Can Atlas Lions devour the Elephants?
Continental heavyweights Morocco and Cote d’Ivoire are expected to light up the Al Salam Stadium in Cairo in what could be one of the most explosive clashes in the second game of Group D later today.
Even more intriguing would be Coach Herve Renard who would be in the dugout for the North African nation as they search for their second victory in this competition.
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Incidentally, the 50-year-old French man was the same manager who led the Elephants of Cote d’Ivoire to conquer the continent during the 2015 competition in Equatorial Guinea.
Renard is expected to lead the Atlas Lions to mastermind the fall of his former side, the two times champions (1992, 2015), the Elephants who have often come out second fiddle to the Atlas Lions at this stage.
Two years ago when both teams clashed at the tournament in Gabon, the 1976 champions beat the Elephants 1-0 in the group stages to dump Cote d’Ivoire out of the competition.
However, the Elephants are bent on avoiding history repeating itself by adding the Atlas Lions to their casualties in the competition.
Ironically, both teams made an impressive start to the competition, recording a slim victory against their respective opponents.
While Morocco beat Namibia 1-0, the West African nation also recorded the same margin against South Africa.
Knowing that victory would secure them a passage to the next stage of the competition, both teams would avoid defeat but would work hard to ensure they split points.
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There are no reported injuries at both camps and with the Elephants eager to avenge the 2017 defeat, Coach Ibrahim Kamara would have the luxury of starting some of his best guys in the team including Serey Die, Sergey Aurier, Franck Kessié, Max-Alain Gradel, Wilfried Zaha and Wilfried Bony.
Coach Renard, who is currently familiar with the style of play of the Ivorians, will also parade the likes of Mehdi Benatia, Mehdi Bourabia, Nordin Amrabat, Abderazak Hamad Allah and Hakim Ziyech who plays for Ajax Amsterdam.
Cote d’Ivoire is endowed with quality players but the swift pace of the Atlas Lions will be their greatest advantage and Coach Kamara must work on his defence to ensure they are not surprised by the North Africans.