AFCON 2023: DR Congo vs Egypt tie highlights Sunday action

The roar of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) echoes into the night today as two footballing giants, DR Congo and Egypt, clash in a highly anticipated Round of 16 encounter at the Stade Laurent Pokou in Abidjan from 11 pm EAT.

With three draws each, both teams have not lost a match in the ongoing tournament. Tonight's match promises a fascinating battle for a quarter-final place.

DR Congo will be missing the influential midfielder Samuel Bastien, suspended after picking up a second yellow card in the group stage.

However, they received a boost with the return of experienced forward Cédric Bakambu, who missed their final group match against Tanzania’s Taifa stars due to injury.

Coach Sébastien Desabre is expected to keep faith in his 4-3-3 formation, relying on the pace of Yannick Bolasie who plays as a winger for EFL Championship club Swansea City and the creativity of Marseille’s Chancel Mbemba to unlock the Egyptian defence.

🇪🇬 Egypt 🆚 DR Congo 🇨🇩

Pick your winner. 🌟#TotalEnergiesAFCON2023 | #EGYRDC | @1xBet_Eng

— CAF_Online (@CAF_Online) January 28, 2024

Egypt, despite missing their talisman, Mo Salah who is still recovering from injury, has found ways to grind out results.

This isn't the first time these two nations have crossed paths in AFCON.

Their head-to-head record sees Egypt leading with four wins, one draw, and one loss. Notably, both wins that resulted in Egypt lifting the trophy (2006 and 2010) came against DR Congo. However, the Leopards haven't forgotten their 3-1 triumph over the Pharaohs in the 2015 group stage.

Equatorial Guinea vs Guinea - 8 pm EAT

Also tonight at the Alassane Ouattara Stadium,  Equatorial Guinea, nicknamed "Nzalang Nacional" (National Lightning), will be facing Guinea. Led by their talismanic Emilio Nsue and Jannick Buyla, they shocked many by topping their group.

Their 4-0 thrashing of Cote d'Ivoire was a statement of intent, showcasing their attacking prowess. Tonight, though, they'll be missing the suspended Juan Carlos Ondo, an influential attacking midfielder.

Guinea, on the other hand, defied their underdog status and qualified to the Round of 16 as first runners-up in Group B. Captain Ismael Bangoura remains the heartbeat of the team, while Mohamed Bayo's pace and skills will pose a constant threat to Equatorial Guinea's defence.