28.01. (Sat) 17:00 Botswana - Guinea

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PROBABLE LINEUPS

BOTSWANA Marumo Thuma, Gabonamong, Ohilwe, Ramohibidu Mogorosi, Mongala, Mafoko, Moatlhaping Moloi, Ramatlhakwane

GUINEA Yattara Zayatte, Diallo, Kalabane, Camara Balde, Feindouno, Diallo, Yattara Bangoura, I. Traore

Botswana were the surprise team of the first round of matches when they gave World Cup quarter-finalists Ghana a run for their money on Tuesday. Even though the Zebras lost 1-0, they proved that they were not pushovers and showed how much the smaller African countries have developed. The debutants showed the reason why they were the first team to qualify for the tournament as they played the Ghanaians in a pulsating game and only lost courtesy of a scrambled goal off a corner kick from John Mensah. The Zebra’s forward man Jerome Ramatlhakwane was on his way to put them equal when he was brought down by goal scorer Mensah, who was promptly given his matching orders.
They will face the Syli Natonale of Guinea who also lost their opening match 1-0 to Mali. This game is shaping up to be a winner takes all affair, with the losers sure to be eliminated, while the three points for the win may still allow for survival in a group that contains favourites Ghana.
The Guineans saw their hard work against Mali undone by a fierce shot from Bakaye Traore. It means that they are staring at a potential group stage exit for the first time since 2004, as they have always reached the quarter-finals of the competition, aside from in 2010 when they did not qualify.
Michel Dussuyer’s men came into this competition on the back of their famous knocking out of giants Nigeria in qualifying and should be able to hold their own against Bostwana, who also held the Super Eagles to a goalless draw in a recent friendly.

DID YOU KNOW?

• Botswana were the first country to qualify for the Afcon finals in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea.

• The coach of the Zebras, Stanley Tshosane, is a former army officer who has declared a no sex ban on his players throughout the tournament.

• Botswana is making their Afcon debut after qualifying from a group that contained Tunisia, Togo and Malawi.

• All the players of the Zebras play their football at the local league or across the border in South Africa's PSL.

• Guinea finished top of their Afcon qualifying group to dispatch giants Nigeria and keep them from a place in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea.

• Guinea is nicknamed the Syli Nationale, which means the National Elephant.

• This is Guinea's tenth appearance at an Africa Cup of Nations tournament.

• Guinea rank number 79 on the Fifa list, 15 places above their opponents who are 94th.

Prediction

Guinea have a point to prove in this second match of the group stages, and they will be desperate to win, while Botswana will have more confidence to push forward than they had against Ghana.

Editor's Prediction

Botswana 1-2 Guinea