Zaha and Diallo Lead Ivory Coast Attack Against Mozambique in AFCON 2025 Excerpt
Ivory Coast has revealed its official lineup for the opening match of the Africa Cup of Nations 2025 against Mozambique, with stars Zaha and Diallo spearheading the attack.
Emery Faé, head coach of Ivory Coast, announced the official lineup for the Elephants in their opening match defending the AFCON 2025 title against Mozambique, scheduled for Wednesday evening in the group stage.
Ivory Coast Line-up vs Mozambique
Yahia – Doué – Ndika – Odilon – Konan – Kessie – Sangaré – Seri – Amad Diallo – Wilfried Zaha – Diamoundé
Mozambique Line-up
Ernan – Kampala – Champoko – Nanani – Dominguez – Langa – Bondi – Dovi – Bangal
The Ivorian team suffered an early blow as Sebastien Haller was ruled out of the tournament due to a hamstring injury sustained while playing for Utrecht in the Dutch league.
Ivory Coast boasts a star-studded squad including Frank Kessié (Al Ahly), Amad Diallo (Manchester United), and Wilfried Zaha (MLS), aiming to continue their dominance in the continental tournament.
Mozambique aims to pull off a shock result against the titleholders before facing Gabon on December 28 and Cameroon on December 31.
Reinaldo Mandava, Sunderland defender, stands out for Mozambique, having contributed significantly to his club’s results in the Premier League this season.
Ivory Coast vs Mozambique AFCON History
The teams met twice previously in AFCON: in 1986 (Ivory Coast won 3-0) and in 1996 (Ivory Coast won 1-0).
Mozambique has never progressed beyond the group stage, while Ivory Coast has won the Africa Cup of Nations three times in 1992, 2015, and 2023.
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