilfried Stephane
- N Dicka, Evan
- Konan, Ghislain
- Diomande, Ousmane
- Fofana, Seko
- Kessie, Franck
- Sangare, Ibrahim
- Boga, Jeremie
- Krasso, Jean-Philippe
- Kouame, Christian
Online Sports Bettings in Kenya for this Match
Senegal vs Ivory Coast Recent Results & Performances
Senegal and Ivory Coast had varying results in the group stage of AFCON 2023. In fact, the host’s qualification to the round of 16 was a miracle after they finished third in Group A. Ivory Coast only qualified as one of the best losers, thanks to Morocco’s win in the final match day of the group stage. On the other hand, Senegal got all 9 points, as they won their three matches.
The hosts began the tournament with a 2-0 win against Guinea-Bissau. It was convincing, such that many Kenya football predictions for AFCON indicated that Ivory Coast was among the main teams competing for the trophy. However, the narrative changed when the Elephants fell against the Super Eagles of Nigeria on match day 2. Nigeria won the game with a lone goal, courtesy of a penalty against Victor Osimhen.
Ivory Coast suffered an even worse fate in the last group-stage match. They lost 4-0 to Equatorial Guinea, a game where many Kenyan fans thought the Elephants would emerge victorious. The loss saw them finish with only three points. Thankfully, they still managed to scale through as best losers.
Senegal faced Gambia, Cameroon, and Guinea in the group stage and won each. The team scored eight goals in the three matches while conceding only one goal against Cameroon. Many Kenya sports fans recognize the team as the best in the tournament. As a result, for the Senegal vs Ivory Coast match, many bettors will pick the Lions of Teranga to win. But let’s see how both teams fared when they met each other.
Head-to-Head Historical Analysis
Things appear to be equal when you look at previous matches between the Elephants and the Lions of Teranga. Hence, Kenya football predictions for the Senegal vs Ivory Coast game suggest a balanced game. That’s not excusing that Senegal is the stronger team following recent performances.
January 2023 was the last time Senegal played against Ivory Coast, and it was also in the AFCON. In that match, Senegal won by one goal. It was the most recent the two teams have met on the pitch, as the other fixtures are from over 10 years ago. In 2013, Senegal and Ivory Coast played each other twice in the World Cup Qualifiers. The first game ended with a 3-1 win in favor of Ivory Coast. Meanwhile, the second leg was a 1-1 draw.
The historical analysis shows that Ivory Coast used to be a much stronger team compared to Senegal. But things have changed recently. Current FIFA rankings put Senegal in second position in Africa — only behind Morocco — while Ivory Coast is eighth on the list. Hence, it’s expected that Senegal vs Ivory Coast match betting tips will pick the lions of Teranga to win.
Key Factors Influencing the Match
For the round of 16 fixture featuring Senegal vs Ivory Coast, there’s a lot at stake for both countries. Let’s look at some notable factors that’ll affect how they play on Monday night:
Host vs. Champions Status
Ivory Coast is the host country, so it’s unsurprising that they’ll want to lift the trophy. It’s always great when you win the final on home soil. Meanwhile, Senegal won the trophy last time out. They’ll look to make history by retaining their status and winning the tournament back-to-back. In AFCON history, Morocco is the only team to have defended their title.
For Ivory Coast, a place in the round of 16 is a second chance to get things right. As stated earlier, the team finished third in Group A and only qualified as best losers. Many fans in Kenya and other parts of Africa were disappointed in their performance. If they fail to capitalize on the opportunity when the Senegal vs Ivory Coast match kicks off, it’ll be an even bigger disappointment.
Senegal has the players to go all the way and win the trophy again. They’ve shown it so far, with 3/3 wins. The Lions of Teranga know they’ll be coming up against a team that qualified by chance. So, it’ll be a stain in their records if they crash out of the tournament on Monday.
Recent Results
The recent performance of both teams will play a significant role in how the players approach the round of 16 fixture. For Ivory Coast, it’ll be a cautious approach. The team recorded a big loss against Equatorial Guinea, which shows they may not be as prolific as many football predictions consider them to be. It’s expected that the Elephants will be looking to change the narrative on Monday night.
In contrast, the Senegalese players will likely step out with confidence. They’re the only team to keep a perfect record in the group stage, and there’s no reason why they won’t continue their impressive form. In fact, many Senegal vs Ivory Coast betting tips for Kenya sports fans dismiss the possibility of anything other than a Senegal full-time win. The question is, “If Equatorial Guinea could beat Ivory Coast by up to four goals, why won’t Senegal?”
Tactical Setup
After Ivory Coast lost their last group stage match and was on the brink of disqualification, the team fired coach Jean-Louis Gasset. There’s no indication of who the next coach will be. Nevertheless, there’s every reason to believe the Elephants will play with a different tactical setup on Monday night since there’ll be a new face on the sideline.
Ivory Coast regularly plays with the 4-3-3 formation, and they used it all through the group stage. The next coach may completely alter the formation and introduce something new. Since it’ll be their first time out after sacking Gasset, the latest tactical setup may make the team better or worse. If better, it’s bad news for Senegal; If worse, it’s good news for Senegal.
The Lions of Teranga have stuck to the 4-3-3 formation as well in all recent matches. But with 3/3 wins in the tournament so far, their tactical setup appears to be working. It’s unexpected that Senegal will switch to something different on Monday night.
Betting Tips
Now, here’s the real deal. Check out our expert Senegal vs Ivory Coast betting tips to follow as you wager with Kenya bookmakers.
Betting Odds
We reviewed the betting odds on some top Kenya bookmakers’ sites to see how they compare to our tips. The odds align, as a Senegal win is the more probable option, followed by a draw, and then Ivory Coast win. Here are the average odds:
Senegal to Win: 2.30 | Draw: 3.05 | Ivory Coast to Win: 3.45
From the averages, you can confirm that Senegal has the lowest odds, which means a high probability of winning. In contrast, Ivory Coast has the highest odds, which means a low likelihood of the Elephants getting the better result at full time.
Besides the 1X2 market, we also analyzed the To Qualify market betting odds. As explained, it predicts which team will move to the next round, whether the game ends at full-time, extra-time, or penalties. Here are the average odds on Kenya betting sites:
Senegal to qualify: 1.65 | Ivory Coast to qualify: 2.30
Again, it’s clear that bookmakers in Kenya identify the Lions of Teranga as the team with the upper hand.
Final Thoughts on the Match
Our detailed Senegal vs Ivory Coast betting tips for Kenya sports fans serve as a guide if you want to bet on the round of 16 fixture. Always remember to bet responsibly and use the best Kenyan betting sites. You can find the best odds on our featured list on this page. Also, visit our site regularly for more betting tips for AFCON and other football tournaments.
Oluwafemi Michael, a seasoned iGaming writer with nearly a decade of experience, excels in sports betting and casino content. Known for transforming complex gaming topics into engaging, informative narratives, he skillfully blends industry insights with an accessible style.
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