Our prediction for this Africa Cup of Nations 2024 match:
Comoros
Match Time & Date:
10/01/2022
11:00 AM
Prediction: 0-1
Gabon
Gabon will look to kick off their 2021 Africa Cup of Nations campaign in great manner when they face Comoros at Stade Ahmadou Ahidjo on Monday. The two teams meet for the first time ever at the showpiece tournament, but they played out a 1-1 draw in a friendly six years ago. As always, Gabon are led by Arsenal attacker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who is on the verge of leaving the Premier League club following a row with Mikel Arteta, and we are positive that the pacey attacker will pose a big threat for the opposition back-line.
Comoros, on the other hand, still rely on experienced Crvena zvezda attacker El Fardou Ben, who is on the twilight of his career. Amir Abdou’s troops are likely to adopt a defence-minded approach in their opener, but preventing Aubameyang and Co. from scoring is easier said than done.
Highlighted Player (Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang):
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is the most famous Gabonese player and he is the first footballer from Gabon to appear in Bundesliga. Aubameyang played for the likes of Dijon, Lille, Monaco and St. Etienne in the past before joining Borussia Dortmund on July, 2013. The pacey attacker signed a five-year contract with the Millionaires and he has been producing outstanding performances with the Signal-Iduna-Park outfit ever since.
Aubameyang impressed in the 2015–16 Bundesliga, scoring 25 goals in 31 appearances for Borussia Dortmund, but that did not help Thomas Tuchel’s men win the domestic trophy. Speaking of his international career, the 187-cm-tall striker made his Gabon debut on 25 March, 2009 and he scored his first goal for the national team in a 3-2 win over Morocco.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang helped Gabon make it to the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations quarter-finals. It has to be noted, though, that he played for France U-21 team in the past. Aubameyang was born in Laval, France on 18 June, 1989.
Highlighted Team (Gabon):
Gabon made their international debut in April 1960, with the team participating in L’Amitie tournament and it has to be noted that les Pantheres (the Panthers) were beaten by Burkina Faso in their first match. The Gabonese national football team have yet to participate at the World Cup finals, but they did well to make it to the Africa Cup of Nations quarter-finals on two occasions.
Les Pantheres were eliminated by Tunisia at the 1996 African Cup of Nations, while Mali proved to be a big catch for Gabon at the 2012 tournament. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is probably the most notable footballer who plays for Gabon and the Borussia Dortmund striker scored three goals for the national team at the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations, but he missed a penalty in the quarter-finals against Mali.
Gabon clinched the UNIFAC Cup title in 1999, while winning UDEAC Championship in 1985 and 1988. Stade Omar Bongo is considered Gabon’s home stadium.
