IVORY COAST are taking on Sierra Leone as they look to book their place in the AFCON last 16.
Wilfried Zaha and co picked up a big 1-0 win over Equatorial Guinea in their opening match, to leave them top of the group.
But Sierra Leone earned an impressive 0-0 draw against champions Algeria and will feel they have a chance of reaching the last 16 themselves.
- Kick-off time: 4pm GMT
- TV channel: Sky Sports Football
- Live stream: Sky Sports website/Sky Sports app/Sky Go/Now TV
- Ivory Coast XI: Sangare, Aurier, Bailly, Deli, Konan, Sangare, Seri, Kessi, Haller, Zaha, Pepe.
- Sierra Leone XI: M Kamara, Wright, Caulker, Bangura, Kakay, Quee, C Kamara, Bundu, K Kamara, Buya Turay, N Kamara.
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Ivory Coast 0 Sierra Leone 0
4. Zaha is bundled to the ground after beating his man out wide.
Ivory Coast free-kick just on the corner of the box.
Danger for Sierra Leone early on here.
Ivory Coast 0 Sierra Leone 0
2. Great trickery by Zaha, beating two in the box before going to ground.
No claims by Zaha for anything there.
Replays show the Palace man was anticipating contact that never came.
Ivory Coast 0 Sierra Leone 0
1. Sierra Leone get us underway here.
Big shoutout to their manager, John Keister, for only choosing to play three of the five Kamara’s at his disposal.
Subs:
Kamara, Fofanah, Williams, Kaikai, Kamara, Kargbo, Dunia, Sesay, Mansaray, Kallon, Caulker, Dumbuya
Sierra Leone team:
Nbalie Kamara, Kakay, Bangura, Caulker, Wright, Quee, Kamara, Bundu, Kamara, Buya Turay, Kamara
Subs:
Tape, Konate, Kanon, Kossounou, Kouassi, Cornet, Maiga, Gradel, Die, Kouame, Traore, Cisse
Ivory Coast team:
Sangare, Aurier, Bailly, Deli, Konan, Sangare, Seri, Kessie, Zaha, Haller, Pepe.
Familiar face
One Sierra Leone player many will recognise is centre-back Steven Caulker.
Played for a host of clubs including QPR, Cardiff City, Liverpool and Tottenham.
Caulker was even capped once by England at full-international.
Day of rest
When it comes to group formats, getting your business done with games to spare is a big advantage.
The potential for Ivory Coast to be able to rest key players in their next game with a win today against Sierra Leone is huge.
It would make them a real threat to face in the next round.
Two-time champions
‘Les Elephants’ have won the tournament twice, in 1992 and 2015.
Both times they played Ghana, both times it ended 0-0 AET.
The finals were decided 11-10 and 9-8 on penalties.
A tale of two pens
In Group F, Gambia have drawn with Mali 1-1.
Both goals came from the penalty spot in a frantic last eleven minutes.
It leaves both sides tied at the top on four points.
Third time is the charm
Appearing in their third AFCON tournament, Sierra Leone frustrated the defending champions Algeria in their opening game.
The ‘Leone Stars’ have never progressed passed the group phase.
A win today and Sierra Leone will go into their final group game against Equatorial Guinea knowing what they need to do to progress.
Coasting it
Ivory Coast could seal qualification with a win today.
Having played Sierra Leone seven times before, ‘Les Elephants’ have won six of these encounters, the other being a goalless draw.
Welcome back AFCON fans
The tournament heats up with every game now with teams able to book their place in the knockout phase.
You can still change your fortunes after a disappointing opening game as Egypt showed us yesterday thanks to a Mohammed Salah goal.
Today, our focus is Ivory Coast vs Sierra Leone
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
