Cape Verde vs Mauritania Prediction 29.01.2024

• Competition: Africa Cup of Nations - Round of 16
• Date: Monday, 29th, January 2024
• Kickoff: 17:00 UTC / 18.00 CET
• Venue: Stade Felix Houphouet-Boigny (Abidjan)

Two nations deemed as outsiders will battle for a place in the quarterfinals of the African Cup of Nations as Cape Verde takes on Mauritania at Stade Felix Houphouet-Boigny on Monday.

Cape Verde vs Mauritania Betting Tips: Cape Verde to Win

Certainly, even the most ardent supporters of these two national teams couldn't have dreamt, before the tournament's kickoff, that their favorites would reach the Round of 16 in the African Cup of Nations, and now, their direct showdown suggests that one of them will extend their fairytale.

Should they emerge victorious in the round of 16 clash, Cape Verde will not be strangers to the joy of progressing into the top eight teams at the AFCON, as they have already achieved that feat during their maiden final appearance in South Africa 2013, indicating that they enter Monday's match with a more greater pedigree than their opponent.

Furthermore, the display of Bubista's crew in the group phase was nothing short of spectacular, evident in the fact that it took them just two matches to claim the top spot in Group A, beating the four-time tournament winner Ghana with a 2-1 victory, followed by a crushing 3-0 triumph over Mozambique, before holding the record AFCON champion Egypt to a thrilling 2-2 draw with a mixed lineup.

Displaying extraordinary creativity in front of the opponent's goal has been the hallmark of the Blue Sharks during this year's AFCON edition, as they rattled the net at least twice in each of their three group-stage matches, and adopting another robust attacking approach could unlock their path to the first knockout stage victory.

Meanwhile, Mauritania's road towards a historic first entry into the knockout stage was filled with twists and surprises, especially considering they were on the brink of packing their bags after succumbing to defeats in the opening two matches against Burkina Faso and Angola, but they rocked the African continent on the final day of the group phase when they brought Algeria to their knees in a 1-0 triumph.

The sensational triumph of the Lions of Chinguetti over a hot AFCON contender, pushing them into the top four among the best third-placed teams, shines a light in their previously somber streak spanning seven matches (D2, L4), but reaching this stage of the tournament undoubtedly stands as a significant achievement regardless of future outcomes.

Despite Mauritania avoiding the bitter taste of failure in their previous encounters with Cape Verde, sealing a 2-1 victory in their last showdown, we remain optimistic that Bubista's squad's attacking prowess will shine in full glory this time, potentially proving enough to emerge on top and extend their impressive AFCON campaign.