Defending champions Senegal look very much up to that designation as they match up against tournament hosts Ivory Coast in the AFCON 2023 Round of 16 on Monday.
While the hosts reached the knockout stage by the thinnest of margins, it was ugly enough on the whole that Ivory Coast made the seismic and unusual decision to sack coach Jean-Louis Gasset before they even found out whether Round of 16 qualification was secured.
Former Ivory Coast international and assistant to Gasset, Emerse Fae, has taken over on an interim basis hoping to salvage the team’s performances and engineer a turnaround, but he faces a tall task of dethroning the 2021 winners who look every bit themselves from three years ago.
Sadio Mane’s influence has been as advertised despite struggles this year at club level, and his supporting cast of Ismaila Sarr, Lamine Camara, and others have provided ample support to his talisman efforts.
USA: Click here to see the latest odds for Senegal vs Ivory Coast and bet AFCON matches
Senegal vs Ivory Coast prediction, odds
- Moneyline lean: Senegal (+145)
- Score prediction: Senegal 2-0 Ivory Coast
As tournament title hopefuls like Algeria, Egypt, Cameroon, Nigeria, and Morocco all show signs of weakness in early disappointments of various levels, Senegal have thundered into the AFCON knockout stage as the side that looks most likely to produce a title charge.
The defending champions have thus far been up to the task as others falter around them, including their opponents here, tournament hosts Ivory Coast. The Elephants squeaked into the knockout stage via the third-place table, winning their opener before succumbing to a pair of damaging defeats.
Changing coaches before even being eliminated from the competition screams desperation, and Ivory Coast will have an enormous uphill battle to dethrone the Lions of Teranga. The plus odds for Senegal are a gift which should not be passed up.
| DraftKings (USA) |
|
| Senegal win | +145 |
| Draw | +195 |
| Ivory Coast win | +230 |
| Both teams to score Y/N |
+105 / -135 |
| Over / Under 2.5 goals |
+160 / -210 |
| Senegal to advance |
-145 |
| Ivory Coast to advance |
+110 |
Senegal vs Ivory Coast match facts
- Date: Monday, Jan. 29, 2024
- Kickoff Time: 8 p.m. local (3 p.m. ET / 12 p.m. PT)
- Location: Charles Konan Banny Stadium (Yamoussoukro, Ivory Coast)
- Last meeting: Ivory Coast 0-1 Senegal (Jan. 14, 2023 | CHAN*)
* Matches in the African Nations Championship (also known as CHAN) are categorized by FIFA as international friendlies for FIFA ranking purposes.
Senegal vs Ivory Coast best bet
- Pick: Senegal -1.5 goal handicap
- Odds: +425 (DraftKings)
For Senegal, defending champions and the only tournament favourite which has earned such a stamp so far, to have such favourable odds against disappointing hosts Ivory Coast is astonishing.
Senegal beat all three group opponents by multiple goal margins, while Ivory Coast — now under new, interim management — were thumped by Equatorial Guinea 4-0 and should have fallen to Nigeria by more than the 1-0 final scoreline.
Even in a tournament where goals are at such a premium, Senegal have been seemingly immune to the attacking doldrums. They should have no problems topping an Ivory Coast side which has trouble finishing chances and has slumped under pressure even as the home fans provide a rousing support at their back.
Senegal vs Ivory Coast prop bet
- Pick: Sadio Mane to score or assist a goal
- Odds: TBD (FanDuel)
We backed this pick against both Cameroon and Guinea in their final two group stage matches, and it came through, both times very late in matches which had essentially already been decided. Yet it cannot be understated how important Sadio Mane is to this Senegal side.
Whether his contributions come early in games, like his fourth-minute assist to Pape Gueye in the group stage opener, or late on to seal a match, as he did with a goal against Cameroon and assist against Guinea, he’s managed to create end product in all three matches thus far.
Even with plenty of attention from opposing defences limiting his output volume, Mane has managed to remain front and center of everything Senegal do up front, and against an Ivory Coast back line that has proven leaky, he will have opportunities to punish the hosts.
Senegal vs Ivory Coast live stream, TV channel
| TV channel | Streaming | |
| USA | beIN Sports, beIN Sports en Espanol | Fubo USA, beIN Sports Connect |
| Canada | beIN Sports, beIN Sports en Espanol | Fubo Canada, beIN Sports Connect |
| UK | Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Sports Football, BBC 3 | Sky Go Extra, BBC iPlayer |
The entirety of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations can be found on beIN Sports in both the United States and Canada. All games throughout the knockout stage will be televised in both English and Spanish, and beIN Sports can be found in both countries on Fubo USA and Fubo Canada.
In the UK, AFCON 2023 is televised by Sky Sports, with games broadcast across their platforms. This match between Senegal and Ivory Coast in the Round of 16 is broadcast in the UK on both Sky Sports Football and also BBC 3, as well as the streaming platforms for both broadcast parties.