The Africa Cup of Nations has delivered steady intrigue so far, with each matchday producing moments of control and fine margins.
Matchday three followed that trend, as DR Congo edged past the Republic of Benin, Senegal eased beyond Botswana, Nigeria managed Tanzania with discipline and Tunisia overcame Uganda.
Attention now turns to day four, which features four compelling fixtures across the groups, and MRFixtips has identified the most reliable betting angles worth considering.
Burkina Faso vs Equatorial Guinea: Wednesday, December 24 – 12:30
The opening fixture sees familiar deep runners Burkina Faso and Equatorial Guinea begin their Group E campaigns at the Mohammed V Stadium.
Both nations are aiming to better their round of 16 exits from the previous edition, though progress will be contested in a section that also includes tournament favourites Algeria, with Sudan viewed as the lowest-ranked side.
Momentum favours the Stallions, who arrive on the back of five victories from six outings, capped by a convincing 3-0 friendly success against the Republic of Benin, while the Red Devils seek a response after three defeats in their last five matches (W1, D1), one of which was a forfeited World Cup qualifier against Malawi.
The head-to-head record offers little separation, with Burkina claiming the only win from three meetings in a narrow 1-0 result in 2011 that remains the sole fixture to produce a goal.
Equatorial Guinea have also found goals hard to come by of late, with each of their last four appearances finishing below the 2.5 line, while Burkina have scored exactly three in each of their last three matches.
With those patterns in mind, a cautious combination that protects against a tight contest appears the safer route.
Recommended bet:
- Burkina Faso win or draw and goal range one to four – 1/2 (Betano)
Algeria vs Sudan: Wednesday, December 24 – 15:00
The second game of the day sees Algeria take on Sudan at Stade Moulay Hassan in a fixture that closes the opening round in Group D.
The Desert Warriors enter the tournament among the outright contenders and will be eager to respond after a disappointing previous edition, where another group stage exit extended an unwanted trend.
Both sides arrive from Arab Cup involvement, with Algeria eliminated on penalties by the United Arab Emirates, meaning they are yet to taste defeat in 90 minutes across their last 10 matches, a run that included a draw against Sudan during that competition.
Sudan, however, were knocked out following a 3-1 defeat to Bahrain and have now suffered six losses in their last 10 outings.
Algeria have also shown a habit of winning with authority, with 13 of their last 14 victories arriving by more than one goal, which strengthens the case for a productive display.
Recommended bet:
- Algeria over 1.5 goals – 7/10 (Ladbrokes)
Ivory Coast vs Mozambique: Wednesday, December 24 – 17:30
Defending champions Ivory Coast begin their title defence against Mozambique at the Marrakech Stadium.
The Elephants enter the competition in confident shape, having recorded six wins in 10 matches this year while keeping eight clean sheets, including a 2-0 victory over Oman in their final AFCON warm-up.
Mozambique, by contrast, arrive after a heavy 4-1 loss to Angola and have been beaten three times across their last five games.
History also leans firmly towards Ivory Coast, who are unbeaten in six previous meetings, winning four and keeping five clean sheets in that span.
Recommended bet:
- Ivory Coast win to nil – 5/6 (Betano)
Cameroon vs Gabon: Wednesday, December 24 – 20:00
The final fixture of the day features two recent World Cup qualification playoff participants as Cameroon meet Gabon at Stade Adrar.
The Indomitable Lions saw their hopes of reaching the global finals ended by DR Congo on penalties, meaning they have failed to claim victory in three of their last four matches, drawing blanks in those winless games.
Gabon also fell in the playoff semi-finals following a heavy extra-time defeat to Nigeria, extending a pattern that has seen them struggle for early goals, particularly before the interval.
Recommended bet:
- Gabon under 0.5 first-half goals – 5/6 (Bet365)
Adeyeye Oluwapelumi is a sports writer with more than four years’ experience covering football and other global sports. A lifelong Arsenal supporter since 2004, he writes with genuine passion and a sharp eye for the stories that shape the game.
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