Unsurprisingly, Egypt are among the favourites on the AFCON outright betting market when it comes to the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations. The Pharaohs have a proud history when you go back through the previous AFCON competitions, with the halcyon period coming between 2006 and 2010 where three successive wins were landed.
Since then, it has been more of a mixed bag, with the Egyptians missing out on three successive tournaments although they were runners-up in 2017 and then lost in the last sixteen stage in 2019. Anything less than the semi-finals in Cameroon would be regarded as a disappointment.
Can Egypt Claim Group Opening Win Over Nigeria?
If you compare the latest AFCON betting odds, you will see that Egypt are trading as marginal favourites to win this group clash at the Roumdé Adjia Stadium in Garoua. It’s clear that the presence of Salah in any team will give them a sporting chance of winning, while Egypt were able to reach the 2018 World Cup where the Liverpool man was only half-fit.
Mohamed Elneny and Trezeguet are also on the books at Premier League clubs although the majority of the squad ply their trade for teams in the Egyptian Premier League. Mohamed El Shenawy is the goalkeeper for Al Ahly and many of his club team-mates are in the set up, while there are a host of Zamalek players also lining up.
A Salah-less Egypt did make it to the semi-finals of the Arab Cup a few months ago before losing on penalties to Qatar, although it’s hard to judge their performance levels and they might be over-reliant on one particular player.
Nigeria Could Be Betting Value in AFCON Opener
When Nigeria play in the Africa Cup of Nations, they usually go a long way in the competition. The Super Eagles finished in third place in 2019 and the nucleus of that squad will be in attendance in Cameroon, with Wilfred Ndidi having shone for Leicester in a recent clash against Liverpool and he’s sure to try and shackle Salah in this clash.
The big strength for the Nigerians is in attack, with Ahmed Musa highly experience and we should also see Odion Ighalo feature, with the former Watford forward having top scored at the last AFCON tournament. Alex Iwobi and Kelechi Iheanacho can also rack up goals at international level.
What Are the Best Bets for Egypt v Nigeria?
We honestly think it could be worth opposing Egypt when it comes to this clash. It’s not immediately obvious why they should be betting favourites and one can’t help but feel that they are going to be hugely reliant on Salah who doesn’t always deliver on the international stage. After all, he is surrounded by world-class talent at Liverpool and that’s not the case for his country.
Therefore, you might want to consider the Nigerians on the Asian Handicap market or alternatively the Super Eagles on the Draw No Bet. Interestingly, the bookies are expecting goals to be low on the ground here and there are odds shorter than 1/2 when it comes to Under 2.5 Goals.
If you’re expecting no more than a goal to be scored, you can get betting odds of 11/8 and this covers the goalless draw along with 1-0 to either side. If you really feel that Salah can prove to be the match winner, then a Salah 1-0 scorecast could be the option.