Senegal Vs Equatorial Guinea
Senegal Vs Equatorial Guinea Sunday 30 January, 2022 – 19:00 (GMT)
Africa Cup of Nations
Pick: Senegal WIN & UNDER 2.5 GOALS
Odds: 13/8
Bookmaker: Bet365
(All betting odds correct at time of writing: 28 January 2022)
Preview: The last of the quarter-finals at the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations is scheduled to take place at Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium in the Cameroon capital of Yaounde. Senegal kick-off as pre-match favourites, strong ones at that. However, Equatorial Guinea has already produced a number of giant-killings en route to this stage.
Africa Cup of Nations Betting at Betfair
Table of Contents
Senegal – Lions of Teranga closing in on maiden AFCON title?
Irrespective of which team they were going to face in the last eight, Senegal were always going to start as strong pre-match favourites. Aliou Cisse’s side have quietly enjoyed a solid tournament so far: they are among four teams still to be beaten and they are the only team yet to concede a goal. In truth, they haven’t remotely came close to losing a game at these finals, such has been the level of control asserted.
If there is a criticism, it is that they don’t score enough. Sadio Mane has huffed and puff and actually accounts for 100% of their goals (two of three) when on the pitch. Bamba Dieng’s strike which clinched victory over Cape Verde in the last round came after the Liverpool forward had been substituted for a suspected concussion. Meanwhile, that is now no defeat in ten matches (W7 D3) going back to July 2021.
Key Stat: Senegal are the only team at the tournament which hasn’t conceded at least once. That is now five consecutive clean sheets for Aliou Cisse’s men (W3 D2).
Equatorial Guinea – National Thunder to strike down another favourite?
If Senegal can be labelled as underachievers in front of goal, a quarter-final with an opponent whose four matches have averaged below a goal-a-game may not be the ideal match-up some think it is. Moreover, Equatorial Guinea surprised many with their run so far, particularly as they weren’t in tremendous form coming into the tournament (three wins in seven), and are the lowest ranked of those remaining.
After losing their opening fixture 1-0 to the Ivory Coast, the National Thunder would secure back-to-back 1-0 victories of their own, producing arguably the shock of the tournament to beat first holders Algeria and then Sierra Leone. Their last sixteen contest with Mali was low on quality and settled on penalties, but means they have faced three of the ten highest ranking sides at the tournament and lost only once.
Key Stat: Each of Equatorial Guinea’s last nine internationals has seen fewer than three goals. None of their four Africa Cup of Nations games so far has produced more than one solitary strike.
Don’t miss out on other Betting Tips & Predictions
Click here for more Betting Tips
Senegal Vs Equatorial Guinea Betting Advice
Of the eight teams who remain, Senegal are the shortest price to win their last eight match-up without the need for extra-time and penalties. They were also the only side to win their round of 16 encounter by more than one goal. Aliou Cisse deserve their status as tournament favourites then, particularly as they are yet to lose or even concede at the finals. But another attritional battle potentially awaits here.
Senegal Vs Equatorial Guinea – Key Facts:
- Sunday’s quarter-final marks a fourth-ever meeting between Senegal and Equatorial Guinea. The former are ahead by two wins to one so far, winning the last two encounters between the teams ‘to nil’.
- A third head-to-head victory without conceding cannot be discounted, as Senegal are yet to concede at this tournament. They are seeking a sixth clean sheet on the bounce.
- Equatorial Guinea aren’t the most prolific either, netting only twice at these finals, while all four tournament games so far saw no more than a single goal (scorelines: 3x 1-0, 1x 0-0).
Equatorial Guinea are favourable opponents in the sense that they are the lowest ranked side left in the tournament. They have also lost the last two times these countries have met, both ‘to nil’ in 2017 and 2018. This latest instalment promises to be tight, however, with all eight of their combined games so far going Under 2.5 Goals. It makes sense, then, to boost the price about Senegal by backing few goals.
Best Betting Odds – Senegal Vs Equatorial Guinea
Senegal – 4/7 (Bet365)
Draw – 12/5 (Betfair)
Equatorial Guinea – 15/2 (BetFred)
