Africa Cup of Nations winner odds & outright predictions: Elephants can prevail

Free football tips, best outright bet and analysis for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations.

Best bet

Ivory Coast
1pt each-way 8-1 bet365, Hills

Tournament preview

It is a case of third time lucky for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations which, after two postponements, begins in Cameroon on Sunday with a galaxy of stars on show.

Mo Salah, Sadio Mane and Franck Kessie are among the key players to look out for in what is a tricky tournament to call.

Senegal, runners-up in 2019, are favourites to lift the trophy at the 60,000-capacity Olembe Stadium in early February with Chelsea goalkeeper Edouard Mendy between the sticks and Liverpool's Mane spearheading their attack.

However, there is uncertainty over the availability of some players in their squad - most notably experienced defender Kalidou Koulibaly and Watford winger Ismaila Sarr - while Krepin Diatta, named Best Young Player at the last Afcon, is out.

Defending champions Algeria are next in the betting at 6-1 and the Fennec Foxes, who beat Senegal in the 2019 final, are on a 33-game unbeaten run.

Riyad Mahrez is the key player of a forward line which also features Said Benrahma of West Ham, and they could again go close after winning the 2021 Arab Cup with a weakened squad only a couple of months ago.

The Salah factor will entice some punters to back Egypt at 13-2 but the Pharaohs failed to make it beyond the last 16 when hosting the competition two years ago, while even with home advantage Cameroon should be swerved at 8-1.

Ivory Coast, meanwhile, are an appealing bet at 7-1 with strength across all areas of the pitch.

Experienced pair Eric Bailly and Serge Aurier and Bayer Leverkusen youngster Odilon Kossounou make up a fairly solid rearguard while in front of them midfield anchor Kessie of Milan is one of European football's brightest young things. Premier League duo Wilfried Zaha and Nicolas Pepe, meanwhile, offer pace in the attacking third.

The Elephants made it to the quarter-finals of the 2019 tournament, taking champions Algeria to penalties, with the lack of a reliable goalscorer seemingly holding them back.

But in Sebastien Haller, who has reignited his career at Ajax after an underwhelming spell with West Ham, they may finally have their man.

Algeria will be tough opponents in Group E but the Ivorians have more than enough to topple Sierra Leone and Equatorial Guinea to progress.

Faith in the national team has been lacking for some time but Ivory Coast could be going under the radar somewhat and they could be a great bet to go all the way.

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