THE two outsiders in Group A at the Men's Olympics Football tournament will go head-to-head in Nice on Wednesday, 24 July on the opening day of action at the Games.
Neither side are expected to even get out of their group at the tournament, never mind contend for a medal but most football tournaments have an underdog story so a win here could go a long way for either side.
A draw doesn't suit anyone here which means we should be in for an attacking match between two teams with nothing to lose. Ahead of kick-off, here is our Guinea vs New Zealand prediction.
How the bookies view it: Guinea to come out on top
The bookmakers believe that Guinea will have too much quality for New Zealand on Wednesday afternoon and they have been priced as the 4/6 favourites with Betfred. New Zealand have been priced as rank outsiders at 18/5 with the draw considered slightly more likely at 12/5.
Recent head-to-head: A first ever meeting
Guinea and New Zealand have never faced off before on the football field which makes this match a historic occasion despite the fact it will go down as an under-23 match in the history books. New Zealand played two African teams earlier in the year in friendly matches and lost both, which could bode well for Guinea on Wednesday.
Players to watch: Can ex-Liverpool man lead Guinea to glory?
The most decorated player on the pitch on Wednesday afternoon in Nice will be Werder Bremen's Naby Keita. The former Liverpool man was once regarded as one of the most talented midfielders in world football but injuries have derailed his career in recent times.
The upcoming Olympic Games are perhaps Keita's final chance to deliver on the international stage and he will be expected to be the heartbeat of the team. Keita has scored 12 goals in 58 appearances for Guinea, proving that he can be a goalscoring threat from midfield.
New Zealand, meanwhile, will turn to Riley Bidois who has proven himself to be prolific at under-23 level for his country. Bidois scored five goals for his nation against Fiji in the final of the OFC Championship back in September.
Predicted line-ups
A significant portion of the Guinea squad play their club football in France so they will feel at home playing in Nice on Wednesday night. The midfield is the strongest part of their team with Keita being joined by Abdoulaye Toure and Amadou Diawara.
The New Zealand's squad features players who play their football across the entire planet. Bournemouth fans may want to pay particular attention to this match, given their new signing, Alex Paulsen, is expected to start between the sticks.
Guinea: Sylla – Oulare, Soumah, Doucoure, M. Keita – Toure, N. Keita – Diallo, Moriba, Bah – Camara
New Zealand: Paulsen – Sheridan, Bindon, Boxall, Sutton – Garbett, Bell – Gillion, Singh, Randall – Bidois
Anything else catch the eye?
New Zealand under-23s managed to get one warm-up game in preparation for the Olympics but succumbed to a 3-1 defeat at the hands of Uzbekistan under-23s. Guinea, meanwhile, pulled off an impressive win over Argentina under-23s in their last warm-up match. A Guinea win to nil is priced at 6/4 with Betfred.
This Olympics match between Guinea and New Zealand will be played on Jul 24, 2024 and kick off at 16:00. Check below for our tipsters best Guinea vs New Zealand prediction. You may also visit our dedicated betting previews section for the most up to date previews.
