Algeria vs Sudan prediction: AFRICA: Africa Cup of Nations betting tips on match 2025-12-23 15:00.
[p]One of the favourites to go all the way in this year’s Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), Algeria, get their 2025 campaign underway with a Christmas Eve showdown against outsiders Sudan in Rabat.[/p]
[p]Match News and Current Form[/p]
[p]Algeria will be targeting AFCON glory, but five group stage eliminations in their last seven appearances at the tournament hardly inspire confidence. One of the two outliers came in 2019, when the Desert Warriors won their second AFCON title by beating Senegal in Cairo. Vladimir Petković’s side hope that having another Arab nation in Morocco as hosts serves as a lucky omen and a 16-match unbeaten run inside 90 minutes (W8, D8) provides further optimism, although a penalty shootout defeat to the United Arab Emirates in an Arab Cup quarter-final last time out leaves a bitter taste.[/p]
[p]Sudan have shown plenty of grit to reach the finals, edging out Niger in their qualification group to take their place at just a second AFCON from the last seven editions. Their achievement is made all the more impressive when set against the backdrop of an ongoing civil war in their homeland, yet boss James Kwesi Appiah insists his side will “fight for the trophy” despite their long odds. They’re down in 118th in FIFA’s rankings and come into the tournament with just one win in their last 11 games (D2, L8), a run that includes eight failures to score.[/p]
[p]Head-to-Head History[/p]
[p]Algeria have won just three of their eight H2Hs against Sudan (D3, L2), with the two sides sharing the spoils in a goalless draw at the Arab Cup earlier this month.[/p]
[p]Hot Stats and Streaks[/p]
[p]Only one of Algeria’s last 12 goals came before the 30th minute.[/p]
[p]Thirteen of Algeria’s last 14 victories have been by a 2+ goal margin.[/p]
[p]Three of Sudan’s last four games featured a red card.[/p]
[p]Sudan have failed to score in their last three AFCON opening fixtures (D1, L2). [/p]
[p]Key Players to Watch and Missing Players[/p]
[p]Riyad Mahrez has four goal contributions in his last three caps for Algeria (G2, A2), and scored three times in the side’s run to 2019 AFCON glory. Yasser Mozamil netted Sudan’s most recent goal against Bahrain, and his last six goals for club and country have come after half-time. [/p]
[p]Houssem Aouar withdrew from Algeria’s squad after suffering an injury in training last Friday. Sudan do not appear to have any fresh concerns heading into the game.[/p]
[p]For all the latest team news, please check the Flashscore match centre.[/p]
[p]Betting Analysis[/p]
[p]Petković’s side will be eager to prove themselves as genuine AFCON contenders, so backing Algeria to win with a -1 handicap seems like a sensible punt here.[/p]
[p][i]Author: James Hilsum[/i][/p]