Dave Farrar predicts DR Congo will smash the odds against Ghana, while Morocco can squeeze past Egypt…
DR Congo v Ghana Sunday, 16:00 Live on British Eurosport
Having won their opening two games by the same 1-0 scoreline, Ghana succumbed to Egypt in their final Group match, and now find themselves in what many would regard as the easier quarter-final. Anyone who’s watched this competition so far knows that’s anything but an accurate reading.
I can understand why DR Congo look like a better proposition than Morocco, but they have played some of the best football here, and have given us the star of the competition in the shape of Junior Kabananga. He’s part of a formidable front line which also includes Fulham’s Neeskens Kabano, and I give DR Congo every chance of making it through here.
Ghana will look to stop their opposition and then try and find a way through: that’s how they’ve approached every game here and they’ve been a really poor team to watch.
It’s tempting to imagine this as a shoot-out between two talented sides and Back Over 2.5 Goals, but the way that Ghana are set up by Avram Grant doesn’t really allow them to show their talent, and I think that they’ll pay for it at some point in this competition.
Having already recommended DR Congo at 32.00 before this Africa Cup of Nations started, I don’t feel the need to back them again here, but they do look big at 3.55 to win in normal time and so I’ll happily put that up as the bet with the proviso that you can sit on your outright bet, and do so with confidence.
Recommended Bet: Back DR Congo to beat Ghana @ 3.55
Egypt v Morocco Sunday, 19:00 Live on British Eurosport
I was waiting to see the market before making up my mind what to recommend on this, the closest to call of all of the Africa Cup of Nations quarter-finals.
Egypt look to be finding their form at just the right time, but the way that they’ve struggled to break teams down at the tournament so far means that they’re not a vintage Egyptian side. I have nothing but respect for Egypt’s achievements on this stage over the years, but I’ll be surprised if this team matches the feats of their predecessors.
Morocco started horribly, losing to DR Congo and giving themselves a must win game against Togo, before facing Ivory Coast. They came back from a goal down against Togo to win, then shut out Ivory Coast, and that shows a will to win and get over the line that is almost unmatched in this 2017 tournament.
Morocco have a winner in charge in the shape of Herve Renard as well, and while he’s sometimes more style over substance, you can’t be critical of his record in winning this competition with both Zambia and Ivory Coast.
Renard doesn’t have any stars, but Morocco’s sum is a lot greater than their parts, and in what I see as a 50/50 game, I have to recommend them at 3.40 to win in 90 minutes against Mo Salah and his talented but hard to rely on Egyptian side.
